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9.A. - Page 7 of 7 SEQUOIA UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES CARRIE DU BOTS 480 JAMES AVENUE, REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA 94062-1098 GEORGIA JACK ALAN SARVER APM/NIs7RATIVE OFFICE'S (650) 569.1 41 1 CHRIS THOMSEN ALLEN WEINER October 23, 2019 DR. MARY STRESHLY SUPERINTENDENT To: City Councils of Atherton, Belmont, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, and Woodside; and San Mateo County Board of Supervisors The American Lung Association', Centers for Disease Control & Prevention', California Department of Public Health' share similar messages about the dangers of flavored tobacco products and e -cigarettes: "The youth e -cigarette epidemic is extremely alarming, especially in light of the recent investigations into growing reports of vaping- related deaths and illnesses. The inhalation of harmful chemicals found in e -cigarettes can cause irreversible lung damage and lung disease, and developing lungs are more at risk. We are facing a true public health emergency, and urgent action is required... " "This action to end the sale of flavored e -cigarettes is essential to ending the youth e -cigarette epidemic. Preliminary data from the CDC's National Youth Tobacco Survey found 27.5 percent of high school students are vaping — a staggering increase of 135 percent over just the past two years." —Lung Association, October 3, 2014 We ask you to take urgent action to: 1. prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of flavored tobacco products; 2. prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of e -cigarettes and electronic vaping devices; 3. prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies, and 4. set a minimum price and minimum pack size for sale. Here are the facts: This is an issue at the local level. According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey, which is already over a year old and likely doesn't reflect the extent of the issue, 15 percent of high school freshmen, 34 percent of high school seniors and 20 percent of youth had used e -cigarettes in the preceding 30 days.' Fruit, mint and menthol are the most popular flavors among high school students using e -cigarettes, with two-thirds of kids using fruit -flavored e -cigarettes and 64 percent using mint or menthol e -cigarette flavors. Menthol in cigarettes makes it easier for kids to start using tobacco products because it masks the harshness of the smoke. I It is important to set both minimum prices and minimum pack sizes. The availability of inexpensive tobacco products in proximity to schools and youth sensitive areas leads to increased tobacco use as evidenced by more than one hundred academic studies. In other Bay Area communities that passed ordinances that only set minimum pack sizes, the tobacco industry responded by selling packs of five or six cigars for a dollar in those communities. Please take imme4iate-action to help end the youth e -cigarette epidemic. Sincerely 3 https•//www luna.org/about-us/media/press-r6leases/CDC-MMWR-Flavored- cc'ifs.html, Oct 3, 2019. ' htt s: www.cdc, ov mmwr volumes 68 wr mm6839a2,htm?s cid=mm6839a2 w Oct 4, 2019. 3 https:llwww.cdl3h.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/Pages/Vaping-Health-Advisory.a5pxx, updated Oct 4, 2019. "California Kids Survey. 2017-2018 San Mateo Union. California Department of Education and West Ed [no data for Seq Union] Carlmont -- EPA Academy — Menlo -Atherton — Redwood — Sequoia — Sequoia Adult School _ TIME Academy — Woodside 214