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SEQUOIA UNRON HIGH S -SCHOOL DISTMCT
<br />To: City Councils of Atherton, Belmont, Bast Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, and Woodside; and
<br />San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
<br />The American Lung Association', Centers for Disease Control & Prevention2, California Department of Public Health' share similar
<br />messages about the dangers of flavored tobacco products and e -cigarettes:
<br />"Tile youth e -cigarette epidemic is extremely alarming, especially in light of the recent investigations into growing reports of vaping-
<br />related deaths and illnesses. The inhalation of harmful chemicals found in e -cigarettes can cause irreversible lung damage and lung
<br />disease, and developing lungs are more at risk. We are facing a true public health emergency, and urgent action is required... "
<br />"This action to end the sale of flavored e -cigarettes is essential to ending the youth e -cigarette epidemic. Preliminary data from the
<br />CDC's National Youth Tobacco Survey found 27.5 percent of high school students are vaping — a staggering increase of 135 percent
<br />over just the past two years:" —Lung Association, October 3, 2019
<br />We ask you to take urgent action to:
<br />I. prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of flavored tobacco products;
<br />2. prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of e -cigarettes and electronic vaping devices;
<br />3. prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies, and
<br />4. set a minimum price and minimum pack size for sale.
<br />Here are the facts:
<br />• This is an issue at the local level. According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey, which is already over a year
<br />old and likely doesn't reflect the extent of the issue, 15 percent of high school freshmen, 34 percent of high school seniors
<br />and 20 percent of youth had used e -cigarettes in the preceding 30 days.'
<br />• Fruit, mint and menthol are the most popular flavors among high school students using e -cigarettes, with two-thirds of kids
<br />using fruit -flavored e -cigarettes and 64 percent using mint or menthol e -cigarette flavors. Menthol in cigarettes makes it
<br />easier for kids to start using tobacco products because it masks the harshness of the smoke.'
<br />• It is important to set both minimum prices and minimum pack sizes. The availability of inexpensive tobacco products in
<br />proximity to schools and youth sensitive areas leads to increased tobacco use as evidenced by more than one hundred
<br />academic studies. In other Bay Area communities that passed ordinances that only set minimum pack sizes, the tobacco
<br />industry responded by selling packs of five or six cigars for a dollar in those communities.
<br />Please take immediateaction to help end the youth e -cigarette epidemic.
<br />' haus //w w lu a ora/about-us/media/oressatleases/CDGMMWR.Flavored-Ecigs.html. Oct 3, 2019.
<br />I bitps�//www.cdcgov/mm r/volumes/68/wr/mm6839a2 htm?s cid=mm6839a2 w . Oct 4, 2019.
<br />' https-//www.cdoh.ca.eovLPrograms/CCDPHP/PagesLvaPing-Health Advisomaslu, updated Oct 4, 2019.
<br />- California Kids survey. 2017.2018 San Mateo Union. California Department of Education and West Ed [no data for Seq Union)
<br />Carlmont GPA Academy — Menlo -Atherton — Redwood — Sequoia — Sequoia Adult School — TIDE Academy — Woodside
<br />BOARD OF TRUSTEES
<br />CARRIE DU Bois
<br />480 JAMES AVENUE, REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA 94062-1098
<br />GEORGIA JACK
<br />ALAN SARVER
<br />ADM/NISTRA r/VE OFMCES (650) 369-1411
<br />CHRIS THOMSEN
<br />ALLEN WEINER
<br />October 23, 2019
<br />DR. MARY STRESHLY
<br />SUPERINTENDENT
<br />To: City Councils of Atherton, Belmont, Bast Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, and Woodside; and
<br />San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
<br />The American Lung Association', Centers for Disease Control & Prevention2, California Department of Public Health' share similar
<br />messages about the dangers of flavored tobacco products and e -cigarettes:
<br />"Tile youth e -cigarette epidemic is extremely alarming, especially in light of the recent investigations into growing reports of vaping-
<br />related deaths and illnesses. The inhalation of harmful chemicals found in e -cigarettes can cause irreversible lung damage and lung
<br />disease, and developing lungs are more at risk. We are facing a true public health emergency, and urgent action is required... "
<br />"This action to end the sale of flavored e -cigarettes is essential to ending the youth e -cigarette epidemic. Preliminary data from the
<br />CDC's National Youth Tobacco Survey found 27.5 percent of high school students are vaping — a staggering increase of 135 percent
<br />over just the past two years:" —Lung Association, October 3, 2019
<br />We ask you to take urgent action to:
<br />I. prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of flavored tobacco products;
<br />2. prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of e -cigarettes and electronic vaping devices;
<br />3. prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies, and
<br />4. set a minimum price and minimum pack size for sale.
<br />Here are the facts:
<br />• This is an issue at the local level. According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey, which is already over a year
<br />old and likely doesn't reflect the extent of the issue, 15 percent of high school freshmen, 34 percent of high school seniors
<br />and 20 percent of youth had used e -cigarettes in the preceding 30 days.'
<br />• Fruit, mint and menthol are the most popular flavors among high school students using e -cigarettes, with two-thirds of kids
<br />using fruit -flavored e -cigarettes and 64 percent using mint or menthol e -cigarette flavors. Menthol in cigarettes makes it
<br />easier for kids to start using tobacco products because it masks the harshness of the smoke.'
<br />• It is important to set both minimum prices and minimum pack sizes. The availability of inexpensive tobacco products in
<br />proximity to schools and youth sensitive areas leads to increased tobacco use as evidenced by more than one hundred
<br />academic studies. In other Bay Area communities that passed ordinances that only set minimum pack sizes, the tobacco
<br />industry responded by selling packs of five or six cigars for a dollar in those communities.
<br />Please take immediateaction to help end the youth e -cigarette epidemic.
<br />' haus //w w lu a ora/about-us/media/oressatleases/CDGMMWR.Flavored-Ecigs.html. Oct 3, 2019.
<br />I bitps�//www.cdcgov/mm r/volumes/68/wr/mm6839a2 htm?s cid=mm6839a2 w . Oct 4, 2019.
<br />' https-//www.cdoh.ca.eovLPrograms/CCDPHP/PagesLvaPing-Health Advisomaslu, updated Oct 4, 2019.
<br />- California Kids survey. 2017.2018 San Mateo Union. California Department of Education and West Ed [no data for Seq Union)
<br />Carlmont GPA Academy — Menlo -Atherton — Redwood — Sequoia — Sequoia Adult School — TIDE Academy — Woodside
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