HEALTH & SAFETY
E-Cigarette Use Among Youth Alarming
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n response to alarming levels of e-cigarette use among youth in the United States — including a 78% increase among high school students in just one year — on September 10, 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the creation of a new $160 million initiative to end the youth e-cigarette epidemic. Goals of the initiative, “Protect Kids: Fight Flavored E-Cigarettes,” include banning all flavored e-cigarettes and stopping Juul and other e-cigarette companies from marketing their products to children. The three-year program is led by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which has partnered with other leading organizations including parent and community groups concerned about the nation’s kids and health. More than 3.6 million middle and high school students in the United States use e-cigarettes, accounting for about one-third of all U.S. e-cigarette users. E-cigarettes with kid-friendly flavors such as mint, mango, and gummy bear are fueling this epidemic; 97% of kids who use e-cigarettes use the flavored varieties, and 70% report the flavors as the reason they use e-cigarettes. The creation of the initiative came as health authorities in 33 states are investigating more than 450 cases of severe respiratory illnesses associated with vaping. Juul—which now represents over 70% of the e-cigarette market in the United States—delivers high levels of nicotine, with each Juul pod delivering as much nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes. Nicotine is highly addictive and impacts developing brains: adolescent exposure to nicotine can reduce attention, learning and memory. The initiative supports local advocacy efforts in cities and states including legislative and regulatory measures to: • Remove flavored e-cigarettes from the marketplace. Researchers have identified more than 15,000 e-cigarette flavors available online. • Ensure e-cigarette products are subjected to review before they reach the market and products now on the market are reviewed promptly. Under current law, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to review all e-cigarette products before they are allowed to be sold. However, the FDA has significantly delayed this review process, allowing current
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products—including flavored e-cigarettes—to remain on the market for several years without a scientific review. End marketing practices that appeal to kids. Research has shown that the marketing practices of Juul have been “patently youth-oriented.” Nearly half of the public accounts following Juul on Twitter in 2018 were of people between 13 and 17 years old. Stop online e-cigarette sales until sales to kids can be prevented. E-cigarette companies currently have insufficient protections in place to keep kids from purchasing their products online, including the inability to properly verify the ages of purchasers through remote sales.
It has been about one year since the launch of this initiative, and while it has made substantial progress, there is still much to be done.
HEALTH & SAFETY
FDOT School Zone Safety Improvements T he Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)’s District 2 will begin a districtwide school zone safety improvement project the first week in December that will include enhancements at more than 150 school zones across Northeast Florida. This project is part of a statewide effort to improve school zone safety in response to House Bill 493, passed during the 2017 Regular Session. This includes implementation of a specific, uniform system of high-visibility markings and signage within one-mile of all schools on arterial and collector roads. As part of the $1.5 million project, FDOT District 2 will upgrade 151 school zones in 13 counties with enhanced school zone signage and, in some locations, flashing beacons. Those counties are:
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Alachua, 6 school zones Baker, 1 school zone Bradford, 3 school zones Clay, 15 school zones Columbia, 6 school zones Duval, 77 school zones Gilchrist, 1 school zone Levy, 3 school zones Nassau, 10 school zones Putnam, 13 school zones St Johns, 9 school zones Suwannee, 3 school zones Taylor, 4 school zones
Upgrades at each school zone are expected to take less than a day to complete. FDOT expects the project to be completed by Summer 2021.
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www.fdot.gov
The day after this program was launched, the Trump Administration announced that it planned to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes, a promise that it walked back on January 2, 2020 when it announced that it would exempt several categories of flavored e-cigarette products. New data released last month demonstrate the impact of these actions and the actions taken by others. According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), among high school students, e- cigarette use declined to 19.6% in 2020, after increasing by 135% from 2017 to 2019 (from 11.7% to 27.5%). Despite the decline, e-cigarette use among U.S. youth remains at epidemic levels, driven in large part by a dramatic increase in the use and sale of menthol e-cigarettes and disposable e-cigarettes, two categories of products that were exempted from the Trump Administration’s policy on flavored e-cigarettes earlier this year. While the decline in youth e-cigarette use shows meaningful progress, the new data reflects the need to adopt clear measures to drive down youth e-cigarette use rates to a far lower level and set our nation on a course to permanently reverse the youth e-cigarette epidemic. j tobaccofreekids.org fightflavoredecigs.org
DECEMBER 2020 • Jax4Kids.com • Page 6
Kids really do say the funniest things! Please share your favorites with us by e-mailing your story directly to editor@jax4kids.com. One entry each month will be turned into a cartoon to be published in the next issue of Jax4Kids. We’ll send you the original cartoon as a keepsake.
When & How to Use Hand Sanitizer Centers for Disease Control and Thandsheprevention (CDC) recommends washing with soap and water whenever
possible because handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands. But if soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The guidance for effective handwashing and use of hand sanitizer in community settings was developed based on data from a number of studies.
of pesticides in their bodies. If hands have touched harmful chemicals, wash carefully with soap and water (or as directed by a poison control center).
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Many studies have found that sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60–95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers without 60-95% alcohol 1) may not Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly work equally well for many types of germs; reduce the number of microbes on hands and 2) merely reduce the growth of germs in some situations, but sanitizers do not rather than kill them outright. eliminate all types of germs. Soap and water are more effective than hand When using hand sanitizer, apply the sanitizers at removing certain kinds of germs, product to the palm of one hand (read the like Cryptosporidium, norovirus, and Clostridi- label to learn the correct amount) and rub um difficile. Although alcohol-based hand the product all over the surfaces of your sanitizers can inactivate many types of hands until your hands are dry. microbes very effectively when used The steps for hand sanitizer use are based on correctly, people may not use a large enough a simplified procedure recommended by volume of the sanitizers or may wipe it off CDC. Instructing people to cover all surfaces before it has dried. of both hands with hand sanitizer has been found to provide similar disinfection effectiveHand sanitizers may not be as effective ness as providing detailed steps for rubwhen hands are visibly dirty or greasy. bing-in hand sanitizer. Many studies show that hand sanitizers work well in clinical settings like hospitals, where Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers hands come into contact with germs but can cause alcohol poisoning. generally are not heavily soiled or greasy. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol)-based hand sanitizers Some data also show that hand sanitizers are safe when used as directed, but they can may work well against certain types of germs cause alcohol poisoning if a person swallows on slightly soiled hands. However, hands may more than a couple of mouthfuls. From 2011 become very greasy or soiled in community – 2015, U.S. poison control centers received settings, such as after people handle food, nearly 85,000 calls about hand sanitizer play sports, work in the garden, or go exposures among children. Children may be camping or fishing. When hands are heavily particularly likely to swallow hand sanitizers soiled or greasy, hand sanitizers may not that are scented, brightly colored, or attracwork well. Handwashing with soap and water tively packaged. Hand sanitizers should be is recommended in such circumstances. stored out of the reach of young children and should be used with adult supervision. Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful Child-resistant caps could also help reduce chemicals, like pesticides and heavy hand sanitizer-related poisonings among metals, from hands. young children. j Although few studies have been conducted, cdc.gov hand sanitizers probably cannot remove or inactivate many types of harmful chemicals. In one study, people who reported using hand sanitizer to clean hands had increased levels
CALL TO ARRANGE YOUR HOMESCHOOL CLASS! WE WILL ACCOMODATE YOUR CO-OP GROUP! SMALL CLASS SIZES AND WE FOLLOW ALL CDC GUIDELINES!
Things to Do Health & Safety
Virtual Light Up the House 5k • December 5 Grab your sneakers and get ready to ‘Light Up The House’ during the festive holiday season for critically ill children staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Jacksonville. Athletes of all levels are invited to run, walk or stroll on their own time, anywhere. Be a part of the first ever Virtual Light Up The House 5k event. Run amenities include an event T-shirt, complimentary pair of Ronald McDonald House striped socks, run swag bag for the first 100 participants, a race bib, and access to weekly contests. Visit website to register and learn about more fundraising opportunities. Ronald McDonald House / 904-807-4663 / astrickland@rmhcjax.org / rmhcjacksonville.org Festival of Lights 5k • December 5, 5:30pm The Festival of Lights 5K will be held the same evening as San Marco’s Holiday Magic. The 5k and 1 mile will both start and finish on San Marco Blvd. in the Square. The 1 mile run starts at 5:30pm, followed by the 5k at 6pm. This event will feature a course that will be totally lit with luminaries, finisher medals, Santa Claus, horse drawn sleigh rides, Toy Soldier Stilt Walker, The Grinch, free chocolate, snow machines, Christmas music, jingle bells for your shoes, and awards for best stroller decoration. Entry fees range from $15 to $35. Due to COVID-19, race entries will be limited, and social distancing guidelines will be in place. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Jacksonville is dedicated to improving the health and welfare of kids in North Florida and South Georgia by increasing funds and awareness for UF Health
Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. By supporting this race you are helping provide much-needed funding for the purchase of life-saving medical equipment, educational resources and Child Life supplies. Funds raised in North Florida and South Georgia stay local. San Marco Square / 1986 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207 / 1stplacesports.com Flu Vaccination Drive-up Clinic December 9, 10am to 1pm If you have insurance, please remember your insurance card. Walgreens flu vaccine vouchers will be available for uninsured individuals, at no cost, during the immunization clinics. The vouchers will accommodate recipients on a first come first serve basis and are subject to availability. Please schedule an appointment in advance. Winston Family YMCA / 221 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32202 / www.dcmsonline.org Run Santa Run December 12, 5:30pm The Run Santa Run offers a 5K as well as a 1 mile fun run. The race will feature Christmas lights, decorations, and music along the course, a Candy Cane station, Hershey Kiss Station, custom Santa finisher medals to all participants, and hot chocolate. All participants will also receive a Santa suit to wear during the run. Race entry fees range from $15 to $40. Due to the current COVID crisis race entries will be limited and social distancing guidelines will be in place. They will also have a virtual option if you do not want to attend in person. Henry J. Klutho Park / 204 W 3rd Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206 / 1stplacesports.com
Visit Jax4Kids.com for a complete list of Health & Safety events.
DECEMBER 2020 • Jax4Kids.com • Page 7
