Mary Alice Reporting – A resource fair and litter cleanup will be held Saturday as part of Take Down Tobacco.
The Tuscarawas County Health Department is hosting the event at the Wellmore Center, located at 204 2nd Street NE, in New Philadelphia, from 8am to 10am.
The free event will highlight advocacy project related to kids being tobacco free and not being “fooled” by big tobacco companies.
Health Educator Katelyn Gorius notes that, for youth, vaping is the number one product; however, they are starting to see a trend for a nicotine pouch, which goes between a person’s teeth and gum line.
“It’s using synthetic nicotine, so it’s made in a lab so it’s no longer tobacco based nicotine product, it’s all a chemical makeup. The catch there is they come in the fruit flavors and the mint flavors, but you don’t actually have to spit it out. You can swallow it if you choose to, so it’s easier for kids to hide and then we’re going into a whole other realm of your digestive tract being harmed by your nicotine addiction.”
Smoking and using tobacco products is glamourized in film and online, as well as companies, who spend an estimated $429.8 million each year, in Ohio, on marketing expenditures.
Research, provided by the health department, notes that one in five high school students, in the US, use electronic cigarettes or vaping devices.
For more information or resources, go to www.tchdnow.org and visit the prevention services page.
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