|
At 21.7%, Oklahoma youth vaping rates are more than double the national average. A bill being considered by the Legislature would combat this epidemic by holding retailers accountable for illegally selling e-cigarettes to youth.
House Bill 3331 by Representative Cynthia Roe, R-Lyndsay, and Senator Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, would impose fines on store owners for selling to youth, beginning at $250 for the first offense and escalating to $1,000 for the third and subsequent offenses. Repeat offenders could also lose their license to sell tobacco products.
Vapes contain large amounts of nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that impairs neuron growth and damages portions of the brain responsible for learning, memory and attention. This is particularly dangerous for youth, whose brains are still developing.
Almost 9 out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily say they started before they were 18, so preventing youth from starting is key to tobacco prevention efforts.
If HB 3331 passes, store owners will be deterred from allowing Oklahoma youth access to these dangerous products. It’s a measure that will protect Oklahoma’s youth from the predatory marketing of Big Tobacco and set our state on a course for better health outcomes in years to come.
Read more HERE.
SOURCE: OSDE
Calling all educators! The Oklahoma State Department of Education, in partnership with TSET, is offering free workshops for educators in June.
Participants will receive resources to develop students' life skills aligned with the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Health Education. Register below and learn about how to integrate health into physical education and other subjects.
|
Location
|
Region
|
Date |
Registration Link
|
|
Cimarron Public Schools
|
Enid
|
June 10 |
|
|
Sangre Ridge Elementary
|
Stillwater
|
June 11 |
|
|
Lone Grove Public Schools
|
Ardmore
|
June 18 |
|
|
Tulsa Health Department
|
Tulsa
|
June 24 |
|
|
Central High Public Schools
|
Duncan
|
June 26 |
|
|
Bethany Children's Hospital
|
Oklahoma City
|
June 28 |
|
Perspective: Julie Bisbee in the Journal Record
Many women juggle caring for young kids, aging parents, careers and staying active in school, community or civic organizations. This can leave little time or energy to care for yourself.
There are a lot of people counting on mothers day-to-day, and we owe it to ourselves, and others, to be mindful of our wellness. Much like airline employees instruct us to put on our own oxygen mask first, investing in our own well-being is a way to nurture everyone.
|
Discovery and Built Environment Innovations are newer grant programs from TSET already benefiting communities across Oklahoma.
Episode 46, out May 31, features two examples: extensive plans for parks and trails in Pauls Valley and a new Horticulture Education Building for the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University, a scenic and multifunctional garden that attracts up to 100,000 people a year.
"It's about making your community more connected and easier for people to move around in, whether that be for fitness, or for shopping, or for health and safety," said Jennifer Sanford, parks and recreation director for the City of Pauls Valley. "So, because of my work in parks and recreation, I want people to get out and move, and be healthier and be outside, because that makes healthier citizens. TSET wants that, too. And it's just a win-win, all the way around."
Available on TSET's website and everywhere podcasts are listened to: Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, PodBean, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.
TSET is staffed by a dedicated and passionate group of people. This month, we would like to introduce Tonia Lowrey.
Tonia Lowrey is the Director of Quality and Performance at TSET. Before joining TSET, she oversaw Grants and Accreditation for the Oklahoma City-County Health Department and served as an administrator. Prior to becoming an administrator, Lowrey worked with schools under the Oklahoma County TSET Healthy Living Program grant.
She received her Master of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, her Bachelor of Science from the University of Central Oklahoma and is certified in public health.
Read about the rest of the team HERE.
|
|
