Rutland Area Prevention Coalition

Mobilizing the community in the prevention of substance abuse

through education and promotion of healthy lifestyle choices.

Campaigns

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, no level of exposure to secondhand smoke is safe. Breathing secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. In children, it increases the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, more severe bouts of asthma and more frequent ear infections. Many countries, states and towns are enacting comprehensive smoking bans. Recent studies show that these policies save lives, reduce medical costs and significantly reduce hospitalization for heart attacks.

An increasing number of Vermont smokers – and recent quitters – with children in the home have chosen to ban tobacco use in their homes and cars. Last year, 66 percent (up from 43 percent in 2001) banned smoking in their homes while 75 percent (up from 54 percent in 2001) banned it in their cars. Vermonters who are interested in learning more about smoke-free zones can log on to www.VTQuitNetwork.org.

“Parents and other caregivers care deeply about the health and well-being of children, and the Vermont Department of Health and partner organizations have developed strategies to help them” said Health Commissioner Wendy Davis, MD. “We’re proud of the work community-based anti-tobacco coalitions are doing to encourage all Vermonters to make their environments smoke-free.”

Civic organizations and towns across Vermont are taking action on a local level against secondhand smoke. Examples include:

Summer Fairs – Organizers of the Vermont State Fair and Addison County Fair & Field Days worked with local coalitions to ban tobacco use except in designated smoking areas.

Smoke-Free Parks – Town leaders and local coalitions created smoke-free zones in Brattleboro and Essex Junction parks as well as in Londonderry’s Pingree and Memorial parks.

Smoke-Free Park Advisories – Although they have not passed town ordinances, local leaders and coalitions in Bennington, Manchester and St. Johnsbury have posted or will post signs in town parks. At the Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park in Manchester, the Selectboard asked that “Please keep this park a smoke-free zone for children” signs be posted.

 

The Vermont Tobacco Control Program is funded by payments from the Master Settlement Agreement and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, visit http://healthvermont.gov.
Text Box: If you would like more information about this Campaign, or if you would like to take advantage of the materials and tools in our office, please call (802) 775-4199

 

Smoke Free Zone

 

The Rutland Area Prevention Coalition and the Vermont Department of Health are working together to help Vermonters create smoke-free zones to protect both children and adults from being exposed to the dangers of secondhand smoke. As part of the statewide Smoke-Free Zone campaign, two 60-second radio ads will air during August and September.