Teens for Healthy Youth (THY) presented a proposal to the Hilton Head Mayor and Town Council urging members to include vaping in the smoking regulations of the Town Code. The youth’s presentation cited evidence-based research on the dangers that electronic devices pose to individuals including addiction, risk of cancer, and respiratory issues. They also addressed the risk of second-hand and third-hand chemical exposure from these electronic aerosol devices. The youth proposed that the town follow the Surgeon General’s Advisory to adapt local policies/ordinances that protect its citizens just as smoking regulations have done. They also noted that the neighboring town of Bluffton, SC had already followed suit by adding vaping to their public smoking regulations in 2019 after being influenced by the work of Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth and its youth coalition, Teens for Healthy Youth. The THY presenters received positive feedback from Mayor Perry and Hilton Head Town Council members and applause from citizens in the meeting. Including electronic smoking devices in the Town’s Code smoking regulations will send a clear public health message and will protect the environment and quality of life for Hilton Head Island’s residents and visitors. Changing policies is a component of the Seven Strategies of Change used by all Drug Free Community Coalitions. See Power Point Presentation submitted to Mayor and Town Council to preview prior to the presentation by THY members at the Town Council meeting. To watch THY present to the Town Council go to video here.
Teens for Healthy Youth members Jacob P. Pirkey, Jillian Campanella, Amber Van Horn, and Ben Vaught co-presented a proposal to Hilton Head Town Mayor and Town Council.
THY members co-presented a proposal to Mayor Perry and Town Council members to include electronic devices/vaping to Hilton Head Island’s Smoking Regulations Code.
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