S.C. County Awards Grant $ To 6 Cities To Extinguish Tobacco

SAN JOSE, CA -- While witnessing a resurgence in tobacco use among youth, Santa Clara County has awarded $310,000 in grants to six of its cities in order to stomp out increasing growth.

Cupertino, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale will use the grants available through June 2021 for educational programs designed to stem interest in taking up the habit whether through smoking or vaping as well as averting the problem of second-hand smoke.

In particular, a quarter of Santa Clara County's population admits to being exposed to second-hand smoke in apartment buildings, the county's Tobacco-Free Communities Program Manager Nicole Coxe told Patch.

Funding allocations to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing:

• Milpitas will receive $25,000, with anticipated reach of 13,678 residents.
• Morgan Hill will receive $25,000, with anticipated reach of 7,056 residents.
• San Jose will receive $70,000, with anticipated reach of 256,488 residents.
• Santa Clara will receive $34,000, with anticipated reach of 52,790 residents.

Most notably a disturbing trend has come to light in young people's fascination with e-cigarettes. There's a misconception that the vaping products are not harmful like cigarettes or chew tobacco and come in many tasty flavors that teenagers like.

"It's very alarming. We're finding out one in 10 of our youth are using. Then, they're switching to other products. I think there's confusion about the products (harm)," Coxe said.

She even pointed out how not only is the substance toxic but the aerosol is shown to be toxic as well.

Adding to the issue lies with fewer studies about the products toxicity and the lack of regulations against it.

The county has partly combatted the evolving trend by establishing smoke-free zones in its jurisdiction.

One in every eight deaths in the county is due to a smoking-related illness or disease, such as heart disease, and cancer, the county public health department reports.

Tobacco use is still the number one preventable cause of death and disease in California, killing nearly 40,000 Californians every year. Tobacco use carries a hefty price tag, both in the annual cost of $689 million and impacts on families.

“I commend our cities for stepping up to do their part to fight for healthier communities through proactive tobacco-prevention work,” Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said. “Our youth are some of our community’s most vulnerable members, and it is our duty as civic servants to ensure we do our part so they have the best chance for success.”

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