Tobacco.org

National Study: Teen “Heavy” Marijuana Use Up 80 Percent Since 2008, One in Ten Teens Reports Using Marijuana at Least 20 Times a Month 

• Drug Fans: More Teens Smoke Weed Than Cigarettes; The War On Drugs Has Failed  

The study, the 23rd annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, shows that teen marijuana use is up, with 27-percent of teens (about 1.5 million) admitting to smoking weed in the past month. That's up from 19-percent in 2008.

In contrast, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, teens who admitted to smoking cigarettes in the past month is on the decline, with 22-percent of teens copping to smoking in the past month. That's down from 27-percent last year. . . .

The problem, according to the DPA: the prohibitionist approach to marijuana policy isn't working, and the "war on drugs" is a failure.

"The continued decline in teen cigarette smoking is great news - not just because it's the most deadly drug but also because it reveals that legal regulation and honest education are more effective than prohibition and criminalization," DPA publications manager Jag Davies says. "Although the U.S. arrests 750,000 people every year for nothing more than possessing a small amount of marijuana, teens consistently report that marijuana is easier to obtain than alcohol."

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Belmont Board of Health raises tobacco age from 18 to 19  

Bele Chere board delays decision on tobacco sponsorships 

The board of volunteers that helps oversee Bele Chere, the city's annual, three-day summer street party, decided Wednesday to put off a vote on whether to drop tobacco sponsorships of the festival.

A group of local teens has been lobbying the Bele Chere Board of Directors, as well as the city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department board, for months with impassioned pleas asking the boards to drop the sponsorships starting in 2013. A group of about 25 teens, parents and other anti-tobacco residents spoke again Wednesday.

"Even though youths aren't allowed into the booth, it still sends a message that it's OK,"

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EDITORIAL: Our Opinion: Don't get fooled again with tobacco tax hike 

Cracking Down on Tobacco Sales to Children  

Ban begins on smoking in cars with kids  

Canberra drivers are being warned they can now be fined for smoking in cars in which children are travelling.

The ACT Legislative Assembly passed the laws last October and the six month phase-in period and education campaign has ended.

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Smoking during pregnancy may increase risk for autism in children 

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders Using Data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network 

Belmont to Up Tobacco Legal Age to 19  

Teen Drug Use: More Teenagers Smoking Marijuana 

More teens are smoking dope, with nearly 1 in 10 lighting up at least 20 or more times a month, according to a new survey of young people.

The report by The Partnership at Drugfree.org, being released Wednesday, also said abuse of prescription medicine may be easing a bit among young people in grades 9 through 12, but still remains high.

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Plain packets 'could pay off'  

SELLING tobacco in plain packaging could help cut the numbers of young people taking up smoking believes a Devon MP who has welcomed a public consultation on the issue.

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Students to learn about asthma, smoke-free air 

MUNCIE -- For the sixth straight year, CDI Head Start of Delaware County will be hosting Smoke-Free Day at Head Start at 9:30 a.m. today.

This annual event is held in recognition of National Asthma Awareness Month, helping students and parents understand the impact that smoking and secondhand smoke have on asthma.

"Asthma is a very serious condition for children and adolescents around the world, and Delaware County is no exception," said Erica Bailey, asthma coordinator for the Delaware County Health Department and chair of the Asthma Coalition of Delaware County. "It's important that families are aware that smoking and secondhand smoke are harmful to all children and adolescents."

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• Video games and the next tobacco frontier: smoking in the Starcraft universe ($$) 

Video games provide rich, interactive environments suitable for tobacco promotion.1 2 The WHO-Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) recommends comprehensive bans on ‘…all forms of commercial communication…with the aim, effect or likely effect of promoting a tobacco product or tobacco use.’ WHO-FCTC implementation guidelines cover entertainment media,3 4 yet surprisingly little is known about the importance of video games for promoting tobacco use.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, produced by Activision Blizzard, Inc., Santa Monica, California, USA, was the most popular PC military game of 2010, selling 3 million copies worldwide in the first month.5 The game presents 29 battles between humans and aliens, separated by brief scenes or cinematic ‘shorts’, which build a cohesive story, give gamers a pause and represent a reward for advancing in …

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[4340.2] Impact of Tobacco Smoke Exposure on Children Ages 6-19 Years with Asthma in the US, 2003-2010