HRH Tobacco Coaliton

Brandee Bastin and her daughter Brenna.

Brandee Bastin, Tobacco Initiative Coordinator for Hancock Regional Hospital Foundation spoke to Greenfield Kiwanis about the new types of tobacco products being pushed to youth as "safe" alternatives to cigarettes.
The Hancock County Tobacco Free Coalition's priorities are:

1. Build strong community and statewide partnerships

2. Decrease youth smoking rates and Increase youth activism

3. Decrease adult smoking rates

4. Increase proportion of Hoosiers not exposed to secondhand smoke

 

Combustible tobacco products are cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.  Chew and snuff products are used without combustion.    

 

A relatively new product is dissolvable tobacco.  Varieties include strips, sticks,orbs and compressed tobacco lozenges. They are smoke and spit free, are held together by food-grade binders and look similar to a breath mint or candy.

 

The e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that contains a cartridge filled with nicotine, flavor and other chemicals. The ecigarrette is not a tobacco product but a nicotine delivery system.  Over 7000 flavors are available.

 

Hookah is a pipe used to smoke Shisha, a combination of tobacco and fruit or vegetable that is heated and the smoke is filtrated through water.  

The two main types of smokeless tobacco in the United States are chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco comes in the form of loose leaf, plug, or twist.   While this is not a new product, the candy flavorings available are marketing it to youth.  

For more information you may contact her at (317) 468-4162 or bbastin@hancockregional.org