Tobacco-Free Western New York

Quitting va**ng is difficult. It may take several quit attempts to be successful.

Despite the popularity of v**es, there is little established guidance to help people quit. Often, doctors said, patients do not realize they are growing dependent on their v**es, and are deeply addicted by the time they even consider quitting. Here's what can help. https://nyti.ms/4bF0KTd

Cigarette butts are made of plastic. The plastic part of a cigarette butt, called the filter, is made of cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable, man-made plastic material. Cigarette butts are considered single-use plastics and are the most commonly littered plastic item in the world. An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are thrown away globally each year.

This , take action to keep cigarette butts out of our precious parks, communities, waterways and green spaces here in .

Guess what we're celebrating all month long?

Plastic Free July. It's a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.

We're celebrating because we wage a daily fight against cigarette butt litter, a form of plastic litter, as well as the number one form of picked-up litter in the world. In fact, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on To***co Control.

The plastic that’s in cigarette butts is known as cellulose acetate and degrades over years into the environment.

Stay tuned for more plastic posts throughout the month, and do your part to celebrate Plastic Free July.

The NYS Smokers Quitline has tools and resources to help all New Yorkers quit smoking and va**ng.

For many years, the to***co industry has targeted LGBTQIA2S+ communities with menthol to***co products. The New York State Quitline has free resources to reclaim your health and break free from these deadly products. Visit https://bit.ly/3L4sLbH to learn more.

BIG Thanks to Counter To***co and Jackie Boards for training our young people on successful policies to protect their communities from the predatory tactics of the to***co industry.

Youth offer “Reality Check” to Big To***co at Altria Annual Shareholders’ Meeting – Counter To***co Reality Check is a youth-led, adult-supported program based out of New York State that empowers youth to become leaders and fight against the to***co industry through grassroots mobilization and education. Established in 2001, the group is funded by the New York State Department of Health To***co C...

We're encouraged about this action and look forward to seeing how it will help prevent and reduce underage va**ng in our Western New York communities.

WNY to get $8.8 million from settlement with Juul over youth va**ng Western New York is in line for $8.8 million that stems from a massive multistate settlement with Juul Labs Inc. for the company's role in the youth va**ng epidemic.

How do schools help their students work with their students caught va**ng? Educators at Cleveland Hill High School in Cheektowaga have an inspiring approach.

N.Y. high school taking educational approach with students caught va**ng Students caught va**ng at Cleveland Hill get a lesson on its impact.

June is . A time to try new flavors and share the sweetness with friends. Unfortunately, v**e companies celebrate the candy flavors all year long in an attempt to lure kids.

Law Enforcement Unit Is Formed to Crack Down on Illegal E-Ci******es (Gift Article) Agents from various federal agencies will focus on unauthorized candy-flavored and ni****ne-laden v**es that have flooded the U.S. market from overseas.

Last week, our team celebrated our Exceptional rating from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This week, we celebrate the exceptional work our to***co control researchers do with WNY schools to analyze the health impact of va**ng on kids. Stay tuned for Part 2 of the story which will air on Spectrum News 1 Buffalo tomorrow. ***co

Roswell Park, Western New York schools analyze health impact of va**ng Researchers have found some va**ng products contain ni****ne which equates to eight packs of ci******es.

Free and fun event!

Our Department of Indigenous Cancer Health is hosting a Health Film Event featuring guest speaker and actress Kaniehtiio Horn, star of TV shows including Letterkenny, Shoresy and Reservation Dogs, and movies including Alice, Darling.

🗓: Tuesday, June 11th
🕕: 6:00 – 7:00 PM
📍:Hohn Auditorium Roswell Park Comprehensive Center

Following the film screening, there will be a Haudenosaunee Social from 7:00-8:30 PM!

While it didn’t rain on our Pride parade today, things got a little soggy at the Canalside festivities and the Vendor Village. It didn’t stop members of the LGBTQ community, their families, friends and celebrants of love and equality from checking out our tent for health, cancer screening and cancer prevention info, as well as some excellent swag. As an added bonus, free dachshund snuggles were available.

Just in from the Herald Courier. So proud of our Reality Check youth from Warsaw High School. Way to mobize and TAKE ACTION.

Warsaw High School champions fight back against to***co giant Altria - The Herald-Courier Photo providedReality Check advocates Evie Schneckenburger, Addison Gay, Samantha Werner and Patrick Langdon, champions for better health in their community, rallied against Big To***co giant Altria in Washington, D.C. Last week, Warsaw High School seniors Samantha Werner, Addison Gay, Patrick Langd...

Today we stood in unity to raise the LGBTQ Progress Pride flag in Kaminski Park. Our team leader and LGBTQ+ Task Force Chair, Maansi Bansal-Travers, PhD, was on hand to celebrate RP’s leadership in providing equitable, inclusive care. And the best rendition ever of “We’re Talking Proud,” was performed by the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus. Happy Pride!

Perry High School is the place to be to usher in ***coday2024. The team from To***co-Free GOW is setting up and getting ready to educate youth on the harms of to***co use. A learning opportunity + free swag = Yay! ***co

Congrats to our Reality Check youth from Batavia and Attica. Their action
against Big To***co in Washington, DC was recorded in the The Batavian.

Local youth fight back against ‘Big To***co’ By Press Release May 26, 2024, 6:30pm This page is only available to Early Access supporters. Sign up to get access. Reality Check advocates Sophia Biniaszewski, Trinnity Whatle and Judith Newton use a selfie frame to tell Big To***co what they think about their products and marketing.Submitted phot...

Partnering with Campaign for To***co-Free Kids on this amazing day of youth action is an honor. Let’s keep up the good work in creating a ***coFreeGeneration

"Ni****ne is damaging to the developing brain. We want to try to tell kids as early as possible how dangerous these products are and why menthol ci******es, in particular, are dangerous to use, even though they feel easier to smoke."

Maansi Bansal-Travers, PhD, Research Scientist and Associate Professor of Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

'No Menthol Buffalo' launches campaign The group is going to schools across our region to let students know the health risks that come from smoking flavored menthol.

The latest movement on a menthol ban in Buffalo.

Coalition calls for ban on menthol cigarette sales in Buffalo The ‘No Menthol Buffalo’ coalition launched its campaign at Health Sciences Charter School Tuesday morning.

This morning community leaders, health experts, civil rights leaders and advocates gathered at Health Sciences Charter School to announce 3 things: the launch of the No Menthol Buffalo campaign, mini-grants and the upcoming No Menthol Sunday celebrations at local churches on Sunday, May 19.

Maansi Bansal-Travers, PhD, Research Scientist and Associate Professor of Oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, took to the podium to share the science behind the addictiveness and health impacts of menthol.

Who’s going to come Plogging with us? Mark your calendars today!

Join us during the Buffalo Marathon Expo Saturday May 25 at 11:30 for our next Plogging Run!! Sign up at the Buffalo Marathon website or in person.
This is free event!

Grace has empowering info to share. Congrats on your victory and thanks for sharing your creativity.

Congratulations Grace Pilarski!
2nd Place Winner of the Poetry Contest; 6th - 8th grade

Congratulations to all the winners of the Healthy Choices Art & Poetry Contest sponsored by

All the winning artwork was on display at that in the NYS Police Building. Can also be seen on our website www.wnyunited.org

How many deaths will it take before we end the sale of menthol ci******es?
A fellow to***co control expert at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center shares her story. ***co

Another Voice: Death from smoking menthol ci******es runs in families like mine It’s no coincidence that 85% of African Americans, as well as 51% of Hispanics, smoke menthol ci******es. The industry makes these products appear harmless, cool and refreshing.

How Many Deaths Will It Take Before America Ends the Sale of Menthol Ci******es? The Biden administration has stalled on prohibiting menthols and flavored ci**rs. It’s time to step it up.

So much progress. So much more work to do.

Sunday marked the Christmas Fiesta, a celebration for the hardworking farm worker families of western New York. It was hosted by the Western New York Coalition of Farmworker Serving Agencies, which our team at To***co Free GOW at is a member. What a joy to see that the Three Kings brought countless gifts for the children.

Happy 7th anniversary of the Green Code being signed. A community-driven process, this resolution continues to restrict the sale of to***co products in retail outlets in residential areas. ***co

There’s no time like the holiday season to cultivate gratitude. Today, Jenna shared our thanks with Kate Chudoba, marketing manager at Western New York United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Inc. and Dr. Anna Cieri, former assistant superintendent for exceptional education and student services for Williamsville Central Schools and member of the Amherst Youth Community Coalition. We champion these women for their community leadership in promoting health and wellness as members of the WNY Youth Anti-Vaping Coalition.