News and Events

The Tobacco Free Partnership is Working on Several Tobacco Prevention Initiatives
March 6, 2024

Sebring, FL— The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County had a productive Quarter 3 meeting held at the County Engineering Conference Room. This gathering served as a testament to the dedication of our valuable members who play a pivotal role in advancing the mission of the Partnership within Highlands County.

In attendance were representatives from various organizations, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise to the table. Among the organizations represented in-person and virtually were:

During the meeting, various topics were discussed, highlighting the proactive approach of the Partnership towards tobacco prevention and cessation:

The Community Needs Assessment hosted by AdventHealth Sebring, potential workforce housing developments, and the upcoming HGTV Hometown Takeover were among other topics discussed, highlighting the partnership's broader impact on community health and well-being. Read More

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Local Students Working Against Tobacco Members Share Information at the Highlands County Fair
February 28, 2024

In February 2024, the Highlands County SWAT Chapter enthusiastically participated in the annual Highlands County Fair, an eight-day event that attracted community members, business leaders, youth, and parents from all corners of the county. Amidst the fair's diverse attractions, including rides, exhibits, and livestock shows, the SWAT Chapter took center stage to raise awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure, the vaping epidemic, and the importance of tobacco-free environments.

Embracing a mad scientist theme for their booth, the SWAT youth creatively conveyed the message of the "Not a Lab Rat Campaign." Dressed in lab coats and equipped with goggles, beakers, and dry ice, they effectively demonstrated how Big Tobacco uses tobacco/nicotine users as experimental subjects.

The timing of the fair coincided with the lead-up to "Through With Chew Week," prompting the SWAT Clubs to kick off celebrations early. They distributed educational materials provided by the Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida, including interactive displays such as "Mr. Gross Mouth" and "Mr. Dip Lip," which garnered significant attention. Fair attendees were also invited to contribute to a large SWAT graffiti poster and pledge to abstain from using chewing tobacco. Read More

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Highlands SWAT Youth: Champions of Tobacco Prevention, Extending Holiday Greetings
December 14, 2023

Our Highlands SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) launched the 23-24 school year with remarkable enthusiasm. Over the past few months, these young individuals have been actively engaged in educating both their peers and the community about the risks linked to tobacco, vaping, and secondhand smoke.

Comprising youths aged 11-17 from all public middle and high schools in Highlands County, our SWAT Chapter has been a stalwart force advocating for tobacco prevention in our community for several years. Besides intensifying their involvement within their respective schools, our SWAT Youth are striving to enhance awareness and visibility in the community.

The Highlands County SWAT Youth have been actively participating in public speaking opportunities, including school board meetings and board of county commission meetings. They aim to educate these influential decision-makers about current youth tobacco usage rates and the ongoing challenge posed by youth vaping.

Alongside these efforts, our SWAT Youth have taken part in events such as Not a Lab Rat Day, Red Ribbon Week, and various fall festivals this quarter. Participating in the highly anticipated annual Christmas parades in Avon Park, Sebring, and Lake Placid, our SWAT Chapter engaged by distributing palm cards and candies. (Read More)

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Spotlight on Tobacco Cessation Services: A Presentation by Dr. Jennifer S. Wolowitz,  DHSc, MPH, CTTS
October 1, 2023

Sebring, FL— September 15, 2023 — The Highlands County Tobacco Free Partnership (HCTFP) hosted their Quarter II collaborative meeting at our new meeting location. Courtesy of the Highlands County BOCC approval; the partnership was able to use the County Engineering Conference Room which allowed for virtual meeting attendance and a more interactive discussion.

The following organizations were present (represented in photo from left to right):

We had the privilege of virutally hosting Dr. Jennifer S. Wolowitz with Central Florida Area Health Education Center, Inc. (AHEC) as our guest speaker. Dr. Wolowitz brought her expertise to shed light on tobacco cessation services available in our community. The AHEC (tobacco cessation) and HCTFP (tobacco prevention) relationship is incredibly important as we continue to work together to create a Tobacco Free Highlands County.

Jennifer's journey in public health began with a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She continued her academic pursuit with a Master of Public Health degree in Health Promotion and Education at the University of South Carolina, followed by a Doctorate in Health Science from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Wolowitz is a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS), holding qualifications from The Addiction Professionals Certification Board, Inc. in New Jersey and the Florida Certification Board. Her commitment to the cause is evident from her role as the Director of Tobacco Control at the American Cancer Society's Eastern Division on Long Island. In 2007, she transitioned to the Central Florida Area Health Education Center (CFAHEC), where she has played pivotal roles over the past 15 years, including CE/CME, Camp Director, cessation provider, and special projects coordinator. Currently, she serves as the Central Florida’s AHEC Tobacco Program Director, overseeing cessation programs in nine counties. (Read More)

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Highlands County SWAT Chapter: Growing. Learning. Teaching
September 14, 2023

SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco-free future. SWAT works to change the social norms associated with tobacco. This means we want to change the way people think about tobacco… making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.

SWAT Youth accomplish this by advocating for change in local policies that affect how tobacco is marketed, how it is sold, and where it can be used. SWAT members can typically expect to participate in a wide range of activities including community education and outreach, public speaking, collecting data, and media advocacy.

 

The Highlands County SWAT Chapter has been a driving force in tobacco prevention within their school district for many years. Currently there are 7 SWAT Clubs in Highlands County, Avon Park Middle School, Avon Park High School, Lake Placid Middle School, Lake Placid High School, Hill Gustat Middle School, Sebring Middle School and Sebring High School. This year, the SWAT Chapter plans to add a community-based club to the mix, in hopes of reaching lower socio-economic populations, as they are more susceptible to tobacco use.

Over the long summer break, two Highlands County SWAT youth attended the 3-day Statewide SWAT meeting in Lakeland, Florida. The two enjoyed interacting with other SWAT youth across the state and learning many useful things they can bring back to their local SWAT Chapter. During the training there were several sessions that had various guest speakers and a townhall panel. Sessions included topics such as Resilience (knowing your why), Tobacco 101, Mission Statement building, connecting with your community, Developing Your Creative Voice, and more. The SWAT youth look forward to this meeting every year and this year was the best one yet! Read More

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The Tobacco Free Partnership Prepares Starts Another Year of Work to Reduce Tobacco Use Rates in Highlands County
September 6, 2023

Sebring, FL — The Highlands County Tobacco Free Partnership (HCTFP) opened our 2023-2024 fiscal year with a collaborative meeting at the new Greater of Sebring Chamber of Commerce location. These valuable members are a core piece of the Partnership and we are so thankful for their commitment to Highlands County.

The following organizations and members were present and bring so much value to our community: Highlands County Board of County Commissioners - Scott Kirouac, Highlands County Sheriffs Office-Sgt. Dusty McGee, Advent Health- Amberhope Montero, HCA Florida Highlands- Laura Andrews, Highlands Department of Health- Pam Crain, Tri County Human Services- Joshua Gordon, Victoria Hamrick, Lakisha Hurd-Hipps, Chavious Gordon, Ivy Gonzalez, Highlands County School Board- Nicole Radonski, Tim Leeseburg, John Varady, Sebring Police Department- Chief Karl Hoglund, City of Sebring- Harrison Harvey, Heartland Core Wellness – Aisha Alayande, Grantee Staff, Jessica Carlson, Amanda John.

It was a great pleasure to have guest speakers, Timothy Leeseberg and John Varady present to the partnership on behalf of the the Highlands County School Board. Mr. Leeseberg is the current District Title IX Student Coordinator - Director of Safety & Security and served as terrific resource to the partnership by presenting the attached incident data which is specific to our local youth. Mr. Leesburg has served as various capacities within the Florida school system, including assistant principle in Hillsborough County. Mr. Varady is the current Coordinator of Communications and Special Projects for the Highlands County School district, past Director for the Heartland Educational Consortium and was also a teacher in the district for many years. Read More

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Highlands County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Chapter Wraps Up Another Productive Year!
 April 12, 2023

SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future. SWAT works to change the social norms associated with tobacco. This means we want to change the way people think about tobacco… making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.

SWAT Youth accomplish this by advocating for change in local policies that affect how tobacco is marketed, how it is sold, and where it can be used. SWAT members can typically expect to participate in a wide range of activities including community education and outreach, public speaking, collecting data, and media advocacy. Read More

 

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The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County Sponsors the Annual Sebring Soda Festival
April 9, 2023

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County was thrilled this year to have the opportunity to be the Entertainment Sponsor for the 2023 Sebring Soda Fest hosted by the Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce and the Sebring Soda Shop. The Sebring Soda Festival is an exciting family-friendly 3-day festival, and 2023 was its sixth year in downtown Sebring. It is a unique opportunity to showcase the small town feel of the beautiful downtown Sebring area while promoting a family-friendly event that everyone can enjoy. With hundreds of craft sodas available for sampling, along with a classic car show, live entertainment, art/craft vendors, pop-up retail storefronts, a variety of food options, and kid zones, it is truly a perfect event for people of all ages!

The Partnership has sponsored this event in the past several times, in fact, after the first year, the Chamber of Commerce signed a tobacco free event policy for all chamber events. Since then, they have been very supportive of tobacco free event and venue policies. Having the Chamber of Commerce be an extra voice in favor of these policies is very helpful when approaching others to follow suit. They have access to a multitude of businesses, community leaders, and others who may either be interested in adopting a tobacco free organizational policy, or who can champion for these policies. In addition, the exposure this event receives is a great outlet for the Partnership and SWAT to increase awareness of the dangers of tobacco/vape use and welcome the support of community members willing to become involved in the movement towards a healthier community. Read More

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Highlands County SWAT Chapter: Growing. Learning. Teaching
March 10, 2023

SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future. SWAT works to change the social norms associated with tobacco. This means we want to change the way people think about tobacco… making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.

SWAT Youth accomplish this by advocating for change in local policies that affect how tobacco is marketed, how it is sold, and where it can be used. SWAT members can typically expect to participate in a wide range of activities including community education and outreach, public speaking, collecting data, and media advocacy. 

The Highlands County SWAT Chapter has been a driving force in tobacco prevention within their school district for many years. Currently there are 7 SWAT Clubs in Highlands County, Avon Park Middle School, Avon Park High School, Lake Placid Middle School, Lake Placid High School, Hill Gustat Middle School, Sebring Middle School and Sebring High School. This year, the SWAT Chapter plans to add a community-based club to the mix, in hopes of reaching lower socio-economic populations, as they are more susceptible to tobacco use. Read More

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County Approves Ban on Smoking, Vaping in County-Owned Parks
By Jessica Carlson
March 1, 2023

SEBRING – The Highlands County Commission voted 5-0 to ban smoking and vaping in county recreation areas, including parks. This approval also includes all district parks that fall within the definition of Ordinance No. 22-23-15. 

This BOCC decision follows in the succession of signed law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 17, effective July 1, that allows cities and counties to impose such restrictions. At the February 21st meeting, Scott Kirouac, Highlands Tobacco Free Partnership (TFP) Member and Highlands County Commissioner, moved to request adoption of the ordinance amending county park definition. The amendment included updated vaping language defined by Florida Statutes, Chapter 386. The motion was seconded by Commissioner, Arlene Tuck and approved unanimously. Note: this ordinance does not apply to unfiltered cigars and pipe tobacco use.


The new playground at the Multi-Sports Complex in Sebring opened at the beginning of May. Fully equipped with a shade to protect children from the sun and an ordinance to protect against 2nd hand smoke.

The penalty of any person convicted of violation smoking or using cigarettes or vaping or using vaping products shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed 60 days, or both such fine and imprisonment. “We are proud of this progress but we, as a community, still have a lot of work to do within our local schools. Vaping is a major concern among our youth and we have to do better. ” stated Kirouac at the March 1, 2023 TFP Meeting. Read More

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Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County Holds Final Meeting of 2022
December 7, 2022

Sebring, FL— December 7, 2022 — The Highlands County Tobacco Free Partnership (HCTFP) closed out 2022 with a collaborative meeting with the following organizations:


Pictured L to R: Scott Kirouac, Amanda John, Dawn Drake, Laura Andrews, Zaida Rojas, Jessica Carlson (Partnership picture does not include all that were in attendance)

“I always walk away from the partnership meetings with new knowledge about how tobacco prevention and these conversations can make a difference. It is a long game conversation but I appreciate how willing the partnership is to share their experience and ideas on how we can all do better as a community” states HCTFP Chair, Laura Andrews. 

Laura passed the discussion to Dusty McGee, with the Highlands County Sheriff’s Department, who is direclty involved in the vaping crisis that is happening within our school system on a daily basis. Dusty gave an informed update into what is really going on with our youth, particularly at the Junior High and High School level. But, he also addressed the incidents that are happening within the Elementary School - 4th / 5th grade. 

“Vaping is a continuing problem that seems to be getting worse, not better. Kids are getting the products from parents, older siblings and/or stores that are distributing to minors. We have been in contact with ATF and will start working with an agent out of Tampa, FL in the coming months to help combat this epidemic by increasing “buys” and revoking licenses for those that continue to distribute illegally. With the help of ATF, our local SWAT kids, tougher policies by our our elected officials, and parent awareness - we can make a difference."
Read More

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Not A Lab Rat Day Exposes How History is Repeating Itself When It Comes to Vaping
October 19, 2022

E-cigarette companies use the same tricks, including flavors and marketing campaigns, that tobacco companies used for decades to target and recruit young smokers(1). Not a surprise considering Big Tobacco companies own or have significantly invested in e-cigarette companies(2,3). These are the same tobacco companies that for decades lied about the addictiveness and health effects of cigarettes(4).

SWAT is Florida’s youth-led movement to combat Big Tobacco. Not A Lab Rat Day is a statewide initiative that empowers youth to stand up and declare that they refuse to be the tobacco and e-cigarette industry’s “lab rats” as we wait and see the long-term health effects of vaping.

The fifth annual Not A Lab Rat Day in Highlands County was a great success. Youth at all Highlands Middle and High schools used this opportunity to dispel myths and educate their peers about the e-cigarette industry’s connection to Big Tobacco and inform them that when it to comes to e-cigarettes and vaping products, history is repeating itself. These activities were done in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week this year. Each school had dress days for more student involvement, which is why the SWAT Chapter decided to utilize this platform to celebrate. Read More

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Highlands County Tobacco Free Partnership Names Laura Andrews as 2022-2023 Chair
September 19, 2022

Sebring, FL — The Highlands County Tobacco Free Partnership (HCTFP) is pleased to announce the appointment of their newest Chair, Laura Andrews. Andrews has been actively and enthusiastically engaged in the partnership since 2021. Andrews is a dedicated member of the community where she lives and works as the Program Director for HCA Florida Highlands Hospital - Wound Care Center. She is married to her husband, Dan Andrews and together they own Legacy Bicycle. They have two children; Matthew 21, in his third year at the US Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs and Hannah 16, in the 10th grade at Sebring Middle School where she is an avid swimmer and volleyball player.      

In addition to her service to HCTFP, Andrews is a tremendous community advocate. She is involved in many local not for profits, community organizations and a member of First Church Sebring. Laura live live to the fullest with a foundation of Faith, Family and Friendship. 

Mrs. Andrews states, “As Chair, I look forward to continue building the business relationship factor and connecting as many community members to the partnership. Together, we are better! The HCTFP will continue to grow with inspiration from our success stories by showing why tobacco prevention and education is so incredibly important to  the overall health of our community”. Read More

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Highlands County SWAT Chapter: Growing, Learning, Teaching
September 14, 2022

SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future. SWAT works to change the social norms associated with tobacco. This means we want to change the way people think about tobacco… making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.

SWAT Youth accomplish this by advocating for change in local policies that affect how tobacco is marketed, how it is sold, and where it can be used. SWAT members can typically expect to participate in a wide range of activities including community education and outreach, public speaking, collecting data, and media advocacy. 

The Highlands County SWAT Chapter has been a driving force in tobacco prevention within their school district for many years. Currently there are 7 SWAT Clubs in Highlands County, Avon Park Middle School, Avon Park High School, Lake Placid Middle School, Lake Placid High School, Hill Gustat Middle School, Sebring Middle School and Sebring High School. This year, the SWAT Chapter plans to add a community-based club to the mix, in hopes of reaching lower socio-economic populations, as they are more susceptible to tobacco use. Read More

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Highlands County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Chapter Wraps up Another Productive Year!
June 1, 2022

SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future. SWAT works to change the social norms associated with tobacco. This means we want to change the way people think about tobacco… making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.

SWAT Youth accomplish this by advocating for change in local policies that affect how tobacco is marketed, how it is sold, and where it can be used. SWAT members can typically expect to participate in a wide range of activities including community education and outreach, public speaking, collecting data, and media advocacy. 

While the 2021-2022 year was challenging on many levels, our clubs did their best, while being respectful of the social distancing measures they continue to encounter, to remain as active as possible getting valuable information out to their peers and our community. A few local projects our SWAT Youth were able to conduct this past year included participating in the annual Highlands County Fair, educating peers about various national tobacco control holidays, including Not A Lab Rat Day, hosting educational bulletin boards in their schools, presenting anti-tobacco/vaping messaging at the Sebring Soda Fest, and many more.
Read More

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The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County was the Entertainment Sponsor of the 2022 Sebring Soda Festival
April 3, 2022

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County was thrilled this year to have the opportunity to be the Entertainment Sponsor for the 2022 Sebring Soda Fest hosted by the Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce and the Sebring Soda Shop. The Sebring Soda Festival is an exciting family-friendly 3-day festival, and 2022 was its fifth year in downtown Sebring. It is a unique opportunity to showcase the small town feel of the beautiful downtown Sebring area while promoting a family-friendly event that everyone can enjoy. With hundreds of craft sodas available for sampling, along with a classic car show, live entertainment, art/craft vendors, pop-up retail storefronts, a variety of food options, and kid zones, it is truly a perfect event for people of all ages!

The Partnership has sponsored this event in the past several times, in fact, after the first year, the Chamber of Commerce signed a tobacco free event policy for all chamber events. Since then, they have been very supportive of tobacco free event and venue policies. Having the Chamber of Commerce be an extra voice in favor of these policies is very helpful when approaching others to follow suit. They have access to a multitude of businesses, community leaders, and others who may either be interested in adopting a tobacco free organizational policy, or who can champion for these policies. In addition, the exposure this event receives is a great outlet for the Partnership and SWAT to increase awareness of the dangers of tobacco/vape use and welcome the support of community members willing to become involved in the movement towards a healthier community. Read More

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Visible and Cheap, in the Retail Environment, is Where Tobacco Enters Our Community
March 17, 2022

The tobacco industry spends most of their marketing money in the retail environment to promote their products, in which, most of their marketing efforts are aimed directly to our kids. Essentially, the tobacco industry is buying shelf and advertising space to keep tobacco visible and offering price discounts to keep tobacco cheap. These companies are no fool, what they are really “buying” is youth who initiate - adults who can’t quit! 

In efforts to combat these marketing tactics, the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County has been elbow deep in the retail realm of the tobacco industry for years. We have conducted several rounds of tobacco retail assessments from 44+ retailers, nearly every licensed tobacco retailer in Highlands County.

The retail point of sale (POS) is comprised of three main categories: (a) point-of-sale advertisements, (b) price discounts (c) coupons. This is a very comprehensive and lengthy process as the metrics under which retailers are monitored include – types of tobacco products, product placement, pricing promotions, tobacco advertisements, the availability of tobacco ‘lookalike’ products, etc. Read More

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Highlands County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Chapter Shares Information at the Highlands County Fair
February 28, 2022

Highlands County SWAT Chapter participated in the annual Highlands County Fair in February 2022. The Highlands County Fair took place over 8 days in Highlands County and included fair rides, an exhibit hall, live-stock show, and more.  It captured community members, business leaders, youth and parents from all over the county, who were provided with information on the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure, the vaping epidemic and the importance of tobacco free events and venues.

The SWAT youth displayed other educational items such as “Mr. Gross Mouth,” and “Mr. Dip Lip,” which were a big hit! In addition, there was a large SWAT graffiti poster hanging and fair goers were encouraged to help decorate the poster and sign their pledge to not use chewing tobacco.

In addition, the SWAT Chapter also helped raise awareness about tobacco-free events by hanging breaths easy zone signs around the perimeter. The SWAT Chapter and the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County has a goal this year of moving more private event venues towards adopting Tobacco Free Event & Venue policies. By reaching this goal, the TFP & SWAT Chapter would be helping these private organizations do their part by protecting the health and safety of their attendees, as well as ensure the cleanliness and integrity of their property. Read More

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Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County: Crucial for Tobacco Prevention and Education
December 20, 2021

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County, a coalition of community members focused on the prevention of tobacco use, has signed its bylaws, and welcomed several new members at the Quarter 2 TFP meeting.

Maintaining the Tobacco Free Partnership in Highlands County is crucial when it comes to tobacco prevention and education. The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County is dedicated to the creation of tobacco-free social norms through a combination of community education, youth advocacy and changes in local tobacco policies. The mission of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County reflects the goals of the CDC’s Best Practices, especially in regards to changes in local tobacco policies to create and promote tobacco-free social norms.

This quarter, Jessica Carlson, Community Health Advocate with QuitDoc, filled the gaps in the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County’s membership. The new faces that attended the meeting included representatives from the Highlands County Sheriffs Office, Representative Kaylee Tuck’s office, the Highlands County Health Department, Advent Health, Highlands Regional and many other key business leaders in Highlands County. Read More

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Highlands Students Working Against Tobacco Youth are Working Hard to Educate on the Dangers of Tobacco Use
November 29, 2021

Our Highlands SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) kicked the 21-22 school year off with a bang. Youth have been busy the past several months educating their peers and the community on the dangers associated with tobacco and vape use and secondhand smoke.

Our SWAT Chapter consists of youth ages 11-17 from all of our public middle and high schools in Highlands County and have been a strong force and voice for tobacco prevention in our community for many years.

In addition to becoming more active within their individual schools, our SWAT Youth are working hard to spread awareness and become more present within the community. Our Highlands County SWAT Youth participate in public speaking opportunities such as school board meetings and board of county commission meetings and to educate these key decision makers on current youth tobacco rates and the continued epidemic we see with youth vaping.

In addition to these activities, our SWAT Youth participated in Not a Lab Rat Day, Red Ribbon Week and multiple fall festivals this quarter... Read More

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Learn About the Mission of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County
October 1, 2021

The Mission of the Tobacco Free Partnership (TFP) of Highlands County is to protect our community from the dangers of inhaled nicotine products and secondhand smoke exposure through evidence-based tobacco prevention and cessation strategies with an emphasis on youth and other disparate populations. Our work is guided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, as mandated by the Florida Constitution.

Best Practices of prevention strategies include preventing initiation of tobacco use among youth and young adults, promoting quit attempts among adults and youth, eliminating secondhand smoke exposure, and identifying and eliminating tobacco-related disparities among certain populations.

Key in achieving this is our local Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) groups. Group of youth meet regularly to mobilize their peers and deglamorize Big-Tobacco. Highlands County has seven SWAT clubs who are actively engaged in local events including but not limited to conducting recruitment activities, celebrating national tobacco holidays, and gaining exposure in our community by presenting to decision makers, such as the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners and the Highlands County School Board. In addition, youth have participated in local events such as the Christmas parades at all municipalities and many local fall festivals.

Our newsletter outlines some of the work our youth and our Tobacco Free Partnership does in our community and is aligned with CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program. For more information on CDC Best Practices, visit https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/guides/index.htm

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The QuitDoc Foundation Continues to Advocate for a Tobacco Free Future in Highlands County
September 9, 2021

In 2007 Florida’s voters overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment, Article X, Section 27. This amendment called for establishing a comprehensive tobacco education and prevention program, and thus, the Tobacco Free Florida (TFF) program was born. Every county in the state of Florida has its own local tobacco control program which includes partners and stakeholders in the community. These local partnerships are administered through the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida (BTFF) and funded by money derived from the state’s tobacco settlement agreement which took place in 1997 against major tobacco companies.

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County has been facilitated by the QuitDoc Foundation since 2009. For the past 12 years, we have implemented youth prevention programs, such as the Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Clubs, programs to reduce tobacco use in rural communities, projects to create tobacco free organizations, and measures to counteract tobacco marketing in retail environment. Our partnership is dedicated to the creation of tobacco-free social norms through many initiatives, and we are pleased to continue our efforts here locally.

First and foremost, we work relentlessly to protect our most vulnerable and valuable asset, our Youth. SWAT is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate, and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future. SWAT Youth work to change the way people view tobacco as well as reduce the social norms associated with tobacco use - making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible. Read More

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Highlands County has a New Tobacco Prevention Specialist!
July 14, 2021

QuitDoc Foundation recently named Jessica Carlson as the Tobacco Prevention Specialist of Highlands County. Jessica comes to QuitDoc from the Hardee County Chamber of Commerce where she has been the Executive Director for the past 7 years. Through hard-work, rebranding, and leadership, Jessica was able to transform the Hardee County Chamber of Commerce from barely surviving (in 2016) to thriving in a rural community. As part of her job, she regularly presented to the County Commission, collaborated with county/city administration, and built a solid group of community partners through networking and being a constant facet in her community.

“I am beyond exited to represent Highlands County as QuitDoc’s newest team member,” said Jessica. “Implementing the education, prevention and treatment of tobacco in this beautiful community is a true passion of mine.”

In addition to her role as the Director of the Chamber, Jessica is also a Health and Wellness Coach. As a coach, she cultivates and manages new and existing relationships by living a healthy lifestyle and recruiting others to do the same. Through coaching, she serves as a mentor to hundreds of women working towards health goals. Jessica has truly developed a love for healthy living, in all capacity, and has a deep passion for helping others live happier, healthier lives. Read More

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The Tobacco Free Partnership will Continue in Highlands County with QuitDoc Foundation as the Fiscal Agent
June 8, 2021

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County is dedicated to the creation of tobacco-free social norms through a combination of community education, youth advocacy and changes in local tobacco policies. The mission of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County reflects the goals of the CDC’s Best Practices, especially in regards to changes in local tobacco policies to create and promote tobacco-free social norms.

Currently the partnership focuses on counteracting tobacco marketing at the point of sale, tobacco free worksite policies, reducing tobacco use in rural communities and Students Working Against Tobacco clubs for middle and High School.

Since 2012 the Partnership has been facilitated by QuitDoc Foundation and during this time there have been many successful policy achievements and tobacco educational opportunities in Highlands County. Some of the biggest achievements include a flavored tobacco ban in Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid, several tobacco free worksite policies at some of the largest businesses in the county, 4 smoke free multi-unit housing policies, a Tobacco Free Event Policy at the Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce and a policy that designates Breathe Easy Zones at the Highlands County Fairgrounds. In addition to policy work, the Partnership also has given numerous community presentations, including, but not limited to presentations at the County Commission Meetings, local municipalities, and the School Board of Highlands County. Read More

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COVID and Social Distancing Can’t Keep Highlands SWAT Youth from Advocating for The First Tobacco Free Generation
May 28, 2021

  SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. SWAT is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future. SWAT works to change the social norms associated with tobacco. This means we want to change the way people think about tobacco… making it less desirable, less acceptable, and less accessible.    

SWAT Youth accomplish this by advocating for change in local policies that affect how tobacco is marketed, how it is sold, and where it can be used. SWAT members can typically expect to participate in a wide range of activities including community education and outreach, public speaking, collecting data, and media advocacy. 

While the 2020-2021 year was challenging on many levels, our clubs did their best, while being respectful of social distancing measures, to remain as active as possible getting valuable information out to their peers and our community. A few local projects our SWAT Youth were able to conduct this past year included participating in the annual Highlands County Fair, educating peers about various national tobacco control holidays, including Not A Lab Rat Day, hosting educational bulletin boards in their schools, presenting anti-tobacco/vaping messaging at the Sebring Soda Fest, and many more. Read More      

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Highlands County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Chapter Shares the Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco!
February 21, 2021

The Highlands County SWAT Chapter participated in the annual Highlands County Fair from February 12-20th, 2021. The fair has become an annual sponsorship for the Tobacco Free Partnership (TFP) and this year was a great success with the same theme, but a different approach! The Highlands County Fair took place over 8 days in Highlands County and included fair rides, an exhibit hall, live-stock show, and more.  It captured community members, business leaders, youth and parents from all over the county, who were provided with information on the dangers of smokeless tobacco and secondhand smoke exposure.

Moreover, since it was the week before Through With Chew Week (TWCW), the SWAT Clubs kicked off the celebrations a week early, by centering their booth design around the holiday. The students showed up with their SWAT T-shirts on, hand-made signs and TWCW material provided by the Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida. They also displayed other educational items such as “Mr. Gross Mouth,” and “Mr. Dip Lip,” which were a big hit! In addition, there was a large SWAT graffiti poster hanging and fair goers were encouraged to help decorate the poster and sign their pledge to not use chewing tobacco.

“We’ve all had a rough year with the COVID-19 Pandemic. I am so thrilled that the Partnership and SWAT Chapter received so much exposure after a year with so much uncertainty and very little face to face interaction,” said Amanda John, Community Health Advocate with QuitDoc Foundation. Read More 

     

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Quitting Smokeless Tobacco is More Important Than Ever This Through With Chew Week!
February 15, 2021

Sebring, Fla. – Each year, Through With Chew Week raises awareness about the dangers of smokeless tobacco use (chew, dip and snus) and the effective tools available to quit. This Through With Chew Week, Feb. 21-27, Highlands County is encouraging smokeless tobacco users to set a quit date and use Tobacco Free Florida’s free and proven-effective resources to quit for good.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, quitting smokeless tobacco is more important than ever. Smokeless tobacco is harmful to health and highly addictive(1). The use of some types of smokeless tobacco products is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke(2,3) and having heart disease increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19(4). Smokeless tobacco also contains harmful chemicals, such as a radioactive element called polonium-210 and harmful metals including arsenic and lead. Some of these chemicals are known to cause cancer(5). Apart from cancer, other oral health issues from smokeless tobacco include mouth sores, gum recession, tooth decay, and permanent discoloration of teeth(6).

“Smokeless tobacco poses serious health risks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Amanda John, Community Health Advocate with QuitDoc Foundation,  “We want residents in our area to know that Tobacco Free Florida has free tools and services to help them improve their overall health and quit tobacco.”

This year the SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) Chapter and the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County will be celebrating Through With Chew Week during the week of the Highlands County Fair, from February 12-20th. There will be informational handouts encouraging all smokeless tobacco users to quit and will have informational displays that show the effects of using smokeless tobacco. Read More