Good morning,
Attached is a letter from the American Heart Association of Greater San Diego regarding the upcoming flavored tobacco ordinance being heard next Tuesday ( Agenda Item 8.2). This ordinance is a critical step to protecting Chula Vista’s children, Communities of Color, and LGBTQ+ Community from nicotine addiction and tobacco- related disease and death. We urge you to support this ordinance.
Thank you,
Chelsea Walczak Vircks, MPH, CHES
Senior Director, Community Impact
American Heart Association
9404 Genesee Ave, Suite 240
San Diego, CA 92037
O: 858. 410. 3848
Pronouns: she/ her/ hers
Emergencies don’ t stop for COVID- 19. Call 9- 1- 1 at the first sign of heart attack, stroke, or cardiac arrest to save lives.
Written Communications
Item #8.2 - Walczak Vircks
September 8, 2022
ChulaVistaCityCouncil
ChulaVistaCityHall
8130AllisonAvenue, LaMesa, CA91942
DearMayorSalasandCityCouncilMembers,
TheAmericanHeartAssociationisdeeplyconcernedwith thehighratesof tobaccouse amongkidsandadultsdrivenbyfruit, mint, and candy-flavoredtobaccoproducts. Ending thesaleofflavoredtobaccogivesChulaVistatheopportunityto protectall residents includingkids, communitiesof color, and theLGBTQ+ communityfromthedire effectsof tobaccouseandnicotineaddiction. Therefore, we urgeyouto endthesaleof all flavored tobaccoproducts, withoutexemptions.
Withnearly24percentofhighschoolstudents nowreportingtobaccouse, theneedfora strongpolicyendingthesaleof flavored tobaccoisclear. Thetobaccoindustryisactively andaggressivelyworkingto addictnewuserswitheasyaccessto minty, sweetand candy-flavored tobaccoproducts. Allflavoredtobaccoproducts, includinge-cigarettes, mentholcigarettes, andcigarscomeinkid-friendlyflavorsandarehighlyaddicting.
Cigarettesmokingisstilltheleadingcauseof preventablediseaseand deathintheUnited States, claimingonaverage480,000liveseachyear. Smokingincreasestheriskforheart diseaseandstrokeand theriskforbloodclots. Thebestwayto preventtobacco-related illnessanddeathisto preventpeoplefrom startingto smokeinthefirstplace. Endingthe saleof flavored tobaccoproductswillreduceaccessto theproductsthat arethetobacco industry’skeystrategyfortargeting andaddictingnewsmokers.
AlthoughSenateBill793 passedwithbipartisansupportanda signaturefromthe Governorin2020, tobaccocompaniesspentmorethan $20millionto placethe lawonhold until thenextstatewidegeneralelection. ChulaVista kidscan’t waitto beprotected - local actionwillprotectthecommunitynowandaddresstheurgentissueof youthtobaccouse.
Everydaywedelayisa daythat Big Tobaccowillusemint, fruit, and candy-flavored tobaccoto addictmorelife-longcustomers.
Over120communitiesacrossCalifornia protecttheirresidentsfromnicotineaddictionand tobacco-relateddeathanddiseaseby prohibitingthesaleof flavored tobaccoproducts.
ChulaVistakidsdeservethese sameprotections. Thankyou.
Sincerely,
JuliMoran, MBA
Chair, Boardof Directors
GreaterSanDiegoDivision, AmericanHeartAssociation
Greater San Diego Division
9404 Genesee Avenue
Suite 240
San Diego, CA 92037
Board of Directors
2022-2023
Chair of the Board
Juli Moran Thirtle, MBA
Deloitte
President of the Board
Ramón Hernandez, DrPH, MPH
UC San Diego
Immediate Past-Chair
Yameeka J. Williams, FACHE
KaiserPermanente
Immediate Past-President
Robert Stein, MD, FACC, FAHA
Graybill Medical Group
Directors- at- Large
Debbie Day, MBA
Nancy Greengold, MD, MBA
Natalie Hawryluk, PhD
Andrew Ho, MD, FACC
Steven Hooker, PhD
Tommy Le, MHA
Joe Lo Duca, MBA, MPH
Gene Ma, MD, FACEP
Linda Naviaux Niggli
Ajay Srivastava, MD
Ernesto Villanueva, EdD
Matthew Zubiller
David Zumaya, MS
Executive Director
JessicaNewmyer
Written Communications
Item #8.2 - Walczak Vircks