World No Tobacco Day celebrated with activities across King County

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, with the theme "Tobacco free sports, play it clean," Public Health - Seattle & King County and local youth will kick off the celebration of World No Tobacco Day (May 31st) with smoke-free activities and the launch of a new King County smoke-free entertainment guide.

"Without a doubt, tobacco and healthy living do not go hand in hand. World No Tobacco Day is an opportunity to clear the air and claim our right to health and healthy living," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "In King County we have an increasing number of establishments that are smoke-free and free of tobacco advertising. Let's keep this momentum rolling."

Find the new King County Smoke-Free Entertainment Guide, with listings of smoke-free cinemas, performance venues, museums and more, at: www.kingcounty.gov/health/tobacco/entertainment.htm

Youth, sports and tobacco free activities

"It has been shown that students who participate in sports are less likely to use tobacco," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Physical activity can produce many of the benefits that youth perceive in tobacco use: independence, status with peers, a chance to make friends, relaxation, weight management and positive self-esteem."

Students who play at least one sport are 40% less likely to be regular smokers and 50% less likely to be or become heavy smokers. Tobacco use decreases substantially as the number of sports played increases.

Youth in King County will participate in the following World No Tobacco Day activities:

• The opening of a new skateboard park at the Tukwila Community Center, where participants signed a tobacco-free pledge
• Health fairs and classroom presentations in local schools
• Smoke free bowling at TechCity, a smoke free business
• Peer tobacco education programs
• Retailer compliance checks, to make sure retailers are not selling tobacco to youth

In Kirkland, students will gather today at the TechCity Bowling Alley to celebrate World No Tobacco Day. TechCity is a 100% smoke-free bowling facility. The activity today, Thursday, is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and is free to youth. TechCity is located at 13033 NE 7th Place in Kirkland 425-827-0785.

Smoking is allowed at most bowling sites, which exposes workers and patrons to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. "We encourage all establishments to become smoke-free," said Plough. Second-hand smoke exposure is responsible for over 1,000 deaths of non-smokers in Washington State every year.

Important facts about second-hand smoke:

• Second-hand smoking has been causally associated with many life-threatening health effects, including lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease.
• Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 harmful chemicals, including arsenic, lead and ammonia.
• Sixty of these chemicals are known to cause cancer.
• There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.

World No Tobacco Day is organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) which is comprised of leading public health organizations around the world. The event was initiated by the United Nations to turn the world's attention toward the dangers of tobacco use.

For more information about Public Health's Tobacco Prevention Program, please visit: www.kingcounty.gov/health/tobacco