Warren County public health names "Tire Wars" tobacco-prevention poster winners, cites spike in youth vaping

Warren County public-health staff presented winners of the countywide "Tire Wars" tobacco-prevention poster contest and highlighted trends in youth e-cigarette use that county health officials said have reversed years of progress.

A public-health presenter told the board that tobacco use had been declining for about 15 years and that it was "at the lowest rate at 2.1," but that the introduction and marketing of e-cigarettes led to a sharp rise among youth. "From 2014 to '18, youth e-cigarette rates have increased by 161 percent, which means overall tobacco rates have increased by 57 percent," the presenter said. The presenter added: "Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. It's highly addictive, and it can harm parts of the adolescent brains that are responsible for attention, behavior, learning, mood, impulse control."

The presenter noted acute risks as well: "Acute nicotine exposure can be toxic, to children and adults alike," and said accidental ingestion of e-cigarette liquid has caused numerous poison-control calls. The presenter told the board there are 93 registered tobacco and vape retailers in Warren County, including standalone shops, convenience stores and gas stations. The presenter also cited ratios presented to the board: "There's 1 retailer for every 141 smokers and 1 physician for for each 839," remarking on retailer access compared with clinical care access.

The county announced three overall county poster winners: Olivia Barrows (county winner), Zoe Aria (second place, Buncehold Middle School, sixth grade) and Bryce Mance (third place, North Warren Central School, fourth grade). The presenter said every school district in Warren County participated and called the program a "shining example" of tobacco-prevention education.

The presentation included certificates and countywide prizes for the top winners; no formal board vote or policy action was taken during the presentation.