Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership

Colorado Quitline

• Free coaching sessions and 8 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy for those 18 years and older.
• Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get started.

Smokefree.gov

• Programs that support all adults, including personalized support for older adults, veterans, teens, and Spanish-speaking communities.
• Personalized quit plans and support are available through their online, text, or phone app programs.

Baby and Me Tobacco Free

• Personalized help for prenatal and postpartum women.
• Test tobacco free postpartum, and you may be eligible to receive diaper vouchers.
• Find a location near you.

Longs Peak Hospital Cessation Support Group

• In-person support group sessions are offered.

Health First Colorado (Medicaid) Member Information

• This guide is for those with this type of insurance. It has information on what cessation resources are covered.
  • Quitting smoking is covered by Medicaid (Dejar de fumar se cubre con Medicaid)

Become an Ex

• Digital cessation program that supports tobacco-free workplaces.
• Put this into action for your employees.

Freedom from Smoking

• 8-session program with a trained facilitator conducted in community settings, workplaces, and hospitals.
• Find a clinic near you.

Quit Curriculum for Organizations and Wellness Coaches

• This curriculum is intended to provide a framework to guide conversation and support individuals who are quitting.

My Life, My Quit

• Free coaching, online or phone support, as well as additional information about tobacco products for young people.

All Facts, No Cap

• Resources to help you or someone you care about quit vaping, stay vape-free, and live a healthier life.

Smoke Free Teen

• Personalized quit plans and online, text, or phone app support for teens.

This is Quitting

• Texting program that provides motivational messages and support to help young people quit.
• This program is specifically designed for vaping products.
• Text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to get started.

National LGBTQ Cancer Network

• Resource library provides research articles, webinars, fact sheets, videos and other resources.
• Provides a directory of LGBTQIA+ friendly cancer screening and treatment facilities in the US.
• Provides LGBTQIA+ cultural competency trainings for health and human service providers.

Tobacco Free Colorado, LGBTQ+ Coloradans Are Healthier Together

• Local and national resources for quitting tobacco catered to LGBTQIA+ folks.
• Shares information on building community and addressing Big Tobacco’s influence.
• Links to local community organizations that provide support to LGBTQIA+ communities’

Youth Pride Coalition’s PRIDE Toolkit (kit de herramientas PRIDE!)

• Local Denver-based resources for Colorado LGBTQIA+ youth

Charlie Health

• Personalized virtual treatment and solutions for substance use, such as tobacco, that center on LGBTQIA+ identities
• Call 986-206-0414
• A medical professional referral might be needed

YouthSeen

• Local nonprofit focusing on empowering the social and emotional well-being of LGBTQIA+ youth and their families.

CampSeen

• A one-week summer experience for LGBTQIA+ youth to experience nature in a safe and affirming environment
• For more information, please email info@youthseen.org.

CenterLink

• A database with information about LGBTQIA+ resource spaces across the state of Colorado

Queer Asterisk

• Affirming counseling services, facilitating innovative educational trainings, and creating engaging community programs
• Call 720-507-6161 or email info@queerasterisk.com

Rocky Mountain Equality (RME)

A well-established Boulder County-based nonprofit that provides extensive resources and programming for LGBTQIA+ individuals across the Denver Metro area and the Rocky Mountain region. Services include

• Mental and behavioral health groups
• Support for parents, youth, and community members
• Event programming, such as PRIDE festivities
• Workshops
• Email info@rmequality.org or call 303-499-5777

Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community (American Lung Association)

Becoming tobacco-free in the LGBTQ+ Community (Colorado Quitline)

LGBTQ+ People Encounter Barriers to Quitting Successfully (CDC)

The following resources enable providers to learn more about the supports available for their patients.

• Medicaid Factsheet for Providers
• Medicaid Benefits Chart
• Billing Guide for Tobacco Screening and Cessation
• Factsheet for Pediatricians to Support Youth
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Adolescents Guidance for Pediatricians
• Brief Intervention for Tobacco (The 2As and R) Pocket Card

According to the US Surgeon General, secondhand smoke causes nearly 50,000 adult deaths in the United States every year. Even in small amounts, secondhand smoke can trigger an asthma attack, a heart attack, or even a stroke. In addition, secondhand smoke has been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a known cause of lung cancer in humans (Group A carcinogen). It is estimated that over 7,000 lung cancer deaths have occurred in adult nonsmokers in the United States as a result of secondhand exposure.

Secondhand smoke poses a serious health risk to children. Health effects seen in children exposed to this type of smoke include increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections (such as bronchitis and pneumonia), increased risk of ear infections, increased severity and frequency of asthma attacks, decreased lung function, and an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Secondhand smoke can impact your pets – exposure to this type of smoke can cause cancer, respiratory diseases, skin irritation, and ear, nose, and throat conditions.

Secondhand smoke has no boundaries and can drift between units in a multi-unit dwelling through cracks in drywall, open windows, ventilation systems, and even plumbing. Secondhand smoke is more than a nuisance, and individuals with chronic health conditions, older adults, pregnant women, and children are particularly at risk for health complications from exposure. Additionally, damage to housing resulting from smoke may impact adjoining units, thereby multiplying the financial impact of cleaning and repairs. Adopting a smoke-free policy is the most effective way to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing, thereby protecting the health of your tenants and the building itself.

Report A Complaint Or Concern About Secondhand Smoke

Advantages of a Smoke-Free Policy

• Save money: Cleaning and repairing a unit where smoking has occurred can cost 2 to 3 times more than cleaning a nonsmoking unit.
• Protect property: There are over 7,500 smoking-related fires in residential buildings every year.
• Attract residents: 87% of Coloradans have adopted smoke-free rules for their homes, almost 90% of Boulder County adults don’t smoke, and the majority prefer smoke-free environments.
• Ensure health: Up to 65% of the air in a multi-unit building is shared between units. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke – even small exposures can cause health complications.
• Retain property value: Thirdhand smoke can accumulate on surfaces, potentially causing greater damage to the property and increasing toxicity to residents over time.

Tools and Resources to Help with Policy Implementation

• Smoke-Free Living Toolkit
• Signage (see below)

Since secondhand smoke can travel throughout a building from multiple entry points, the Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership encourages residents to keep a log of where and when they experience secondhand smoke drift and communicate with management about their experiences and how this exposure is affecting them.

Remember, smoke-free living does not require people to quit smoking, it provides protections to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke. A documentation log can help start a conversation with management to help find a solution. Finding solutions and remedies can sometimes take time, but starting a dialogue with management is usually the first step.

Resources to Help Find a Resolution

• Boulder Mediation and Landlord/Tenant Information
• Boulder County BAR Association
• Local Law Clinics
• Longmont Mediation
• My Smoke-Free Housing Resource
• Contact us at healthinfo@bouldercounty.gov

Participating Vape Disposal Locations

Boulder County, City and County of Broomfield, and Town of Erie residents can dispose of vape waste for FREE at participating Vape Aware locations. Visit the interactive Vape Aware GIS map to find a location near you.

Accepted items are:

• Disposable devices
• Cartridges and pods
• Batteries
• E-liquid

THC devices are not accepted.

Health Risks

There are no e-cigarettes or vaporizers on the market that the FDA has approved to help people quit tobacco. Though they may help some adult smokers transition from cigarettes, they are not intended for use by youth. While Boulder County strives to support youth in making healthy choices, the county still experiences high rates of youth vaping.

Research on the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes is still emerging, but there are plenty of short-term risks to consider. E-cigarettes increase blood pressure, cause respiratory issues and diseases, can addict non-tobacco users to nicotine, affect the developing brain, and expose bystanders to secondhand smoke.

Environmental Risks

Because vape devices contain numerous hazardous components, including heavy metals, lithium-ion batteries, microplastics, and toxic chemicals, vape-related litter can cause significant environmental damage. If improperly disposed of:

• E-liquid cartridges can leak nicotine into the environment. Nicotine is considered an acute hazardous waste, meaning that even in small doses, it may be lethal to humans, rats, or other animals.
• The heavy metals and acid found within these batteries are not only corrosive to the environment but also toxic to living beings.
• While rare, batteries from vape devices can explode, posing a serious risk of injury.
• Read The Truth Initiative’s full report on the harms vape devices pose to our planet.

These devices pollute our public lands, harm wildlife, and contaminate our drinking water. You can help protect our community by disposing of these devices properly.

Safe Storage and Handling

Tips for safe storage and handling of vape devices:

• Keep devices and liquids out of harm’s reach when not in use. Consider keeping devices and components in a plastic container to avoid nicotine spillage.
• Ensure all tops and lids are secure.
• Keep loose batteries in a plastic case to prevent them from coming into contact with metal objects.
• If devices are leaking, place them in a resealable plastic bag.
• Call the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center at 800-222-1222 if a child or pet swallows e-liquid or chews on a cartridge.

Proper Disposal

Currently, there is no standardized method for recycling e-cigarettes in the country. However, for the sake of the environment and public health, e-cigarettes and e-liquids should be disposed of properly. While very little information exists on how to properly dispose of these items, and there are few resources to help consumers make responsible disposal choices, Boulder County’s Hazardous Materials Management Facility will safely and free of charge dispose of these devices for Boulder County residents.

• Due to the complex nature of these devices and the hazardous materials they contain, they must be disassembled, and each part must be handled and disposed of separately. HMMF has a team dedicated to ensuring the proper handling of these materials.
• Residents can bring nicotine-only devices and e-liquids to HMMF directly for safe disposal.
• Residents can also check out our list of partner vape stores here (link to partnership list and/or disposal map) to find a shop near you that accepts vape waste.
• Partnerships with Ridwell and Happy Beetle help make our vape shop partnerships possible. These companies pick up hard to recycle materials (like your vape devices!) from participating local businesses and deliver them directly to HMMF, saving you the trip!

Keeping the environment clean in partnership with Ridwell.

Policy

Policy is one strategy that impacts the rates of tobacco use and youth vaping in Boulder County. There have been several policy changes at the local, state, and federal levels in the last few years that aim to protect youth and decrease the overall use of tobacco products.

Youth Prevention

Youth prevention policies are implemented to protect young people from initiating tobacco use and include measures such as raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, increasing the price, banning flavors, and implementing tobacco retailer licensing. Below are local policies that have been in place since 2019.

• City of Boulder Tobacco Policy
• City of Lafayette Tobacco Policy
• City of Louisville Tobacco Policy
• Town of Superior Tobacco Policy

Many causes of tobacco use and factors determine what makes someone more likely to use tobacco products, many of which are determined by where someone lives and what environmental factors are at play. In public health, we refer to these as social determinants of health. Although there are many factors at play regarding tobacco use, the social determinants of health that we address as a program are mental health and housing insecurity.

The Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership believes that to achieve sustainable change in tobacco use, we must address the root causes of use, which is why our work focuses on addressing the social determinants of health. The social determinants we have chosen to focus on are those most relevant to the Boulder County community, based on localized data and engagement with individuals with lived experience.