The Douglas County Health Department, through the help of a media campaign involving bus benches, billboards and stickers that have been placed around town, is pushing for the right to live smoke-free.

This push stems from the increasing evidence of harmful side affects to any level of exposure to smoke, including secondhand and third-hand smoking — exposure from residual nicotine and other chemicals left on surfaces, such as furniture or toys.

In 2006, then U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona addressed the dangers of smoke exposure. 

“The debate is over,” said Carmona. “The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard. Workplace smoking restrictions are effective in reducing secondhand smoke exposure.”

Since 2006, the U.S. smoking rate has continued to decline, according to Gallup. However, the use of electronic smoking devices has increased exponentially and has gone unchecked by the Food and Drug Administration. 

Electronic smoking devices have become increasingly popular in young adults partly because of Tobacco industry advertisements targeting the younger demographic.

According to the Center for Disease Control, about 2.4 million middle and high school students are currently — in the past 30-days — users of electronic smoking devices, and about 69 percent of middle and high school students are exposed to ads about electronic smoking devices from television, Internet and TV/movies among other sources.

According to Brock Hanish of the Douglas County Health Department, Big Tobacco industries target kids by advertising candy flavors with low nicotine count that gradually hook them on flavors with increasing nicotine count.

Because of the new nature of electronic smoking devices many, do not know of the harm caused by them.

Studies reveal that e-cigarettes operated at high voltages and temperatures produce vapor with large amounts of a formaldehyde-containing chemical compound with cancer.

Vapors from electronic smoking devices have also been linked with causation of Popcorn lungs — an irreversible and life-threatening disease.

The FDA has not taken a definitive stance or instituted regulations on electronic smoking devices.

For now, the majority of research comes from private studies that may be biased because of their connection with the tobacco industry.This leads to contradictory information.

Because of the contradictory research, bills regulating the use of tobacco products have had difficulty getting through Senate. Including Nebraska Sen. Mike Gloor’s bill LB1013, which was set to tax all tobacco products and predicted to produce $120 million in the first year; however, the bill died in the Senate.

Electronic smoking devices continue to cause a problem for the Douglas County Health Department as you can still legally smoke them inside.

For more information on how to live smoke-free or for instructions on how to file a complaint for Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act visit the Douglas County Public Health homepage: (http://www.douglascountyhealth.com/)