Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Now that school is out, kids all across Jefferson County are finding new and interesting ways of occupying their time. One group of kids, members of Students Working Against Tobacco (S.W.A.T.) decided that they wanted to spend some of their newfound freedom getting out into the great outdoors and doing some good for the local environment.
S.W.A.T. is a statewide youth organization that works to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. It is a unified movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco-free future. The program is designed to create a youth-led, youth-driven club that works toward the prevention of tobacco use and addiction in local schools and communities all across Florida.
It was during one of the S.W.A.T. meetings that the students came up with a great idea. This idea was inspired by a pamphlet titled Stand Up for the Environment. The pamphlet gave statistics about the impact that tobacco companies have on the environment:
“In the United States alone, an estimated 900,178 pieces of cigarette butts were collected in 2019, making it the most littered item on U.S beaches and waterways. Every year an estimated 766,571 metric tons of cigarette butts make their way into the environment. Cigarette butts are often carried away by rainwater or wastewater as runoff into waterways, where the organic compounds found in them seep into aquatic ecosystems, becoming toxic for fish and other aquatic life. E-cigarettes have the potential to be more harmful to the environment than cigarette butts, as they contain metal, circuitry, single-use plastic cartridges, batteries and toxic chemicals in e-liquids.”
After reading the impact that tobacco products have on the environment, they began to brainstorm. The team decided to organize a clean up of the main local waterway, the Wacissa Headwaters, prime location for recreational swimming for locals as well as for visitors to Jefferson County.
The Wacissa River is one of Florida's wildest and most diverse rivers, with numerous springs and abundant wildlife. Its beautiful waters are a magnet for swimmers, kayakers, snorkelers, boaters and anglers. Since the pamphlet described Florida's waterways as being most at risk for pollution of tobacco product waste, the students decided that the Wacissa Headwaters would be a perfect location to Stand Up For The Environment.
The four-student team decided that they wanted to attempt a clean up after the weekend had already passed, as the weekends are when the headwaters see the most use. One of their interests were to see just how many people smoke while enjoying their recreation, and just how many of those smokers did not dispose of their waste properly despite the presence of dumpsters at the site.
The team spent an hour picking up trash and debris from the beach, grass and waterline of the river. The found a variety of trash, and while they were particularly interested in the tobacco-specific litter, they did not discriminate, collecting any and all discarded garbage from the recreation area. Among the items they found and removed were cigarette butts, vape pens, cigarillo wrappers, tobacco packaging like empty cigarette cartons, single-use vape pens, and black and mild wrappers. Other trash included beer cans, chip bags, food waste, plates and discarded water bottles. Even in just a single hour, the four students were able to partially fill several bags, equating to one large garbage bag full of litter, removing the risk of the trash reaching the sensitive waterways.
Noticing that litter is a problem is the first step to taking action to protect those places we love most, and ensure their continued availability to enjoy in the future. Additionally, the use of tobacco products has led to cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. What is impacting the health of smokers is also impacting the health of our environment. Members of S.W.A.T. aim to not only clean up our ecosystems and waterways, but to educate their communities on the dangers of tobacco use, preventing vulnerable youth from being drawn in by the glamor and fashion trends of smoking and vaping that are promoted by the tobacco companies.
If you have a child that is 11 to 17 years old and you would like to know how you can help Florida be tobacco-free, or if they would like to join S.W.A.T., contact Carroll Gibson with the Florida Department of Health at (850) 427- 4003 or (850) 782-1544.
July S.W.A.T. activities include:
July 8- Zine-making workshop: 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the Health Department
July 15- Zine-making workshop: 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the Health Department
July 19- Movie Day at the Health Department from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Everyone should have their own choice to make when it comes to their health and their habits. But if you're going to choose to smoke, at least throw away your trash properly!