Department of Justice Grant awarded to theImpact Sonoma, Tobacco & Nicotine Prevention Team

The ImpactSonoma Tobacco & Nicotine Prevention Team has been awarded two years of funding from the California Department of Justice (DOJ) Tobacco Law Enforcement Grant Program totaling $156,842. Funding will be used to build capacity within school districts and their local law enforcement agency partners to address youth vaping.

In recent news, the FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, M.D., in reference to youth e-cigarette use, stated “Unfortunately, I now have good reason to believe that it’s reached nothing short of an epidemic proportion of growth.” The problem is just as severe in Sonoma County with school officials reporting a steep rise in student vaping that not only puts a tremendous weight on school resources, it’s resulting in youth not being able to quit these high-nicotine devices. School officials and the Department of Health Services will look to reverse this trend. Petaluma City Schools was also awarded $1,050,00 DOJ grant to do complimentary work, including the hiring of two School Resource Officers.

The ImpactSonoma team will engage in the following activities:

• Complete a comprehensive assessment of the issue in Sonoma Count
• Develop an on-going data surveillance system for the Department, schools and school resource officer.
• Strengthen collaboration and coordination among schools
• Arrange trainings on relevant topics
• Provide schools and partners with technical assistance

Contact: Ellen Bauer, Public Health Division Director, (707) 565-4418, ellen.bauer@sonoma-county.org.