Milton, FL – The Tobacco-Free Santa Rosa Coalition will meet at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, January 28, in the main conference room of the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County, 5527 Stewart Street in Milton.  Topics will include a presentation on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems by tobacco prevention specialist Gina Rosso, coordinator for Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) of Santa Rosa County, an update of Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida national and local policy trends from the December 2015 Tobacco Summit, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ruling concerning smoke-free policies for all subsidized housing and an update on community events in the coming year.                 

The Tobacco-Free Santa Rosa Coalition began in September 2008 as a partnership of community members and agencies working together with a mission to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use and provide education on the dangers of tobacco abuse among children and adults.   Members include the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County; Healthy Start of Santa Rosa County; Women, Infant and Children Program (WIC); The Center for Total Women’s Health; Community Drug and Alcohol Council; West Florida Area Health Education Center; Covenant Hospice; Safe Haven; Santa Rosa County School District; Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office; Santa Rosa County School Health Program; Santa Rosa Pediatrics; University of West Florida; Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Live Well Northwest Florida (The Partnership for a Healthy Community).  Any interested citizens or community groups are encouraged to attend the meeting and join the coalition.

For more information, contact Vince Nguyen, tobacco prevention specialist with the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County, at 850-983-5200, ext. 142.