SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: GC Students Contribute to LIVE SAFE Campaign

SAFE Glen Cove Coalition’s School Committee Middle School students enrolled in Ms. Amanda Sullivan’s health education classes are serious about keeping their community safe from smoking and vaping. Middle School students in Amanda Sullivan, Amanda King and Jake Freitag's Health classes contributed to the “LIVE SAFE” Campaign, March 31st Take Down Tobacco Day and National Drug Facts Week.

As vaping tobacco and marijuana have become a national trend, and the legalization of marijuana has now exposed the public to secondhand smoke, students engaged in an art contest to create a sustainable impression that focuses on the consequences of others being in the presence of that smoke through a sticker that will be disseminated throughout the community. Congratulations to Art Contest Winner Dianna-Canales-Galvez, whose creation embodies the purpose and goal of the LIVE SAFE Campaign so accurately it has also been embraced as the LOGO to represent the Campaign.

Glen Cove Youth Bureau Executive Director- Spiro Tsirkas and SAFE’s - Life Skills Training Educator- Monica Salinas, worked hand and hand with her Middle School After 3 Teens and Elementary School on the programs through enlightening them to the dangers of smoking/ vaping and mentholated and flavored products as the foundation for the interactive youth activities. The Middle School students guided the Elementary youth into writing a morning PSA for the Middle School in recognition of Take Down Tobacco Day. To culminate the day the Elementary School youth all created flags out of construction paper with messaging to their peers regarding the dangers of smoking.

Carol Meschkow- Manager Tobacco Action Coalition of LI a long-time partner with SAFE and has worked with us on multiple activities and event planning through providing education and technical support on Tobacco and its dangers and the prevalence in our youth preview. This year's Take Down Tobacco Day was a prelude to National Alcohol Awareness Month and the mission of the LIVE SAFE Campaign to groom a healthy next generation who can be mentors and role models for their peers on the importance of living a healthy substance free lifestyle.

The Middle School Students also participated in the very important Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA), 2023 Communities Talk to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse initiative to educate communities about the consequences of alcohol and other substance misuse. This was tantamount in preparation for April as the designated National Alcohol Awareness Month and a key component of the Live SAFE Campaign.

Under the leadership of the 3 Middle School Health teachers the students worked on all of these projects as well as the contributions of the After Program as part of the overall LIVE SAFE Campaign whose mission is to empower our youth against alcohol and substance abuse from any toxic chemical sources that are addictive, unhealthy and effects their maturing bodies and brains.

For help Quitting smoking or vaping or to help a loved one beat a Nicotine Addition please visit the American Lung Association on their Website at: www.american lung.org. “The American Lung Association says the only thing that should go into your lungs is clean air, so if you’re inhaling anything, it could potentially be toxic to your lungs! The New York State Smokers’ Quitline assists thousands of New Yorkers every year in their attempts to break free from smoking and other tobacco and the service is free and confidential. Call 1-866-NYQUITS (1-866-697-8487) or visit them at: https://www.nysmokefree.com/.for Quit Help.

SAFE is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. The Coalition is concerned about all combustible and electronic products with marijuana and tobacco. The Agency is employing environmental strategies to educate and update the community regarding the negative consequences in collaboration with Carol Meschkow, Manager- Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow www.facebook.com/safeglencovec... or to learn more about electronic products visit the Vaping Facts and Myths Page of SAFE’s website to learn more about how vaping is detrimental to your health www.safeglencove.org.