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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, September 27, 2019 Page 11 Governor Charlie Baker Declares Public Health Emergency, Announces Temporary Four-Month Ban on Sale of All Vape Products State responds to public health concerns about unexplained vaping-related illness; Prohibits online and retail sale of nicotine, flavored, non-flavored and marijuana vaping products effective immediately BOSTON– Governor Charlie Baker today declared a public health emergency in response to confirmed and suspected cases of severe lung disease associated with the use of ecigarettes and marijuana vaping products in the Commonwealth. The Governor called for a temporary four-month statewide ban on the sale of flavored and non-flavored vaping products in both retail stores and online. The sales ban applies to all vaping products and devices, including tobacco and marijuana. The ban takes effect immediately and lasts through January 25, 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are currently investigating a multi-state outbreak of lung disease that has been associated with the use of ecigarettes or vaping products (devices, liquids, refill pods, and/or cartridges). To date, the CDC has confirmed 530 cases of lung injury across 38 states. MCAS | from page 8 ELA: 4th graders: 36 percent compared to 52 percent statewide; 5th graders: 41 percent compared to 52 percent statewide. The school’s Accountability percentile was 39, dipping from 46 in the previous year. Saugus High School – a 38 percent CTP. Its overall progress toward improved targets has dipped from 57 percent in the previous year, as it has made only “moderate progress toward targets.” This is a school with an enrollment of 699 as of October 2018. Saugus High is one of the 132 schools classified as among the lowest 10 While many of the patients reported recent use of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing products, some reported using both THC and nicotine products. No single product has been linked to all cases of lung disease. “The use of e-cigarettes and marijuana vaping products is exploding and we are seeing reports of serious lung illnesses, particularly in our young people,”said Governor Charlie Baker.“The purpose of this public health emergency is to temporarily pause all sales of vaping products so that we can work with our medical experts to identify what is making people sick and how to better regulate these products to protect the health of our residents.” The U.S. Surgeon General has called teen e-cigarette use an epidemic. According to the CDC, since 2014 e-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among both middle and high school students. In Massachusetts, 41 percent of the state that have been identified as “in need of focused/targeted support” and deemed to be “requiring assistance and intervention.” The school’s performance level has plummeted over the past year. MCAS scores for 10th graders are lagging behind the state by double-digits. In Mathematics, only 42 percent of Saugus High sophomores have met or exceeded expectations, compared to 59 percent statewide. In ELA, 51 percent of Saugus High 10th graders have met or exceeded expectations, compared to 61 percent statewide. Fifteen percent of the school’s 10th grade students did not percent of all youth in 2017 reported trying e-cigarettes and 1 in 5 reported using e-cigarettes regularly. Current use of e-cigarettes among high school students is 6 times higher than that for adults (3.3% of adults reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days). During the temporary ban, the Administration will work with medical experts, state and federal officials to better understand vaping illnesses and work on additional steps to address this public health crisis. This could include legislation and regulations. The Administration will also work on providing more resources for a public awareness campaign and smoking cessation programs. The Baker-Polito Administration has strengthened the Helpline’s robust outreach about nicotine replacement therapies so individuals who were previously vaping are not inadvertently steered to traditional cigarettes. Individuals who would like help seeking AN IMPROVING SCHOOL: The latest MCAS tests released by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education determined that Veterans Memorial Elementary School made “substantial progress toward targets.” meet expectations in Mathematics, compared to 9 percent statewide. Only 4 percent of 10th graders exceeded expectations in Mathematics compared to the statewide average of 13 percent. Only 7 percent of the 10th graders exceeded expectations in ELA, compared to 13 percent statewide. The school’s Accountability percentile has dropped from 23 to 16 over the past year. Belmonte Middle School – a 46 percent CTP. Its overall progress toward improved targets has increased from 8 percent over the past year. Even so, the state has dubbed this school “requiring assistance or intervention” for the second straight year. A year ago, it was among 30 schools in Massachusetts “requiring assistance or intervention” while being “in need of focused/targeted support.” Despite some signs of progress, the Belmonte is one of 132 schools rated among the lowest 10 percent of schools in the state. This is a school with an enrollment of 634 as of October 2018. The school’s best MCAS performance was achieved by 6th graders in Mathematics, where 53 percent of the students met or exceeded expectations compared to 52 percent statewide. That was the only instance among 10 testing areas where the school bested the state average. The gap between the school and state average was greatest for 7th treatment are encouraged to call the Helpline at 1-800-QUITNOW or visitmakesmokinghistory.org. Massachusetts has made significant progress over the past two decades in curbing youth and adult tobacco use. In 1996, the youth smoking rate was 36.7%. Today, the youth smoking rate is 6.4%. The adult smoking rate is also low, with just under 14% of adults using combustible tobacco products. “Our priority is protecting the public health,”said Public Health Commissioner Bharel, MD, MPH.“The Governor’s actions today will help prevent more cases of this dangerous lung disease while getting people, especially young people, the help they need to quit.” To further inform the public about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarette use, DPH is relaunching two public awareness campaigns aimed at educating parents and middle and high school-aged youth. “Different Products, Same graders in Mathematics, where only 27 percent of the students met or exceeded expectations compared to 48 percent statewide. Only 40 percent of 8th graders met or exceeded expectations in ELA, compared to 52 percent statewide. The school’s Accountability percentile increased from 9 to 13, but is still among the lowest in Danger,”originally launched in April 2019, links the dangers of vaping to cigarette smoking, and was developed with the input and feedback from middle and high school students across the state. “The New Look of Nicotine Addiction,”originally launched in July 2018, seeks to spread the word that these high-tech products are harmful and contain nicotine which can damage a teenager’s developing brain and lead to addiction. More information on both campaigns is available atmass. gov/vapingandgetoutraged. org. Materials are also available for download on theMassachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse website. Over the next four months, the Administration will work closely with the Legislature, public health officials and other stakeholders to consider legislative and/or appropriate regulatory reforms. For more information please visit:mass.gov/vapingemergency the state. This year is the first year of grade 10 results on the next-generation ELA and Math MCAS results. This revamped assessment is designed to give students a clearer signal of whether they are on track for college and career readiness, MCAS | SEE PAGE 12 A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE Gift Cards OPEN: Mon.-Sat. 8 AM - 8 PM Sun. - Holidays: 8 AM - 6 PM (781) 289-4959 Rewards Program Chris Dan Steve OUR 48th YEAR ALL MAJOR BRANDS OF CIGARS * Desktop Humidors * Travel Humidors * Boxes of Cigars * Bundles of Cigars * Singles * Torch Lighters * Zippo Lighters * Cigar Cutters PIPES * GRINDERS * HOOKAHS * BONGS SEPTEMBER SPECIAL Deep Discounts on Box Sales featuring BACCARAT CIGARS known for their mildest, unique flavor, and popularity. C.B.D. PRODUCTS Creating Better Days * Nature’s Supplement * All Natural * CBD Infused Products * Edibles * Concentrates * Topicals

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