Tobacco Free Broome & Tioga

09/16/2026

☀The world is brighter with you in it!☀ Yesterday, some of our Reality Check members Chalked the Walk at the Ross Park Zoo, participating in an awareness campaign honoring World Su***de Prevention Month. Thank you to BC SAFE for the chalk!

Spending time outside and with loved ones, especially in smoke-free environments, is a great way to boost your mood... but we know it's not always enough. If you're in crisis and need to talk, the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7. Call, text, or chat 988 to connect with someone who's there for you 💜

09/03/2026

We wanted to thank Senator Lea Webb and her team for hosting the Broome County Health Resource Fair at the Broome County Public Library this past Tuesday evening!

We are grateful to of had the opportunity to come together with community partners and directly engage with community members, helping connect individuals and families with valuable health resources, information and support across Broome County.

08/28/2026

Think vapes are a "cleaner" alternative? Think again. The environmental consequences are enormous. Here's why we need to know about it:

🔥 Fire Hazards: Damaged lithium ion batteries can ignite or explode in trash compactors and recycling facilities, causing dangerous fires.

♻️ Hard to Recycle: Most vapes are considered hazardous e-waste and are difficult, if not impossible, to safely and responsibly recycle. Contaminated plastic pods can’t simply go in the blue bin because they are considered acute hazardous waste.

🗑️ Plastic and Metal Pollution: The high sale of non-biodegradable plastics and heavy metals are building up in our landfills and oceans. Shockingly, in the US alone, we throw away about five vapes every second!

🤢 Chemical Leaks: The liquids inside contain dangerous chemicals like lead, formaldehyde, and ni****ne, which can leak into the environment when vapes are discarded improperly.

Currently, most single-use e-cigarettes do not have a safe and proper way to dispose of them. Nationwide, some cities have adopted a hazardous and e-waste collection and disposal programs for these products. These insights highlight the need for a proper way to dispose of v***r products locally.

08/19/2026

Did you know that cigarette butts are consistently the MOST littered object in the world?🚭🚭🚭

We tabled at Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County's EcoFest this past weekend, where of our graduating Reality Check members came up with trivia, demonstrations on the harmful effects of to***co and ni****ne products in the environment, and gave attendees the opportunity to voice their concerns. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!

07/30/2026

Earlier this month, our Reality Check youth joined more than 80 teens from across the state at SUNY Oswego for the three-day All-Around New York Youth Summit designed to inform, involve, and inspire them to fight the to***co industry’s influence here in Broome and Tioga Counties!

Hear directly from our youth and learn more about the event at: https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/top-stories/jc-students-attend-to***co-free-ny-summit-in-oswego/

07/21/2026

Funding Opportunity for Broome & Tioga County Organizations!

To***co-Free Broome and Tioga is now accepting applications for $35,000 in grant funding to support community-led projects that help create healthier, to***co-free communities.

Grassroots organizations serving Broome and Tioga Counties are encouraged to apply for funding to address the impact of commercial to***co through initiatives such as:

Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing
To***co Product Waste & the Environment
Retail Environments
To***co-Free Outdoor Spaces

Funded projects may include community outreach, resident engagement, educational activities, policy education, and partnerships that create lasting improvements in public health.

Application Deadline: August 10, 2026

To view the full RFA, visit:https://broomecountyny.gov/sites/default/files/dept/hd/TFBT/TFBT%20Health%20Equity%20Partnership%202026.pdf

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07/15/2026

Did you know our region has a long history of social and health activism? 📣

The 1830s and 1840s saw an explosion of moral and religious movements, many of them centered right here in Upstate New York! They included the abolition, women's suffrage, temperance, and the often-overlooked anti-to***co movement. This movement opposed to***co use on the grounds that farming practices hurt the environment and that the habit was expensive, especially when factoring in the damage to clothes and furniture! Reports also began to tie to***co use with health problems like cancer and the addictive qualities of ni****ne were on display. Even President John Quincy Adams wrote about how hard it was to quit!

200 years later, we know a lot more about addiction, the health effects of to***co use, and the lies the to***co industry spread to keep selling their products. Broome County Health Department is proud to foster a new generation of reformers with our Reality Check Youth Program and create to***co-free spaces! Follow To***co Free Broome & Tioga to learn more!

06/11/2026

Thank you to FOX 40 News WICZ-TV for the recent coverage of the Conklin Town Hall addressing youth va**ng concerns!

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A presentation about the issue of youth va**ng was made by community partners Tuesday night during a Conklin Town Board meeting.

06/11/2026

Thank you to WBNG 12 News for covering the Conklin Town Hall discussion on youth va**ng!

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The meeting provided information on youth va**ng trends, educated the public on community-based solutions and discussed concerns with youth access to these products. https://www.wbng.com/2026/06/10/residents-discuss-youth-va**ng-concerns-community-based-solutions-during-conklin-town-hall/

06/05/2026

**UPDATED**

Join To***co Free Broome & Tioga and our community partners as we discuss concerns surrounding youth va**ng and ni****ne addiction and explore opportunities to reduce youth access to to***co and va**ng products.

Together, we can support healthier environments and strengthen our community's efforts to prevent to***co and ni****ne addiction, especially in youth and young people.

See flyer for meeting details. We hope you'll join the conversation!

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