Running Head: Stakeholders, Advocacy Lobbying

The use of E-cigarettes which are designed to deliver nicotine in heated form, is becoming more common among the youth and young adults in contemporary times. This alternative form of smoking is alarming and the youth are the principal participants or targets. The sale of these products has risen in the U.S due to the fact that the sale price of such products is lower, affordable and appealing to the youth. The focus of this paper is to identify the health risk and means to reach the target population about the side effects of nicotine addiction.

To effectively implement a policy intervention, this paper seeks to effectively conduct a stakeholder analysis, so that an effective communicative tool can be drafted to communicate, engage, gain and build trust among stakeholders.

It’s very important to reach out to advocacy and lobbyists who can help educate the health risk associated with nicotine to the community. This effort is to help create and implement policy intervention initiatives that will educate and reduce initiation of e-cigarettes.

Keywords:Stakeholder Analysis,policy intervention,health risk,target group Advocacy Qualitative and Quantitative Report about E-Cigarettes Electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes, are devices designed to deliver nicotine to users in the form of vapor. There is an alarming usage rate among the youth, reasons may be due to the marketing claims that promotes e-cigar as being less hazardous compared to cigarettes, claiming it as safe and a cost effective form of alternative smoking. Despite the decline in cigarette smoking, the susceptible rate to e-cigarette use among the youth still remains alarmingly high with initiation pervading this target group more than any other group, especially when coupled with the erroneous perception that e-cigarette smoking is less harmful, not to mention, the aggressive marketing of these products on social media.

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Stakeholder Analysis and Power Interest Grid A step in the right direction will be to collaborate with CDC, FDA, East Stroudsburg school district, community outreach programs, federal, state, local departments, local health department, advocates, community youth program organizations, community churches, the National Youth Tobacco Survey, parents, physicians and teachers alike to play an active role in enforcing stricter laws and sanctions to curb and control tobacco usage. Highly informative and educative programs can also be used to create and reinforce awareness regarding the dangers and effects of tobacco and tobacco related products usage.

The high power-high interest groups like the government federal state and local, Departments of health and regulatory bodies in East Stroudsburg can rigorously regulate the purchasing age of e-cigarettes and restrict marketing of such products. Policy makers can enact laws prohibiting its usage in public places, protecting the youth from nicotine harm. High power-low interests are the target stakeholders with whom there should be selective communication regarding the impact of e-cigarettes on the youth. These stakeholders are not all that interested in the subject, but with the proper motivation and incentive, can be brought on board to align mutual interests with marketing and advertising companies, lobbyists, advocacy manufacturing companies and pharmaceutical companies all geared towards curbing the negative impact of nicotine that affects the youth. Low Power-high interests are the stakeholders who need to be involved and informed although are not considered a top priority.

They can be helpful in policy implementation processes and may range from health centers, school districts, anti-tobacco lobbyists, educators, and the community at large. Low power-low interest stakeholders will be the group that although will remain within the loop of matters relating to the issue at hand, yet will not be overloaded with unnecessary jargons nor will a significant effort be directed towards them. Advocacy groups against nicotine use, the community, sellers of the products, etc. may all fall within the latter group mentioned above.

Concern as A Public Health Official-Stakeholder Due to the growing rate of consumption by the youth, public health organizations advocates, policy makers, parent, the community at large, school district, the media, federal, state, local governments, health departments and school district are all seeking pertinent resolves to regulate the sale, marketing and the use of the e-cigarettes; to protect this target group and all users. The use of nicotine among young people puts them at risk not only because of nicotine addiction reasons, but also the risk of abnormal brain development at an early age.

Public health’s focus is to reduce youth initiation to nicotine and tobacco products and promote laws that will protect the youth. Therefore public health focus is to develop, implement and enforce tobacco-free school policies as an initiation intervention approach to reduce and possibly eradicate the use of e-cigarettes or smoking among the youth. It is very important that effective communication is established among all stakeholders to understand the severity of nicotine addiction among the youth. The laws Currently, in Pennsylvania the law on the sale of tobacco and the use of tobacco in schools is an offense under the CRIMES CODE (18 PA.C.’S). The law also prohibits e-cigarette smoking in school vehicles. The PA state also taxes on the sale of e-cigarettes. In Pennsylvania, Act 84 taxes e-cigarettes at a wholesale rate of 40%.

Based on these facts and data analysis I propose that they should be a stronger coalition among all agencies to understand the future impact of this alternative form of smoking that pervades the youth. The federal government can administer the Tobacco Control Act or even enforce stricter regulations to modulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products which will in turn help reduce a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. he law on minimum age for the legal cigarettes and smokeless tobacco sales should be revised by applying stronger federal penalties to offenders, including losing the right to sell tobacco. This proposal is to persuade stakeholders to review and help institute legal age for tobacco purchase from 18 to 21 years. Stringent laws should be enacted to the sale of flavoured tobacco products via the internet or mail order; in addition to FDA controlled advertising directed to the youth.

References

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