The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes Tim Higgins, chair of the Upshur County Tobacco Prevention Coalition, gives a visual demonstration of the number of people who die from tobacco-related health issues every day in the United States – 1,212.

The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes
Tim Higgins, chair of the Upshur County Tobacco Prevention Coalition, gives a visual demonstration of the number of people who die from tobacco-related health issues every day in the United States – 1,212.

BUCKHANNON — The Upshur County Tobacco Prevention Coalition has asked the Upshur County Commission and Buckhannon City Council to look at tobacco use on their properties.

At Thursday’s Upshur County Commission meeting, Dr. Joseph Reed, representing the coalition and as health officer of the Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department, said while opioid addiction is significant, tobacco addiction is greater.

People with opioid addiction die 40 years earlier while with alcohol addiction it’s 30 years earlier and with tobacco it’s 10 to 14 years earlier.

“I don’t mean to belittle what has been done with opioid and alcohol addiction, but I think we have kind of lost focus on the tobacco issue,” he said.

“I would ask the commission look at your policies and procedures and what opportunities might be to continue to work on these concerns,” he said.

The health department passed a Clean Indoor Air Act Regulation in 2007 which made a “big difference,” Reed told the commission. The regulation was amended in 2016 to add vaping.

“We would be happy from the tobacco prevention to be helpful in any way we can,” he said.

Tim Higgins, chair of the Upshur County Tobacco Prevention Coalition, also gave a demonstration that shows that 1,212 die every day from tobacco-related health issues.

“That’s unbelievable,” he said. “We have a problem.”

Higgins said, “We lose 440,000 people in this country every year. Three days represents a World Trade Center type of accident. Every three days. In this state, we lose 4,400 people every year. We will lose a congressional seat possibly due to that number.”

Higgins also said that employees who take smoking breaks get an extra 2 ¢ weeks of time they are not working every year.

Reed also promoted the fourth annual Green Bean Celebration Weekend.

Ripe green beans are in short supply so far but Reed has been rounding up what he can to take to various government entities and community groups for snapping.

On Thursday, it was the Upshur County Commission’s turn to snap a few for the cause and to proclaim Aug. 8-10 as the fourth annual Greenbean and Volunteerism weekend.

Reed said this year’s activities include a green bean cookoff Aug. 9 in conjunction with Festival Fridays that will be overseen by Buck Edwards.

On Saturday, Aug. 10, a Green Bean Stroll will take place at 9 a.m. at the Riverwalk with people encouraged to walk, run, pedal a bike or use other forms of mobility to help them stroll a mile.

The entry fee is a bag of snapped beans, two cans of green beans or $5 and all donations benefit the Crosslines Food Pantry at the Upshur Parish House.

“This started with the idea of encouraging people to do agriculture and to be healthy in their activity,” Reed said.