Why Levittown Pizza Shop Boxes Have Anti-Vaping Stickers

LEVITTOWN, NY — Pizza shops in Levittown might disagree on the best ways to make the perfect pie, but they seem to agree on one thing: e-cigarettes are dangerous.

Town of Hempstead Councilman Dennis Dunne Sr., who represents the Sixth Councilmanic District of Levittown and parts of East Meadow, Bellmore, Bethpage, Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh, took it upon himself in June to buy $500 worth of stickers containing a stern warning. Written in all capital letters and bold were the words: "Warning: Vape products contain nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical," as well as "vaping can be hazardous to your health."

Dunne told the Levittown Tribune that he bought 5,000 stickers and passed them out to pizza shops throughout Levittown, Island Trees, East Meadow and Hicksville. The idea, he said, was similar to how stickers have been used to spread awareness to parents about teen drinking.

"We were going to put them on pizza boxes so moms and dads, when they pick up pizza boxes, can say, 'Oh my gosh. I can’t leave a party because I’ll go to jail since they’re drinking,'" he told the newspaper. "I said, 'we should do this for vaping.' I said, let me just do it myself."

Every pizza shop agreed to participate, he said.

On Wednesday, Dunne told Patch that as a part of the Levittown Community Action Coalition, three middle schools said students faced peer pressure to vape. Furthermore, parents told him they had no idea vaping was dangerous. They were under the impression it was safe, or at least safer than cigarettes.

"That was very concerning," Dunne said.

Dunne knew he had to do something after reading about vaping-related side effects such as popcorn lungs and lung lining deterioration.

"I felt that someone has to educate the kids and the parents," he said. "It's not good."

He spent two days doling out stickers to numerous pizza joints, including Dominoes, Pizza Hut, Two Brothers, Dimaggio's, Porto Fino, Domenico's, Angelo's, Cafe Boccelli's, Riella's and Vincenzo's. So far, reaction has been almost all positive. Many people have come into the pizza shops asking if they can just take the stickers home to show their kids.

"It kind of woke them up," Dunne said. He's now considering reaching out to the incoming supervisor to see about possible ramping up anti-vaping efforts again.

Dunne's effort comes amid efforts from the state and county to crack down on the vaping industry.

As federal and state health officials continue to investigate a mysterious, deadly outbreak of vaping-related lung illnesses nationwide,

Two vaping-related deaths have been confirmed in New York and 47 have been confirmed across 25 states and the District of Columbia. As of Nov. 20, 2,290 cases of e-cigarette-related breathing illnesses have been reported to the CDC.

But in those cases, the CDC has homed in as vitamin E acetate as the likely source of the illnesses. In recent lab tests from 29 patients across 10 states, the chemical was found in each sample. Vitamin E acetate is used as a thickening agent in THC-containing vape products.

Even so, officials recommend everyone avoid using e-cigarette products. After the second vaping-related death in New York last month, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement his office's position is clear: "if you don't know what you're smoking, don't smoke it."

Cuomo and health officials said vaping companies intentionally market their highly addictive products to youths through flavored products, such as mint, bubble gum and mango.

"This is Big Tobacco all over again," he said. "Make no mistake: this is a public health crisis and until our 'leaders' in Washington do something to stop it, more lives will be lost."

See also:

• Cuomo Cracks Down On Vaping Industry Amid Dozens Of Illnesses
• 2 LI Teens Hospitalized After Vaping THC Oil; 1 Put Into Coma
• Nassau Lawmakers Pass Ban On Most Flavored Vape Products
• Phony E-Cigarette, Vape Products Found Across Nassau County