Secondhand Smoke and Tobacco-Use Prevention

F for Tobacco Prevention

2012-01-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

According to the American Lung Association from CBS News, many states did not pass 2012 state reports on tobacco control policies. Although there has been a decline in youth and adult smoking rates, the declining rate is not continuous and has been stalled at times. To make matters worse, tobacco companies are even selling smoke-free dissolvable products that contain nicotine in some states to entice customers. The FDA is currently investigating these products and may take action soon.

UC's Tobacco Free

2012-01-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

The University of California will be implementing a ban on smoking and chewing of tobacco on all UC campuses by 2014. President Mark Yudof announced the ban to campus chancellors this week. According to the SFGate, the main goal is to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke. The sales of tobacco and advertisements for the products on campus will also be banned in buildings owned or rented by the University of California. Currently, 8 percent of UC students and 10 percent of employees smoke.

Hookah

2012-01-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

Despite what many may think, hookah also poses a major health hazard to users. Hookah is a type of water pipe filled with flavored tobacco. The tobacco is first heated up by charcoal and then cooled by water found at the base of the pipes. Individuals using hookah inhale the cooled tobacco fumes that contain carbon monoxide. According to health officials, carbon monoxide makes it more difficult for the body to take up oxygen for vital body functions. Individuals experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning may have flu-like symptoms such as nausea and fatigue. In extreme cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to coma or death.

Ban on Flavored Cigars

2011-12-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

There has been increasing concern over the use of flavored cigars to attract the youth towards tobacco as an alternative to cigarette smoking. They have the same negative effects of smoking cigarettes and cigars, but contain "candy-like flavoring." The main differences between cigars and cigarettes are the size and type of tobacco used to create the products. In response to the flavored cigars, senators Frank Lautenberg, Dick Durbin, Sherrod Brown, Jeff Merkley, and Richard Blumenthal asked the FDA to ban the sale of flavored cigars, given the FDA's ability to regulate the sale of tobacco from the Family Smoking prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009. The cigar industry has fired back against the senators' call for the ban saying it would "devastate local stores."

Smoking and Probiotics?

2011-12-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

In the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers discovered that the consumption of probiotics, microorganisms that provide health benefits to its hosts organism, help boost up the immune system of smokers by increasing NK activity. NK, natural killer cells, are lymphocytes that attack and kill harmful cells in the human body, i.e. tumor and virus cells. Although probiotics may assist in improving the immune system of smokers, this does not completely stop or reverse the negative effects of smoking. In fact, this research only emphasizes how much of a negative impact smoking has on the human body by demonstrating how susceptible smokers are to infections and diseases.

Smoking is the Biggest Risk Factor for Cancer

2011-12-08T13:46:00.001-08:00

In an epidemiological research study conducted on risk factors for cancer, Professor Parkin from the Centre for Cancer Prevention at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine in the UK discovered that smoking is the biggest risk factor for cancer, being a part of approximately 19% new cases for the year. Smoking was followed by diet at 9.2%; weight at 5.5%; and alcohol at 4%.

Menthol vs. "Regular" Cigarettes

2011-12-06T12:34:00.001-08:00

Although menthol cigarettes may reduce the irritation and harshness of tobacco smoke, menthol cigarettes still instigate and cause the same negative effects of smoking a regular cigarette. According to the Sacramento Bee, menthol cigarettes may be worse than regular cigarettes because they make it more likely for individuals to become addicted to smoking due to their cooling and anesthetic properties. In other words, there are no substitutes to smoking a "better" or less harmful cigarette.

It's Back On!!!

2011-11-30T14:42:00.001-08:00

In retaliation to U.S. District Judge Richard Leon's ruling that blocked the display of FDA-approved warning labels on tobacco products, the FDA will challenge the decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. According to Bloomberg, President Obama gave the FDA authority to regulate the sales of these products when President Obama signed the Family Smoking prevention and Tobacco Control Act in June 2009. Who do you think will win out in this ruling?

Indirect Benefit to Decreased Smoking

2011-11-29T10:30:00.001-08:00

Besides the negative physical effects that are associated with smoking tobacco, analysis of data from 1991 to 2007 shows that if individual states follow new CDC guidelines, states could save up to 14-20 times the cost of tobacco control programs. According to San Francisco State economists David R. Pieper and Sudip Chattopadhyay, many of these savings would come from medical and productivity costs.

FDA Sends 1,200 letters to tobacco retailers

2011-11-12T11:13:00.000-08:00

Since last week's unfortunate event, when the tobacco company won the injunction set by the FDA to place warning labels on their products, the FDA fought back by reminding tobacco retailers about the consequences of selling tobacco to minors and holding other illegal tobacco-related activities and sent out 1,200 warning letters. This was especially targeted at stores that did not pass the FDA inspection on tobacco-related sales and activities. More information about the topic can be located here:

http://www.iewy.com/36368-fda-acts-to-protect-children-from-illegal-tobacco-sales-2.html

Some of the Negative Effects of Smoking

2011-11-07T16:41:00.000-08:00

Think smoking has no ramifications? Think again. Take a look at the FDA warning labels.

$600M on Anti-smoking Campaigns

2011-11-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

The FDA plans to spend $600M on anti-smoking campaigns. According to SFGate, declining smoking rates have stalled in recent years. In order to resume the reduction in smoking, FDA plans to launch a campaign targeting 13-17 year-olds, young adults, and other figures that influence adolescents and teenagers as smoking typically begins adolescence/teen years. Approximately 3,450 kids in the U.S. try their first cigarette every day while 850 kids become daily smokers, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the SFGate. Only time will tell if this campaign is successful.

ACT-UP Food Fair at Hiram Johnson High School

2011-09-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

At Hiram Johnson High School, swarms of people made their way to the ACT-UP stand for pizza and banana bread to raise money for the Johnson Generation Club.

Many people stopped by the ACT-UP stand for pizza and banana bread.

ACT-UP at Hiram Johnson High School

Johnson Generation Club

Food galore

However, most of it was quickly consumed by the school population.

Hiram Johnson High School ACT-UP Kickoff

2011-09-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

ACT-UP finally came to Hiram Johnson High School this school year. Here are a few photos of the wonderful new members that we have at Johnson!

Family Fun Fair

2011-09-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Prairie Elementary School celebrated families with the Family Fun Fair and invited ACT-UP to the event. There were numerous games, face painting and wheel turning fun at the event. Thanks again to the youth volunteers for participating in the festivities!

Having fun with the kids.

Posing pretty with the frog.


Some of ACT-UP's great handiwork

What a ghoulish fiend!

The wonderful ACT-UP members that helped make this event a success!

Adventure Day at Southgate Plaza

2011-07-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Southgate Plaza in South Sacramento put on a family event to promote the shopping center and they invited ACT-UP to be a part of it. Southgate Plaza also adopted a smoke-free policy as a part of the Adventure Day event. Thanks to all of our youth volunteers for attending and helping out in the humid and hot weather that day.

Filipino Fiesta

2011-07-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

On a rather interesting June day, ACT-UP along with our youth volunteers attended the annual Filipino Fiesta at the Jose Rizal Community Center in Sacramento. After an hour of chaos, we finally settled in and set up our booth. The Filipino Fiesta also adopted a smoke-free policy that day.

Smoke-free policy at Buddha Day Celebration

2011-07-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

ACT-UP and our youth volunteers attended Buddha Day Celebration at Kim Quang Temple in the Arden-Arcade area on 5/29/11. Buddha Day Celebration marked the 2600th year of Buddhism. ACT-UP was invited to be a part of the festival that took place at Kim Quang Temple where the planning committee adopted a smoke-free policy.

Youth Film Premiere

2011-05-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

The public service announcements that our students at JKF, West Campus, and Luther Burbank created were premiered at the Crest Theater on May 25th. Congratulations to the students at West Campus for winning 1st place!!! Second place went to the Luther Burbank Students. Third place went to JFK! Special awards for creativity went to two individual entries from Luther Burbank. A special thank you to MONSTERZ Inc. dance crew for performing at the premiere.

Pacific Rim Festival

2011-05-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

Our awesome volunteers helped us with our public outreach event at the annual Pacific Rim Festival on May 22. The event would not have been as successful without our volunteers! Thank you so much for all of your help! We even got on TV!

Passport to Summer!

2011-05-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

On a rather atypical day for May (weather-wise), our volunteers along with ACT-UP attended the Passport to Summer event sponsored by Senator Darrell Steinberg, Assembly-member Roger Dickinson, and Council-member Rob Fong at Southside Park.

Kid's Day in the Park

2011-05-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

As an effort to reach out to the community in Rancho Cordova about our program and cause; we attended the Kid's Day in the Park on April 30th. It was filled with lots of fun and laughter. Thanks to the West Campus students who came out and volunteered with us.

4/4/11 Youth Quest at the Crest Theater

2011-04-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since the blog has been updated. Currently, our high school youths are working on the public service announcements for the Youth Film Premiere next month. In the meantime, a few of our youths from Luther Burbank High School attended Youth Quest and had a blast. Every year, CYAN puts together Youth Quest Day at the State Capitol as a day to educate the youths and legislators about the latest news in tobacco. Next year, we are hoping to take more youths to Youth Quest since it is a valuable experience for them.

Through With Chew Week

2011-02-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

As part of the effort in raising awareness about chewing tobacco, Act-Up set up a table at West Campus High School where we had a really good turn out of students. The students participated in a little contest that we had going on about chewing tobacco and other hazards of smoking. They won some t-shirts as prizes.

2/12/11 The Power of KNOW

2011-02-28T10:51:00.000-08:00

Act-Up along with the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center as well as other youth in the Sacramento City Unified School District came together to attend The Power of Know Conference where issues of domestic violence and prevention were discussed.

Chinese New Year Celebration at Sacramento State

2011-02-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

On 2/12/11, Act-Up and our youth attended the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration at Sac State where we were able to meet very cool members of the community as well as take part in the celebration.

Vietnamese Tet Festival

2011-02-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

Volunteers from West Campus and Luther Burbank HS

Surveying the other vendors at the event about their opinions on smoking.

More awesome volunteers from West Campus.

Keeping the fort busy!

Having some fun with face painting!

Thanks guys for coming out to volunteer and having so much fun with us!

Sunday's volunteers from Luther Burbank HS

On the weekend of Jan 29-30, ACT-UP along with our youth volunteers attended the Vietnamese Tet Festival on Stockton Blvd. We had a lot of fun talking to the people at the event despite the rain and cold. Thanks to all of our volunteers for enduring the terrible weather with us.

Luther Burbank Health Fair

2010-12-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

Recently, we attended a health fair titled Healthy-wood at Luther Burbank High School in South Sacramento. There were about 100 students who attended the health fair and they all came over to talk to us about tobacco control. About 15 of the youths who participated in our Midwest Academy Strategy meeting on 12/4/10 were at the health fair and we were glad to see them again.

Midwest Academy Strategy Conference

2010-12-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

On 12/4/2010, ACT-UP along with Project SOL put together a Midwest Academy Strategy Conference at Strikes Bowling Alley in Elk Grove. We are extremely delighted that many youths participated and attended the meeting. We had a great and productive meeting and the youths made new friends whom they'll hopefully be working with again in the future with us. These are some pictures from the event.

Postcard Contest Winner!

2010-11-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

We'd like to announce the winner for the ACT-UP 2010 Postcard Contest! Congratulation to Ricardo Meza from Hiram Johnson High School for winning the prize! Thanks for all the help and encouragements from Mr. Diaz from HJHS for helping us reach out to the students about this opportunity. Also, thanks to all the participants who have turned in their entries.

11/18/10 Great American Smoke-Out

2010-11-22T12:06:00.000-08:00

11/18/10 was the National Great American Smoke-Out. ACT-UP partnered with Dr. Elisa Tong at UCDMC to celebrate this day as the nation takes up the effort to quit smoking for 24 hours. We came out to UCDMC and talked to many staff members and patients who have smoked in the past or they are trying to quit. We hope that the people whom we have talked to will utilize the information that were given to them and things will come to a fruitful ending.

Midwest Academy Strategy Conference

2010-11-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

On 11/16/10, ACT-UP along with the SOL Project and community members met up for a conference concerning secondhand smoke in outdoor non-recreational areas such as sidewalks, plazas, college campuses, farmers' markets, and outdoor dinning areas. ACT-UP and the SOL Project presented our goals and objectives and along with the community members we were able to brainstorm and came up with many useful strategies to benefit our projects even more.

Sac Cultural Hub-Exceptional Women of Color

2010-11-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

Sac Chinese Community Service Center was a sponsor of the 3rd annual Exceptional Women of Color Conference in Sacramento. There were a lot of beautiful and smart women who attended the conference which provided a lot of networking opportunity with other people and agencies. There were informative workshops for us as well as community services booths. ACT-UP was one of the attendees that was there to educate the public about anti-tobacco and secondhand smoke.

Red Ribbon Week

2010-11-10T17:22:00.000-08:00

In the last week of October, we celebrated Red Ribbon Week as a commemoration of Officer Enrique Camanera who had given up his life while fighting against the drug lords in Mexico. Officer Camanera had been a part of the Drug Enforcement Agency and he was sent as an undercover agent to Mexico where his efforts led to a successful operation of discovering a multi-million dollar drug manufacturing facility. However, the drug lords were not happy about this and they sought revenge which led to the brutal murder of Officer Camanera and his partner. Since 1985, we've been celebrating Red Ribbon Week to honor Officer Camanera as well as the other men and women who have fought and given their lives to keep drugs and alcohol off our streets and communities. As a part of this effort, ACT-UP came to different schools within the Sacramento County Unified School District and gave mini-presentations to students ranging K-12.

Capitol Family Fun Day

2010-11-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Despite the pouring rain and cold weather, on 10/24/10, ACT-UP was out on the Capitol Steps to support Capitol Family Fun Day put together by the UC Davis Children's Hospital. There was a pretty good turn out even when the weather was not with us. We had our fun and we enjoyed talking to the people who showed up for fun in the rain day!

Fall Fun Festival

2010-10-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

Despite the pouring rain, we came out to support a local partner, River Oak, with their community event for the kids and parents in the spirit of Halloween.

McClatchy High School Health Fair

2010-10-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

After Lights On After School, we participated in McClatchy High School's Health Fair and talked to the local high school students and parents.

Lights on After School

2010-10-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

Lights on After School celebration on 10/21/10 at the Capitol Steps was a success! We had a ton of fun and we got to see very talented performances.

La Familia Health Fair at Maple Elementary

2010-10-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

La Familia hosted a community health fair event at Maple Elementary School on 10/20/2010 in the South Sacramento Area for the benefit of the children and the parents of the community.

South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders' PSA Funding

2010-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

We'd like to take a moment to express our thanks to the South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders for supporting ACT-UP's goal of having our anti-tobacco public service announcement placed in a local movie theater by helping us with the funding. Thanks to Emily and the coalition for thinking of us. :)

10/2/10 Oak Park Medical Complex Celebration

2010-10-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday 10/2/10, ACT-UP attended the 2nd annual celebration at the Oak Park Medical Complex on Martin Luther King Blvd. There was a relatively decent amount of people who turned out despite the warm and humid weather for October. Regardless, there was good entertainment and fun friends who were there with us. Follow us on our next trip to the Capitol Steps later this month. :)

UC Davis Going Smoke-Free Part 2

2010-09-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

UC Davis was the first to make the campus a smoke-free place and then Mercy-Sutter Hospital in Sacramento followed suit. This is a great step towards the cause of making non-recreational outdoor areas a smoke-free area. To commemorate this event, ACT-Up was there to show support at UC Davis.

Musical Take on Big Tobacco Companies

2010-09-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Building Healthy Communities

2010-09-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

On 9/23/10, ACT-Up was invited to a health fair put on by the California Endowment. It was a small cozy event and we had a nice surprise as well. Francisco Garcia came out to sign autographs for the little kids and the community. We got a few pics with him too!

Chinatown Cultural Festival 9/19/10

2010-09-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

On 9/19/10, ACT-Up attended the Cultural Festival in Chinatown as part of our outreach to the Asian community in Sacramento. There was a lot of amazing performances and there were a lot of people coming out to the festival despite the not-so-ideal weather.

Our awesome table as always.

A devoted father making time to teach his son about lung cancer using our infamous rubber lung.

Just one of the few fun performances at the festival.

Dr. Elisa Tong and her kids. It was a nice surprise to brighten up the day from the rain.

Dr. Tong and her cute boys.

There was a really good turn out despite the weather.

A musical take on China's national sport: Ping Pong.

The cutest little performers.

Quirky Take on Anti-Tobacco

2010-09-21T09:59:00.001-07:00

Prairie Elementary School Family Fun Day

2010-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd event of the year was at Family Fun Day in Elk Grove at Prairie Elementary School. There were a few community partners there to inform the public about their different services. As usual, the kids were surprised by our fake rubber lung and were interested in it.

As always, our awesome table set up!

He was very excited about getting our anti-tobacco skateboard.

They were very curious about seeing the smoker's teeth display.

People are signing our petition to support smoke-free outdoor non-recreational areas.

Signing our petitions and filling out those surveys!

Even the elders came out to see and support us :) .

I like the attentive look on the little girl as Melissa explained what smoking does to your body.

We're never too old for giant stuffed animals!

Kids always flock over to our table one by one to see the cool displays.

Celebrate Natomas 9/11/10

2010-09-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

We kicked off our year with our very first event in South Natomas at the Celebrate Natomas event on 9/11/10. It was our first time being a part of this event and we had a really good turn out. We got to meet new people and we were able to let the community in Natomas know about our program and the work we do. Hopefully, next year we'll be a part of this event again. Further updates to come as we attend more events, so come out and support us! Our next event we'll be at will be at Prairie Elementary on Saturday morning on the 9/18. Below are some of the pictures at Celebrate Natomas.

Kicking off our new year with a big event and our brand new banner!

Proudly wearing our stickers to support anti-tobacco.

Filling out the surveys.

Giant stuffed pizza!

UC Davis Going Smoke-Free

2010-09-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

It's official! UC Davis is a smoke-free campus!

Awesome Scrubs.

UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento have recently passed a policy that made their entire campus into a SMOKE-FREE facility. It was great news for us mainly because UC Davis is a big part of the community with the Sacramento Area and with them taking this initiative in recognizing the importance of anti-tobacco and public health.

Youth Summit-Smoking Out Tobacco

2010-09-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

This summer, ACT-UP along with Breathe of Sacramento went to camp with 35 youths at Camp Tuolumne Trails near Yosemite. During a short 3-day camp, the youths did fun activities such as balloon stomping as an icebreaker in order for them to get used to their surroundings and their peers. Aside from that, the true purpose of the camp was to teach the youths the ways that big tobacco companies are targeting in specific ways. The youths worked on a 2 day long project called "Community Norm Change" aka "CNC." We had a lot of fun and the youths learned valuable skills that they can take with them back to their own schools and communities.

Westfield Mall-Downtown Plaza Going Smoke-Free

2010-08-06T15:05:00.000-07:00

On June 17th, 2010 the Downtown Plaza Mall located in the heart of downtown Sacramento adopted a no smoking policy. Our Tobacco Control Program along with Breathe of Sacramento County came together and celebrated this event. It's one of the first steps to bringing Sacramento towards the path of going smoke-free in non-recreational public places. We celebrated this special occasion by giving out free bags with information about cigarette cessation help along with other goodies such as pens, hand sanitizers, and brochures. During the several hours that we were there, many people stopped by and acknowledged us for our work. They were also very supportive of the policy enforced at the mall to put a stop to the careless smoking from other smokers. We hope that the mall security will uphold the policy so that the shoppers along with the general public that pass through the mall can enjoy a great time there without having to inhale the unwanted toxic fumes from the cigarettes.

Indonesian Baby Is Addicted to Smoking

2010-07-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Health Crisis in China Due to Tobacco

2010-06-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

China has more smokers than the US has in our own population. Which means over 350 million people in China smoke each day. Currently, approximately 1 million people die in China each year due to tobacco related illnesses. However, China's tobacco control programs are limited in resources to educate the public about the harmful side effects of smoking. To make it even harder for the public to understand how health damaging smoking is to their well-being is the monopolization of the tobacco industry by the Chinese government. This rather shows that the government is more interested in making money than the health of their citizens. Also, growing tobacco in China is taking up valuable farm land that can be used to grow other food items for the poor and starving rural population. The following is the cover story done by Ray Suarez about this issue.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june10/tobacco_05-31.html

Smoking in the Movies Editorial

2010-06-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

After hearing all the hype from my friends, I recently went to see Avatar with high hopes for the 3D experience and futuristic storyline. While the visual effects were entertaining, I was disappointed in the poor example that Sigourney Weaver's character, Dr. Augustine, sets for youth.

Dr. Augustine had the potential to be a role model for young women and teens, but blemishes this image when she smokes a cigarette. Although some of her actions were controversial, Dr. Augustine was portrayed as an independent, strong, and intelligent woman who fought against authority for her values. Instead of empowering young women, her character's choice to smoke contributed to the spread of tobacco related illness and death.

Many people underestimate the influence that smoking in the movies has on youth attitudes towards tobacco. Studies have shown that on-screen smoking is the primary influence on half of all kids who start smoking. This amounts to 390,000 U.S. teens per year that will begin smoking as a result of exposure to tobacco usage in movies. It is concerning to see one of the most profitable youth-rated movies ever produced promote smoking when tobacco is still the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S.

I hope that the money I spent to see Avatar does not contribute to funding new movies containing tobacco industry marketing and causing subsequent public health problems. I encourage Hollywood to consider its influence on youth and envision a healthier future in upcoming films.

Starbucks Snuff Outdoor Smoking

2010-06-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

For those who are a fan of caffeine and of Starbucks, in the latest news concerning anti-smoking and creating a better environment for California. Starting Monday (June 7, 2010), the mega-giant coffee chain is banning smoking in their outdoors patio area. This is another step towards achieving the goal of having cleaner breathing air in California!

Online Article-Starbucks Snuffing Outdoor Smoking

Pacific Rim Festival in Old Sacramento

2010-06-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

These are some of the pictures of us at the Pacific Rim Festival in Old Sacramento in May. Our youth group came out and helped us gather signatures and surveys. Thanks guys! Kids and families were very keen about our display of a rubber tarred lung and they loved stickers! We gave out all of our anti-tobacco and smoking green dinosaur stickers that day.

Smoking Toddler in Jakarta, Indonesia

2010-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Smoking is not only seen in teenagers and adults but now it has escalated to children! A toddler of just 2 years old is addicted to smoking! This toddler is a victim of his environment in which the people around him smoke vigorously. Secondhand smoke not only is dangerous to other people but from the example of this baby, the habit of smoking seems to be spreading just as badly.

Toddler Smoker in Indonesia

Movie Editorials Cont.

2010-06-01T12:43:00.001-07:00

This is another editorial written by one of our youths about smoking in movies.

Movie Editorial #3

You see your favorite actor smoking; you think it's cool don't you? If you did, then you thought wrong! Smoking may seem cool in the movies but let me tell you the truth. Tobacco companies spend more than $11.22 billion in marketing their products each year. Every teenager that is a non-smoker tends to smoke after watching their favorite stars smoke in movies. 390,000 kids are nearly enough to replace every adult smoker killed by tobacco each year. Smoking in G, PG, or PG-13 rated movies should be put into RATED R because young people in the US watch an average of three movies a week which adds up to 15 exposures to smoking a week. Smoking in movies influences teenagers more than the real life. Now, you see what I'm trying to point out here? Smoking in movies just seems cool because you don't see that yellow teeth, bad skin, ugly hair, or premature wrinkles on their face. But smoking in real life isn't like how it is in movies. You don't have lights to cover your appearance. You don't have make-up artists and hair stylists to do your make-up and hair.

If there is a smoking scene in a movie, it would be rated R so kids are not badly influenced!

Editorials about Smoking in the Movies

2010-06-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Movie Editorial #1

Did you know that you are 16 more times to use tobacco when the media displays a superstar using tobacco?

In fact, the tobacco companies pay billions of dollars for film producers to include their advertisements or for actors and actresses to use tobacco. The tobacco companies’ goals are to recruit new smokers. Their main targets are the youth because they will be life long customers. By having tobacco use in the media, it affects our community thinking. Youth believe that using tobacco is cool, stress relieving, and perfectly normal. However, tobacco use does the opposite by harming your health, social life, and future. Instead of relieving stress, tobacco actually weakens your body in fighting or handling day to day stressors.

Tobacco in the media is a big problem that needs to be stopped.

Movie Editorial #2

Smoking in the media shows that kids should smoke because they have seen actors doing it. The kids look up to the actors like role models and want to be like them. When they see smoking in the movie, it encourages most kids to smoke.

Marlboro states that they don’t encourage kids to smoke but in the movie “Superman,” it shows him jumping out of the Marlboro box sign. In many cartoons and movies, there are clips of characters smoking.

I think the big tobacco companies are lying to us. They would love to see young smokers because they are lifetime customers. I want more laws against smoking in youth rated movies. I think this would help bring down the statistics of young smokers.

2010 Editorials about the Side Effects of Tobacco

2010-05-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

These editorials were written by the youths at the local high schools in Sacramento. These are their take as well as anecdotes on the harm of secondhand smoke.

Editorial #1

Have you ever stood on the side walk and smelled something funny? What smell is this, is someone smoking right next to you? It’s SECONDHAND SMOKE!!!!! This happens everywhere. It is what happened to me when I was little.

Secondhand smoke is bad for you. It’s not good for you because the air is not clear. The person next to you is giving you secondhand smoke. How is this bad? Did you know breathing secondhand smoke damages your heart and lungs, which increases the risk of heart disease by 25 to 30 percent?

When I was about 8 years old my dad, grandmas, and grand dad smoked. When I was outside my dad would smoke. Then when I was at my grandparents’ house they would smoke in the house. Smoking was already in my life, the smell didn’t get to me. I liked the smell.

Because of that, I grew up smoking myself, but it changed my life badly. I wanted to play sports, but I couldn’t really breathe. I felt like my stomach was on fire and I couldn’t catch my breath. I thought about not listening to my mom and some people would talk to me about smoking but I didn’t listen because I was hardheaded. It took me a while to get my lungs back. Then I felt like smoking again. I couldn’t stop smoking.

Now I don’t think about smoking cause smoking is not an option when you’re at my age. That is how secondhand smoke got to me. Don’t let it get to you.

Editorial #2

Timmy took his last breath November 18, 2008, two weeks after his birth. Cause of death? Two months premature as a result of secondhand smoke. Over 60 percent of children in the

are exposed to secondhand smoke. It killed me more to see his sad little face than the secondhand smoke his mother and I breathed in daily. His mom never once thought daddy’s cigarette was going to affect her baby but she learned the hard way. Those two weeks of antagonizing pain from slowly watching her child die changed her. She has never been the same; always mad, sad, or drunk. Secondhand smoke ruined her life and it could ruin yours.

True story? Yes. Real pain and real deaths? Yes. I despise those that caused little Timmy and countless other babies their lives. I promise myself not to pick up a cigarette and I hope you don’t either.

Editorial #3
My daughter was a victim of secondhand smoke. She was one years old. Her grandmother smoked around her twenty-four hours a day, everyday. It finally caught up with her because she now has bronchitis as a result of the secondhand smoke. It hurts me to see her in pain and to know that our family did it to her without even knowing. People need to have more awareness about the parents’ roles in their children’s life when if comes to secondhand smoke. Almost 60 percent of

U.S.

children are exposed to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke also causes chronic coughing and wheezing in children.

Please be more sensitive to the fragile lungs of children. I don’t want anyone else to be in my situation.

Editorial #4

Secondhand smoke is very dangerous for many reasons. One of the many reasons is the exposure to infants and children. Infants and children who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a very high risk of getting

pneumonia and bronchitis.

Breathing secondhand smoke while being pregnant can cause a baby to be born prematurely and raise the risk of health problems. If children and infants are exposed to secondhand smoke, they can die because their bodies are

still developing and growing. Sixty percent of children in the US are exposed to secondhand smoke.

Studies show that 45,000 people die of heart disease annually and secondhand smoke plays a huge part of it. Secondhand smoke can be very easily stopped. There should be signs telling smokers to not smoke in public places such as pools and shopping centers. Fines should also be places on smokers who do not follow theses rules.

No Colorful Cigarette Ads in Australia

2010-04-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

The American Public Media Marketplace published an article on April 29th about potential new marketing restrictions on cigarettes in Australia:

New legislation in Australia would forbid tobacco companies from using colorful images and logos to sell cigarettes. The bill would be the boldest crackdown on cigarette advertising worldwide. The BBC's Sarah Gerathy reports.

An open pack of Marlboro Lights lays by a lit cigarette in an ash tray. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

More on International, Health, Marketing - Advertising

TEXT OF STORY

Stacey Vanek-Smith: What's black and white and covered with health warnings? Cigarettes -- that is, if the Australian government has its way. It's introduced legislation that would ban colorful images and logos from cigarette packs. For Marketplace, the BBC's Sarah Gerathy reports from Sydney.

Sarah Gerathy: Pick up a pack of cigarettes in Australia and you'll be faced with graphic photos of mouth cancer and rotting teeth. What could be more grotesque than that? Well, if you're a tobacco company, maybe a simple, boring white pack.

The plan is to make smoking even less attractive, especially to young people. Professor Simon Chapman is advising the government on how to do it:

Simon Chapman: It removes completely the ability of the tobacco industry to effectively say anything about its brands other than the name of the brand.

The U.S. limits advertising with packs carrying a small warning that smoking may kill you. But Australia's will be the boldest cigarette advertising crackdown by any country. And the companies are already threatening legal action.

Tim Wilson's from the Australian think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs:

Tim Wilson: The tobacco companies may be able to sue the government for the compensation for the lose of their trademarks and may seek compensation of up to $3 billion per annum.

If the Australian government succeeds in court, other countries could follow suit.

In Sydney, I'm the BBC's Sarah Gerathy for Marketplace.

Vietnamese Tet Festival

2010-02-23T13:31:00.001-08:00

On February 13th and 14th youth volunteers and the ACT-UP coalition attended the Vietnamese Tet Festival held in Sacramento. The Festival offered an opportunity for the local community to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year with games, food, information booths, and cultural performances. The youth surveyed about 100 people on their opinions about smoke-free policies in public outdoor areas. There were also booths for APCC and the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center to educate the public about health and smoking.

White Socks Pitcher vs. Chew

2009-07-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

John Danks is trying to quite chew because it might be leading to health problems. The White Socks pitcher has been suffering from a finger problem, which might be complicated by his use of tobacco. The Chicago Tribune reports that Dank's "blister problems developed into circulatory problems that caused him to miss a start Wednesday and undergo extensive tests".

Pentagon Targets Tobacco Use

2009-07-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Pentagon is considering a ban on tobacco in the military. According to USA Today, 32% of soldiers smoke, which affects their physical performance. This is one of the highest use rates in America. In addition, it costs the military "$846 million a year" to treat tobacco-related illness.

Sacramento's Money Goes Up in Smoke

2009-07-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

This is a real shocker and concern - the Sacramento News and Review recently reported that in May the City of Sacramento bought 10,000 shares of Altria, the company formally known as Phillip Morris. Altria ranks near the bottom of 541 companies rated by Covalence for their ethical behavior. Covalence ranks each company through "a reputation index based on quantifying qualitative data, which is classified according to 45 criteria such as Labour standards, Waste management, Product social utility or Human rights policy. It is a barometer of how multinationals are perceived in the ethical field".

FDA to Regulate Tobacco

2009-06-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

On June 22nd, President Obama signed a bill into law that will allow the FDA to regulate the content, flavor and advertisement of cigarettes. Passing with overwhelming bipartisan support, the tobacco regulation bill is a huge victory for health advocates looking to decrease the use of cigarettes, which is still the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.

Less Scene Smoking

2009-06-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Does tobacco-use in popular media have a negative impact on youth? CNN Health recently posted a well-researched article about the relationship between smoking among youth and smoking on screen.

Youth Summit 2009 - July 22nd - 24th

2009-06-02T15:35:00.001-07:00

Free Youth Summit Organized by the Center and BREATHE

What is YOUTH SUMMIT? - Youth Summit is a free three day fun filled event at Valley of the Moon Camp in Sonoma County, California, July 22^nd to 24^th. The purpose of Youth Summit is to prepare students to participate in tobacco-free campaigns, in their schools and communities. There will be exciting workshops in the daytime and fun activities at night! Students will have fun, learn skills, and become positive active members in our community. The Youth Summit is sponsored by Breathe California – Sacramento Emigrant Trails, Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center, and funded by the Sacramento County Health & Human Services Department and Sacramento County Tobacco Litigation Settlement Funds.

Click here for more information and application!

Australia Gets to the Point in Anti-Tobacco Ads

2009-06-02T11:04:00.001-07:00

World No Tobacco Day - May 31

2009-06-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday was World no Tobacco Day. In the world-wide effort, The World Health Organization is recommending stronger labeling and placing graphic images on the packaging of cigarettes. The WHO claim that graphic images and clear labels educate consumers and decrease smoking rates.

India recently joined 20 other countries such as Australia by implementing a policy to place graphic images and warnings on their cigarette packages. Realizing the cost in human lives and health care expenditures, India has been making strong advances in tobacco control in the last couple of years. They currently have a policy for smoke-free public places, bars and restaurants.

World Health Organization Recomends R Rating for Movies Containing Tobacco Use

2009-06-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

CYAN Reports - This morning the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report recommending that all future movies with smoking scenes be given an adult rating. The report also recommends that movie studios should:

certify that they received no payoffs from tobacco companies to display tobacco products or their use
stop displaying tobacco brands onscreen
require strong anti-tobacco advertisements before all movies that have tobacco imagery

This report is another great resource for you and your Smoke Free Movies campaign. To download the full copy of the WHO’s report, please visit: http://www.who.int/tobacco/smoke_free_movies/en/index.html

Anti-Tobacco Public Service Announcement Winners - Sacramento

2009-05-18T10:25:00.001-07:00

Thank you to all who came, participated, volunteered and sponsored Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center's first Youth Premiere and Anti-Tobacco Film Contest. The evening was a success.

3rd Place - Two Way Tie

Asian Pacific Community Counseling - Tobacco in the Movies

George Washington Carver High School - No Butts!

2nd Place - Two Way Tie

Asian Pacific Community Counseling - Where U At?

Hiram Johnson High School - Tobacco and Hollywood

First Place

Natomas Charter School - Second Chance

FDA Commisioner Supports Tobacco Regulation

2009-05-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

In a recent article in AMNews, the new Food and Drug commissioner picked by President Obama is in favor of the agency regulating tobacco. Dr. Hamburg is quoted as saying "This is a critical moment, I think, to take a more aggressive look at how we regulate tobacco products...I think the FDA is the appropriate agency to regulate tobacco." Dr. Hamburg is the former New York City health inspector, a state with strong history of tobacco control.

Extra! Extra! Youth Film Premiere Makes Headlines.

2009-05-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

The hard work is paying off. The Sacramento Press featured us in their culture section. This year's Youth Film Premiere is going to be fantastic. We'd like to thank all the participants, volunteers, support and sponsors. Positive press will help strengthen our message.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

2009-05-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

Thank You to Our Sponsors! The Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center will hold its first Youth Film Premiere in collaboration with California Voices this May 14, 2009 from 5-8:30 at the Crest Theatre, Sacramento. Hundreds of youth from more than 14 schools will be featuring their youth-produced videos about issues in their lives and communities. The event will also include an anti-tobacco public service announcement contest. The event is FREE and will include free beverages and snacks. For more info, visit www.sccsc.org.

Congress Looking at Candy-Flavored Smokeless Tobacco

2009-05-04T10:28:00.001-07:00

Take a look at this article about a new product being test-marketed in Ohio. The product is called Orbs, which is a smokeless tobacco product that has a sweet flavor, looks like breath mints, and is full of nicotine.

Doggies Love Fresh Air Too!

2009-04-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

Did you know that secondhand smoke is bad for pets too? Outdoor or indoor secondhand smoke is toxic for all your companions. The truth is that the litter from tobacco products is toxic too: butts contain toxic chemicals and the packaging can harm your pet's digestive systems. Be mindful to protect your curious pet from the dangers of tobacco.

Anti-Tobacco PSA Contest

2009-04-22T10:52:00.001-07:00

LOCAL TEENS TO PREMIERE VIDEO SERIES DOCUMENTING UNSUNG HEROES AND COMMUNITY CHALLENGES

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Teens from 16 middle and high schools in Sacramento have spent the past school year creating a series of short films preserving the stories of community leaders and identifying issues in their community. On May 14^th, the public is invited to a free screening of this video series, part of the California Voices initiative, at the Crest Theater in Sacramento, where 100 student representatives from participating schools will present a collection of these stories to the public:

California Voices Youth Film Premiere

Thursday, May 14, 6:00 PM

Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento, CA

The evening event will feature an award ceremony for youth-focused Anti-Tobacco Public Service Announcements (PSAs). Participants could win up to $1,000 in gift certificate prizes and see their top submission played before feature films at a local Sacramento movie theater.

California Voices is designed to mobilize young people to have a greater share of voice in the digital era, while preserving the legacy of elders who have made significant contributions to culture, community, and country. This initiative has provided an opportunity for educators and students throughout the greater Sacramento metropolitan area to come together in documenting the preservation of our local heritage, as well as identifying issues and solutions that affect student’s lives. Featured stories include:

Bong Vong Nguyen was born and raised in Saigon, South Vietnam and served in the South Vietnamese Army. Mr. Nguyen shares his story of being wounded and held captive in the jungle in a North Vietnamese communist re-education camp.

Manny Hernandez’s parents emigrated from Mexico when he was very young so they could give their children an opportunity to receive a better education. After witnessing the deplorable conditions of his own children’s schools, Manny knew it was time to dedicate his life to education and service.

Youth Voice documentaries exploring bullying, tobacco use, neighborhood safety, and the high school dropout rate through the creative lens of our students.

The public is invited to attend this free event, co-hosted by the Center for Multicultural Cooperation and the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center.

Extinguish the Silence

2009-04-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

In a recent article by the American Legacy Foundation, national surveys suggest that doctors are not communicating about the dangers of tobacco use and the availability of cessation services with their patients who smoke. As a result, doctors are missing opportunities to support patients and prevent chronic illness. If you want to quit, California offers cessation services: 1-800-NO-BUTTS

Ad Wars!

2009-04-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Have tobacco control adds gone too far? Are the tobacco control folks trying to deceive and manipulate the public with anti-tobacco ads? Check out these two gems put out by the tobacco industry in the past. Who is showing tobacco for what it really is?

Federal Tobacco Tax Increase

2009-03-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday a federal tobacco tax increase went into effect, upping the tax to $1.01 per pack of cigarettes. Experts point out that increases in tobacco taxes usually result in a decrease in tobacco use. With the economy in a recession, many states, such as Nevada, are looking at increasing state taxes on tobacco products to back fill the void left from the loss of revenue. There are many reasons to impose a tobacco tax. California's Congress is currently moving on bill SB 600, a state increase on tobacco taxes that not only generates revenue for the state but also revamps one of the most effective tobacco control efforts in the world. AB 600 earmarks a percentage of the tobacco tax revenue for California's comprehensive tobacco control programs. We know that every $1 spent on prevention and control saves $3 dollars in health care costs.

E-Smokes = Dangerous?

2009-03-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

Check out this article in the San Jose Mercury News! Some questions to consider: Do you think E-Cigarettes are deadly? Should they be regulated? Do they cause chronic disease?

A New Partner and Sponsorship of the Youth Film Premiere

2009-03-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

Thank You SSCFL! With their commitment to building healthy communities by increasing citizen participation and grass-roots collaboration in mind, the South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders (SSCFL) is partnering with ACT-UP and California Voices to help Roll Out the Red Carpet. So who is SSCFL? The SSCFL is oversee and staffed by the Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA). In their words:

The Community

The area of South Sacramento served by this coalition is bounded by Highway 50 to the north, Elder Creek Road to the south, Highway 99 to the west and Power Inn Road to the east. With a population of approximately 73,000, this is one of the most ethnically diverse and economically challenged areas in Sacramento County.

The Coalition

The South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders (SSCFL) strives to create a community where youth are valued and are given the opportunity to grow, be safe and realize their full potential.

We envision a community where youth are able to not only create a positive vision for their future, but also to be actively engaged as leaders in their community. We believe the entire community, working together, can have a major lasting impact on the youth in our community.

As a broad-based neighborhood coalition, our mission is to affect the lives of young people by creating a network of assets and resources, promoting a positive image of youth, and garnering political power to influence broad, sustainable youth development policies.

The SSCFL is made up of youth, parents, educators, service providers, local government, businesses, churches and community leaders. We have worked together through the years, but in spring 2006 we formally joined forces as a REACH Community Action coalition.

The coalition is overseen and organized by the Sacramento Mutual Housing Association, which operates two affordable housing communities in the Lemon Hill neighborhood of South Sacramento.

New Partner - American River Parkway Half Marathon

2009-03-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

In the interest of protecting public health and the environment, Sac Fit has become a new partner and adopted a smoke-free policy for all their outdoor fitness events! This year the American River Parkway Half Marathon will be smoke-free. Here are three reasons why smoke-free outdoor events are good policy:

There is no safe level of secondhand smoke.
Cigarette butts and packaging are the number one source of litter. In addition, discarded butts contain deadly chemicals harmful to animals, plants and waterways.
Lit cigarettes are a major cause of fires. In 2008, more than 1,000 fires were caused by a discarded tobacco product. Moreover, the 2001 Viejas fire in San Diego which burned 2,300 acres and 16 building was caused by a lit cigarette.

Do your body and mind a favor: Join more than 2500 participants for the May 2, 2009 half marathon on the scenic American River Parkway trail.

Thank You Fleet Feet!

2009-03-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

We would like to thank everyone from Fleet Feet for sponsoring healthy, smoke-free events. Because of your commitment to the city's health, the community is a safer and healthier place to live! We received a lot of support from the community and made new connections with other health oriented events at the event. Thank You!

FDA Closer to Regulating Tobacco

2009-03-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Legislation granting the regulation of tobacco by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. If the new bill passes the House and Senate, it will allow the FDA to regulate tobacco advertising and monitor the ingredients in tobacco products. Opponents of the legislation argue that the FDA cannot handle their current responsibilities, citing the recent salmonella outbreaks. They also argue that the law is unecessary because tobacco companies already self-regulate their advertising techniques. But let's be clear: the issue is not the inadequacies of the FDA. The issue is that tobacco products are the number one cause of preventable disease and death.

Tobacco-Use Amplifies Chronic Disease Rate in Asia

2009-03-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

According to an article in the Daily Times of Pakistan, tobacco-use is increasing the epidemic of diseases such as tuberculosis and lung cancer in Asia. More than 1.25 billion people smoke worldwide. Unless progressive health policy and stricter regulations are enacted, the epidemic will continue to impact world health as well as add increasing costs to health care programs.

Roll Out the Red Carpet!

2009-03-12T15:24:00.001-07:00

News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Nicole Jarred,

Center for Multicultural Cooperation

Email: njarred@cmcweb.org

Cell Phone: (916) 955-8270

Students become community historians and advocates using 21^st Century Digital Technology

The Center for Multicultural Cooperation (CMC) and the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center (SCCSC) will showcase youth-produced videos at the California Voices Regional Premiere to be held on Thursday, May 14^th at the Crest Theater.

In more than a dozen Sacramento schools and youth programs, teams of students are writing scripts, operating video cameras, and directing films about people and issues that matter to them.

Through CMC’s California Voices project, students are producing mini-documentaries chronicling the lives of elders who are “unsung heroes” in their communities—people who have made significant contributions to community, culture or country. They are developing films and public service announcements (PSAs) about issues that affect them, including the high school drop out rate, neighborhood safety, and health and wellness issues. These projects help preserve community history while mobilizing young people to become civically engaged, use technology to serve their community, and envision a brighter future for themselves and their families.

CMC is partnering with the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center (SCCSC) to hold a contest for student-produced anti-tobacco PSAs. Middle and high school students are invited to produce short PSAs addressing the way tobacco companies target youth and the dangers of outdoor second-hand smoke. SCCSC will work with local movie theaters to screen the winning PSA before youth-rated films for a period of 12 months. In addition, the teams producing the top three rated PSAs will be awarded gift certificate prizes.

The Anti-Tobacco PSA contest will be part of CMC’s spring premiere for the California Voices after school programs in the Sacramento region. The premiere, scheduled for 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 14^th at the Crest Theater, will showcase elder stories and youth issues videos from around Sacramento. The event organizers are currently seeking volunteers and other community support for the event, including storytellers for youth videos and event sponsorship.

For more information about the Center for Multicultural Cooperation, visit: www.cmcweb.org

For more information about the Sacramento Chinese Community Center, visit: www.sccsc.org

###

New Tobacco Tax Bill: Senators Steinberg and Padilla Launch New Efforts witth the Aid of El Dorado Youth

2009-03-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Health Groups Launch New Effort to Increase Tobacco Tax

New tobacco tax would reduce teen smoking, fight lung cancer and pump nearly $1 billion into the state’s General Fund

(SACRAMENTO, CA, March 10, 2009) Today, the state’s leading voluntary health organizations introduced legislation to increase California’s tobacco tax by an additional $1.50 per pack in order to reduce youth smoking, fight lung cancer and provide needed revenue to the cash-strapped state.

“Increasing the tobacco tax and investing in tobacco prevention is the single best way to reduce youth smoking”, said Trisha Murakawa, Board Chair for the American Lung Association of California. “This bill will help the state counter the cigarette makers’ multi-million dollar marketing campaign that is intended to lure children into a life-long addiction to tobacco.”

The American Lung Association, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society are sponsoring Senate Bill 600, which would increase the tobacco tax an additional $1.50 per pack and raise nearly $1.2 billion for the General Fund, tobacco prevention and lung cancer research. California’s current tobacco tax is $.87/pack, ranking it 31^st in the nation, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The $1.50 per pack would be on top of the existing $.87/pack, making California’s state tobacco tax $2.37 per pack or the fifth highest in the nation.

If passed, Senate Bill 600 would be the first increase in California’s tobacco tax in more than a decade. In that same period of time, 44 states have increased the tobacco tax 90 times, by Republican and Democratic majority legislatures, and signed into law by Republican and Democratic governors. Arkansas was the latest state to increase its tobacco tax, an additional 56 cents a pack, which went into effect March 1, 2009.

“A tobacco tax increase is long overdue in California,” said Charlie Smith, Board Chair of the American Cancer Society’s California Division. “This bill is the American Cancer society’s top priority in Sacramento because smoking is the single largest cause of cancer deaths. Raising the tax and using some of the proceeds to fund the state’s successful tobacco prevention program are proven methods to drive down smoking rates.”

Tobacco is a significant drain on the state’s human and financial resources. According to The Cost of Smoking in California (funded by the California Department of Health Services, 2002) smoking costs California nearly $16 billion a year in direct and indirect medical expenses and lost productivity. Direct health care costs of smoking account for 54 percent of the total cost of smoking in California, or $8.6 billion.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are nearly 35,000 smoking attributable deaths per year in California, making tobacco the number one preventable cause of deaths in the state. Nearly one in five deaths in the state is caused by tobacco.

Heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States, claiming the lives of approximately 2,400 Americans each day, an average of one death every 37 seconds. Tobacco is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States and leading controllable risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Passage of a $1.50 tobacco tax will result in a 5-year health savings of $65.1 million dollars from fewer smoking-caused heart attacks and strokes.

“SB 600 is the most important health related bill this year and our number one priority because we know raising the tax on tobacco and allocating money to California’s tobacco control program will save lives. We commend the Senator for his leadership on this issue and his commitment to reduce tobacco use among Californians and our most precious resource, our youth.” Dr. John Schafer, Past Chair American Heart Association Western States Affiliate Board.

To find better early detection methods and treatments to help those with lung cancer, SB 600 would establish the first ever Lung Cancer Early Detection and treatment Research program. While California's tobacco prevention program is largely responsible for lung cancer rates in California declining at nearly four times faster than in the rest of the nation, more needs to be done.

Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. Lung cancer causes more deaths than the next three most common cancers combined (colon, breast and prostate). An estimated 160,390 deaths from lung cancer will occur in the United States this year. Unfortunately, lung cancer research into better early detection and screening methods has not received sufficient funding over the last several years, thus lung cancer survival rates have remained flat for the past 30 years.

To support the effort to pass SB 600, the American Lung Association, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society will be coordinating a statewide grassroots and media campaign that emphasizes public support for increasing the tobacco tax. In particular, the health organizations will be targeting grassroots activities in legislative district s that will be important to winning a two-thirds vote in each legislative house.

###

Fleet Feet Goes Smoke Free

2009-03-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

We are proud to be partnered with Fleet Feet Sports. In an interest in protecting their patrons' health, all three major running events are smoke-free this year. Woo Who! Come run the half marathon this March 14th at Railey's Field Sacramento.