Vietnamese Tet Festival

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

World No Tobacco Day - May 31

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

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