Jennifer Bramble, Manager, Collaboration and Outreach,
American Legacy Foundation
The truth tour continues to be one of the most important means of bringing the truth youth smoking campaign to the nation’s teens. The nationwide tour features two truth crews (and their signature orange “truth trucks”) who will make over 60 stops across 30 states, interacting with local youth and sharing information about the ill-effects of tobacco products as well as tobacco industry marketing practices.
This year’s tour will appear at some of the summer’s hottest teen-oriented events including VANS WARPED, Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huck Jam, an action sports extravaganza featuring Tony Hawk the skateboarding legend, and Rock The Bells 2008 an international hip hop festival.
Additionally, the summer program is featured online at www.thetruth.com with details on upcoming events, tour stops, information on crew members and DJs.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Smoking linked to mid-life memory loss: study
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Smoking apparently presents an increased risk for memory loss in people at mid-life, a new study released Monday found.
The study by Severine Sabia and colleagues of France's Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale reviewed data from 10,308 London-based civil servants age 35 to 55 who took part in a study between 1985 and 1988.
The researchers said that they found strong links between smoking and cognitive and memory problems later in life.
"First, smoking in middle age is associated with memory deficit and decline in reasoning abilities," they wrote in a report in the June 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine
"Second, long-term ex-smokers are less likely to have cognitive deficits in memory, vocabulary and verbal fluency.
"Third, giving up smoking in midlife is accompanied by improvement in other health behaviors.
"Fourth, our results ... suggest that the association between smoking and cognition, even in late midlife, could be underestimated because of higher risk of death and non-participation in cognitive tests among smokers."
The authors stressed that "the results are important because individuals with cognitive impairment in midlife may progress to dementia at a faster rate."
"During the past 20 years, public health messages about smoking have led to changes in smoking behavior," they wrote.
"Public health messages on smoking should continue to target smokers of all ages."
The study by Severine Sabia and colleagues of France's Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale reviewed data from 10,308 London-based civil servants age 35 to 55 who took part in a study between 1985 and 1988.
The researchers said that they found strong links between smoking and cognitive and memory problems later in life.
"First, smoking in middle age is associated with memory deficit and decline in reasoning abilities," they wrote in a report in the June 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine
"Second, long-term ex-smokers are less likely to have cognitive deficits in memory, vocabulary and verbal fluency.
"Third, giving up smoking in midlife is accompanied by improvement in other health behaviors.
"Fourth, our results ... suggest that the association between smoking and cognition, even in late midlife, could be underestimated because of higher risk of death and non-participation in cognitive tests among smokers."
The authors stressed that "the results are important because individuals with cognitive impairment in midlife may progress to dementia at a faster rate."
"During the past 20 years, public health messages about smoking have led to changes in smoking behavior," they wrote.
"Public health messages on smoking should continue to target smokers of all ages."
Monday, June 9, 2008
LCAT Fellowship Opportunity
LCAT established a fellowship program in 2001 that addresses the leadership shortage at the community level in Hispanic/Latino tobacco prevention and control.
The purpose of the Fellows Program is to create a trained cadre of Hispanic/Latino prevention and control advocates capable of increasing public awareness and changing public policies in communities throughout the United States.
The Fellows are trained, in part, through an intensive two-day leadership institute and participation in a two-day tobacco conference. Ongoing education and training occurs through regularly scheduled conference calls with other Fellows and Fellows’ Team Leaders and through teleconferences conducted by LCAT.
Following their initial training, LCAT Fellows either create or join existing tobacco prevention and control networks in their communities where they develop and implement year-long Individual Action Plans to promote prevention and control.
If you have questions please contact Marcy Lopez at 212.334.5738
For a copy of the application, please contact Henry Harper, hharper@vtsf.org
The purpose of the Fellows Program is to create a trained cadre of Hispanic/Latino prevention and control advocates capable of increasing public awareness and changing public policies in communities throughout the United States.
The Fellows are trained, in part, through an intensive two-day leadership institute and participation in a two-day tobacco conference. Ongoing education and training occurs through regularly scheduled conference calls with other Fellows and Fellows’ Team Leaders and through teleconferences conducted by LCAT.
Following their initial training, LCAT Fellows either create or join existing tobacco prevention and control networks in their communities where they develop and implement year-long Individual Action Plans to promote prevention and control.
If you have questions please contact Marcy Lopez at 212.334.5738
For a copy of the application, please contact Henry Harper, hharper@vtsf.org
Special Alert: The Fight Back Express Bus is Coming to Virginia!
Come See the ACS CAN Fight Back Express and the Smoke-Free Sidekick
In May, the ACS CAN Fight Back Express launched its nationwide bus tour to empower all Americans to fight back against cancer. While in Virginia, the Fight Back Express will be accompanied by the Smoke-Free Sidekick which is building support for smoke-free workplaces in Virginia.
Next week the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick will be stopping in Virginia!
Roanoke—June 9
Charlottesville—June 9
Fredericksburg—June 9
Richmond—June 10
Virginia Beach—June 10
Yorktown—June 11
Find out when and where the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick are coming to your community by visiting the Events page at acscan.org/bus.
Sign the Bus!
All attendees at every bus stop will have the opportunity to sign the bus, becoming part of the nationwide grassroots movement that is working to make cancer issues a national priority.
In addition to signing the Fight Back Express, participants will be able to:
Join or donate to ACS CAN and get a limited edition ACS CAN Fight Back Express lapel pin
Sign the ACS CAN access to health care petition that will be delivered to the next President
Complete an electronic Picture A Cure
Get your picture taken with the bus
ACS CAN is fighting back and wants you to be part of this unique and exciting adventure. Visit the Events page at acscan.org/bus to find out when the Bus is coming to your community.
In May, the ACS CAN Fight Back Express launched its nationwide bus tour to empower all Americans to fight back against cancer. While in Virginia, the Fight Back Express will be accompanied by the Smoke-Free Sidekick which is building support for smoke-free workplaces in Virginia.
Next week the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick will be stopping in Virginia!
Roanoke—June 9
Charlottesville—June 9
Fredericksburg—June 9
Richmond—June 10
Virginia Beach—June 10
Yorktown—June 11
Find out when and where the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick are coming to your community by visiting the Events page at acscan.org/bus.
Sign the Bus!
All attendees at every bus stop will have the opportunity to sign the bus, becoming part of the nationwide grassroots movement that is working to make cancer issues a national priority.
In addition to signing the Fight Back Express, participants will be able to:
Join or donate to ACS CAN and get a limited edition ACS CAN Fight Back Express lapel pin
Sign the ACS CAN access to health care petition that will be delivered to the next President
Complete an electronic Picture A Cure
Get your picture taken with the bus
ACS CAN is fighting back and wants you to be part of this unique and exciting adventure. Visit the Events page at acscan.org/bus to find out when the Bus is coming to your community.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
N.Y.'s cigarette tax climbs to nation's highest
June 3, 2008
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Convenience stores across the state and the smokers who will be paying the price are angry about the change, but health officials hail the tax increase as a success. Cigarette taxes will raise a total of $1.3 billion for the state budget in fiscal year 2008-2009, including the new tax.
''Isn't that something -- to say that I'm excited about a tax increase? But I am,'' said Dr. Richard Daines, the New York health commissioner. ''This is a public health victory. We know one of the really effective tools to get people off of their nicotine addiction is to the raise the price.''
RELATED STORIES Kicking some ash Smokers will be paying $2.75 per pack in state taxes, a jump from the previous tax of $1.50. Before the new tax, the average price of a pack of cigarettes was $5.82 statewide, and about $8 a pack in New York City, which levies its own taxes, Daines said. The new retail price for a pack in the city could now soar past $10 depending on the store.
An estimated 140,000 New Yorkers will stop smoking with this tax increase, Daines said. That number is based on prior tax increases and cigarette consumption.
''Youth are particularly sensitive to the price of cigarettes, so this price increase is expected to prevent 243,000 youth from smoking,'' Daines said.
Daines said the tax increase is just one part of an $83 million anti-smoking effort that includes advertising and public service announcements, attempts to get tobacco consumption out of youth rated movies and cessation centers around the state.
''What we really want people to do is not to pay the price, but to stop smoking,'' he said.
Audrey Silk, who heads NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, said it's ridiculous to expect smokers to quit just because the price is climbing. She switched to rolling her own cigarettes since the last New York City tax increase and suggests other smokers will find similar ways to satisfy nicotine cravings.
''No product has a tax at this rate on it,'' Silk said. ''If there was, there would be screaming, but since we've been beaten into submission and nobody listens to us, what else is there to do? It's unjustifiable and you turn to alternatives, and any consumer group would do the same.''
Convenience stores, which historically count on cigarette sales, have also objected to the tax, saying it will drive smokers -- and dollars -- elsewhere.
''The tax increase is only going to feed that epidemic,'' said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. ''More and more smokers in New York state are going to abandon our stores that have to charge the tax and shift their purchases to places that don't charge the tax, most notably Native American stores, the Internet and bootleggers.''
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Convenience stores across the state and the smokers who will be paying the price are angry about the change, but health officials hail the tax increase as a success. Cigarette taxes will raise a total of $1.3 billion for the state budget in fiscal year 2008-2009, including the new tax.
''Isn't that something -- to say that I'm excited about a tax increase? But I am,'' said Dr. Richard Daines, the New York health commissioner. ''This is a public health victory. We know one of the really effective tools to get people off of their nicotine addiction is to the raise the price.''
RELATED STORIES Kicking some ash Smokers will be paying $2.75 per pack in state taxes, a jump from the previous tax of $1.50. Before the new tax, the average price of a pack of cigarettes was $5.82 statewide, and about $8 a pack in New York City, which levies its own taxes, Daines said. The new retail price for a pack in the city could now soar past $10 depending on the store.
An estimated 140,000 New Yorkers will stop smoking with this tax increase, Daines said. That number is based on prior tax increases and cigarette consumption.
''Youth are particularly sensitive to the price of cigarettes, so this price increase is expected to prevent 243,000 youth from smoking,'' Daines said.
Daines said the tax increase is just one part of an $83 million anti-smoking effort that includes advertising and public service announcements, attempts to get tobacco consumption out of youth rated movies and cessation centers around the state.
''What we really want people to do is not to pay the price, but to stop smoking,'' he said.
Audrey Silk, who heads NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, said it's ridiculous to expect smokers to quit just because the price is climbing. She switched to rolling her own cigarettes since the last New York City tax increase and suggests other smokers will find similar ways to satisfy nicotine cravings.
''No product has a tax at this rate on it,'' Silk said. ''If there was, there would be screaming, but since we've been beaten into submission and nobody listens to us, what else is there to do? It's unjustifiable and you turn to alternatives, and any consumer group would do the same.''
Convenience stores, which historically count on cigarette sales, have also objected to the tax, saying it will drive smokers -- and dollars -- elsewhere.
''The tax increase is only going to feed that epidemic,'' said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. ''More and more smokers in New York state are going to abandon our stores that have to charge the tax and shift their purchases to places that don't charge the tax, most notably Native American stores, the Internet and bootleggers.''
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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