FALL 2024 | FALL NEWS UPDATES | |
SMOKE Travels: If One Tenant Smokes, Everyone Smokes!
African American communities face big challenges from tobacco use. Did you know that 37% of African Americans living in apartments stay in units of three or more?
Tobacco companies have targeted Black communities for a long time. They use cultural events, music, movies, and TV to make smoking look cool, which gets people hooked on smoking.
Tobacco-related illness is the main cause of death for Black people. Menthol, a flavor in cigarettes, makes smoking easier to start and harder to stop. That’s why 85% of Black smokers prefer menthols. Menthol cigarettes are especially harmful because they make it easier to inhale deeply, bringing more smoke into the lungs. This leads to more sickness and death from smoking.
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We frequently hear stories about the limited options residents have for protecting themselves from smoke that drifts into their apartments through walls and windows from neighbors who smoke indoors and on patios. Residents of Sacramento - Brenda and her daughter Terez shared with us that they can’t use the downstairs bathroom in their townhome because of the overwhelming smell of smoke seeping through the shared wall from next door. The bathroom is unusable, and they place towels under the door to try to keep the smoke out. A bathroom is a vital resource in any home and for them it’s the only one on the first floor so they must be prepared to make it upstairs to use the bathroom when they get home. Her daughter has asthma, and it forces her child to stay upstairs, with the windows closed, to avoid triggering an asthma attack. | |
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CONGRATS TO DR. ELISA TONG!
Dr. Elisa Tong was presented with the Exceptional Woman of Color (EWOC) Excellence Award in the category of Education and Research at the Sac Cultural Hub Media Company & Foundation's 16th Annual EWOC Awards and Expo on Sept 26th at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, California. Dr. Tong holds the positions of Professor of Internal Medicine, UC Davis, Principal Investigator, CA Quits and Director, Tobacco Cessation Policy Research Center; and is the Cessation Taskforce Chair for the Greater Sacramento Smoke and Tobacco Free Coalition whose mission is to create smoke and tobacco free communities in Sacramento County. The Cessation Taskforce supports efforts to help community members throughout Sacramento County quit tobacco by sharing and promoting available cessation resources and sharing knowledge on best practices for tobacco cessation treatment.
"I feel really fortunate to be in a position where I can work at different levels, from individual patients to communities to health care systems. Also, I like the variety of doing clinical care, teaching, and research. Our new Tobacco Cessation Policy Research Center is a new and exciting challenge that brings a lot of great people and ideas together." stated Dr. Tong
When asked about what slogan do you live by, Dr. Tong stated: "When I help someone quit tobacco and they are discouraged, I like to remind them "You probably didn't walk the first time you tried. Each time you try to quit tobacco, it will be easier to stay quit for good."
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SOL at Clearing The Air Institute Conference (Oct 14-17, 2024)
SOL Project had the amazing opportunity to meet Dr. Mignonne Guy in person at Clearing The Air Institute conference in Philadelphia (Oct 15), and wow, she brought the house down! Her powerful talk on racial identity, hierarchy, and racial capitalism was eye-opening as she laid out the connections in our fight against BIG Tobacco. We’re talking about advancing health equity, fighting for racial justice, and protecting BIPOC communities.
Her session, "We the People: Advancing Worker Justice and Improving Health Equity through Smokefree Air Campaigns," was hands down one of the most thought-provoking of the day! Dr. Guy, an associate professor and former chair at Virginia Commonwealth University's African American Studies department, is a force to be reckoned with.
The Clearing The Air Institute was organized by the American Non-Smokers Rights Foundation.
Want to dive into the full agenda of this powerhouse event? Check it out here: https://bit.ly/clearing-the-air-agenda_Oct2024
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Ready to transform your health, finances, and future? The SOL Project's Fall 2024 Education Series is here to inspire and empower you with expert insights and actionable strategies. Discover how building healthier habits can boost both your well-being and your business success.
Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!
Join us online via Zoom for any or all of these dynamic sessions, featuring an incredible lineup of guest speakers. There is no fee to attend these sessions.
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DID YOU KNOW? October is Breast Cancer Awareness month
Remember to ask your doctor when you should get a mammogram. Tobacco has clear links to 12 different types of cancer. Click here for more facts about connection between breast cancer and cigarette smoking.
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Carletta’s Breast Cancer Story: A Decade After Diagnosis
Ten years after her breast cancer diagnosis, Carletta looks back on how her definition of bravery has changed. In this video, she discusses how she managed the highs and lows of being a cancer survivor and learned how to ask for help.
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Kick It Quit Smoking | Vaping App
Free, customizable quit plan, progress tracker, and craving help to quit smoking or vaping. Access clinically proven behavior change strategies -- kick tobacco & nicotine for good.
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Former FDA lawyers join tobacco industry in ‘epic’ fight against the agency
Perham Gorji was a career government lawyer, helping to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s battle against tobacco and e-cigarettes.
He was there as the agency contemplated a ban on menthol cigarettes, and as vapes of all shapes and sizes flooded the market, hooking a new generation on nicotine.
Read more
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Calif updates state ban on sales of flavored tobacco products to close loophole and strengthen enforcement: A great model for others
When California passed its law prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products in 2020, including menthol cigarettes, RJR and other tobacco interests forced a referendum to try and block the law. Voters upheld the law in 2022, and it went into effect. This law prohibited retail sales of tobacco products with a “characterizing flavor,” loosely defined as products that taste or smell like a fruit, candy, or menthol/minty flavor.
Read more
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MULTIPLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES | |
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Arts and culture nonprofits located throughout Sacramento County are invited to apply for grants to assist with general operating expenses.
The $950,000 Cultural Arts Awards Program, administered by the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture, in partnership with Sacramento County's Office of Economic Development, is now accepting applications for the 2025-2027 grant cycle. The grants are funded by the City’s Measure U tax and general fund dollars, and by Sacramento County’s Transient Occupancy Tax funds.
Click here to apply. Deadline is Dec 15, 2024
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Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions
Deadline to apply is December 16, 2024.
Get more info here.
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2024 Tobacco & Cannabis Related Legislation | |
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Governor Newsom Signs SB 1230 into Law Closing Loopholes in Flavored Tobacco Ban
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1230 into which will increase the civil penalties for selling or providing a tobacco product to anyone under 21. It also authorizes the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to seize and destroy flavored tobacco products or tobacco product flavor enhancers at any retail location. Read full article here.
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SAVING OUR LEGACY: African Americans for Smoke-Free Safe Places
www.thesolproject.com | 888-774-7685, x300
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