October 2023 Tobacco-Free Times Now Available

Our latest edition of the Tobacco-Free Times is now available. In this edition, we're highlighting our local education efforts, a new tobacco retailer licensing law in Syracuse, and Fire Prevention Month.  Read our entire newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/sphp.com/october-2023-tobacco-free-times  

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Tobacco Use Takes Disproportionate Toll on LGBTQIA+* Lives

Pride Month is celebrated every June to promote the dignity, equality and increased visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community. On June 3, TFC-DOS staff celebrated with the Otsego Pride Alliance at Oneonta PrideFest.  Staff educated community members about the tobacco industry's intentional efforts to increase tobacco product appeal to the LGBTQIA+ community. For more than 30 years, major tobacco companies have tried to present themselves as allies to LGBTQIA+ communities through...

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Get Ready for the Great American Spit Out

Next week, is the Great American Spit Out. Part of "Through with Chew Week", this annual campaign raises awareness of the dangers of using smokeless tobacco (chew, dip, snus and dissolvable tobacco) and encourages users to quit for the week or just one day. In fact, the Thursday of TWCW is the Great American Spit Out, when users are encouraged to quit for the day and probably the only time chewers and dippers are celebrated for spitting it out. This year, Through with Chew Week runs from...

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Join us for a screening of Black Lives/Black Lungs on Feb. 8

In observation of #BlackHistoryMonth, we are partnering with The Center for Racial Justice & Inclusive Excellence SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, February 8 for an encore screening of "Black Lives/Black Lungs" at Lee Hall from Noon to 1:30pm. The short documentary talks about the tobacco industry's aggressive decades-long campaign to turn African Americans into menthol cigarette smokers. After the film, join us for a discussion about the harmful and disproportionate impact...

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Join Us for a Screening of Black Lives/Black Lungs on October 27

TFC-DOS and SUNY Oneonta's Center for Racial Justice & Inclusive Excellence will show the short film, Black Lives, Black Lungs on Thursday, October 27th, 7pm, in the Freedom Room, Lee Hall, SUNY Oneonta, followed by a discussion. The film investigates the tobacco industry's aggressive marketing campaign launched in the 1950s to turn African Americans into menthol cigarette smokers. It worked. At the start of the campaign, only 5% of African American smokers used menthol; today, almost...

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In The News: TFC-DOS Op-Ed in The Mountain Eagle

Earlier this month, Community Engagement Coordinator, Jennifer Hill, wrote an op-ed for The Mountain Eagle ( The Schoharie News) about the harms of e-cigarettes.  Here's an excerpt: "As with regular cigarettes, the tobacco industry markets e-cigarettes primarily to youth, knowing that once youth start vaping, they will be long-time customers. Adding sweet, enticing flavors to e-cigarettes is key to addicting youth, which has prompted parents, schools, healthcare providers, and other...

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World No Tobacco Day 2022- Tobacco: Threat to our Environment

On this World No Tobacco Day, we're taking a closer look at Tobacco and it's impact on the environment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills over 8 million people every year and destroys our environment,  further harming human health, through the cultivation, production, distribution, consumption, and post-consumer waste. Tobacco products are the most littered item on the planet, containing more than 7000 toxic chemicals that leak into our environment....

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No Menthol Sunday

May 15th is No Menthol Sunday, an annual initiative by The Center for Black Health & Equity (The Center), which mobilizes faith-based organizations to share information on the deadly impact of menthol-flavored tobacco on Black communities and encourage conversations around it. Because the tobacco industry has strategically and aggressively marketed menthol cigarettes to the Black community, about 85% of Black adult smokers use menthol cigarettes compared to 29% of White smokers. ...

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Mural Debuting at Southside Mall This Friday

TFC-DOS will be debuting a new mural aimed at educating the greater Oneonta community about the impact of menthol-flavored tobacco products on youth. The mural will be on display at Southside Mall on April 1, which is Take Down Tobacco Day. We encourage people to take selfies with the mural and stop by our table.       Take Down Tobacco Day is an annual day of action sponsored by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids that empowers people to stand up and speak out about the tobacco...

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