Overview

Tired of breathing in secondhand smoke at restaurants, bowling allies and other public places? Well, it is your lucky day. Minnesota recently passed the Freedom to Breathe Act, and as of October 1, 2007, Minnesotans are protected from secondhand smoke in workplaces, including bars and restaurants. Over the past ten years or so, support has been building for these policies across the state, around the country and around the world, and we are excited that Minnesota has joinied them!

The Details

California went completely smoke-free, including bars, in 1998. Currently 20 states (including Minnesota!), plus District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have passed strong smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars. Nine countries have done the same, with the United Kingdom implementing their policy this summer. Minneapolis went smoke-free in March of 2005, St. Paul in March of 2006, and Mankato in July 2006. Other cities and counties across the state have also gone smoke-free, and the rest of the state joined them on October 1, 2007. It's time to celebrate!

We know that smoke-free workplaces are good for Minnesotans' health. We all know that secondhand smoke is full of thousands of chemicals, including carcinogens. In June 2006, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report on second-hand smoke that reinforced what we already know. Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated, "The debate is over. The science is clear. Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard." The report also concluded that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and that the only way to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is to require smoke-free workplaces ad public places.

Minneapolis went smoke-free in March of 2005, St. Paul in March of 2006, and Mankato in July 2006. Other cities and counties across the state have also gone smoke-free, and the rest of the state joined them on October 1, 2007. It's time to celebrate!

What can we do about it?

Catalyst is glad to hear the Surgeon General agrees that everyone has the right to breathe clean air, and that our state legislature and governor think so too! So, what can we do? We can let everyone else know about it too. Passing the Freedom to Breathe Act was only half the battle. Now it's time to help implement it, and make sure everyone loves it just as much as we do! Catalyst can educate communities about the dangers of secondhand smoke and the importance of smoke-free workplaces and public places. We can host creative events with positive themes like "Party for the Freedom to Breathe!" or "We Love Smoke-free MN!" so that people understand how positive, healthy, and exciting this news really is!

What can you do as an individual?

Try to build support however you can. Whether you are at an event with Catalyst, or out to dinner with your family, let your community - especially local businesses - know how great it is that we'll all be protected from secondhand smoke.

You can find more info about secondhand smoke and smoke-free workplaces at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/shs/ and more about efforts in Minnesota at www.smokefreecoalition.org.

Overview

Tobacco is one of the only unregulated consumable products on the market in this country, and the U.S. Food and drug Administration currently has no power to regulate it like it does other foods and drugs. That means no way of knowing exactly what chemicals are in tobacco products, and no way of confirming all of those sketchy health claims Big Tobacco makes about its products. Tired of Big Tobacco getting away with murder and the government not lifting a finger to stop them?

The Details

The Details FDA regulation of tobacco has been a tobacco prevention policy issue at the national level for the last decade. In 1998 the U.S. Congress first proposed that the FDA regulate tobacco products, but the legislation was defeated. Shortly after, President Clinton issued a Presidential Rule giving the FDA the ability to regulate tobacco. That didn't last long though. Big Tobacco filed a lawsuit challenging the rule, and the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decided that only the U.S. Congress could give the FDA this authority. So, back to square one! A number of bills have come before the Congress over the past six years, but they have yet to pass a single one. Currently identical bills are under consideration by both the House and Senate (H.R. 1108 and S. 625). If passed, they would allow the FDA to:

• Limit tobacco advertising and promotions (especially to children)
• Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children
• Ban candy-flavored cigarettes (which obviously target young new smokers)
• Require changes in tobacco products (like the removal of harmful ingredients)
• Prohibit false health claims
• Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, changes to their products and research about the health effects of their products
• Require larger and more informative health warnings on tobacco products
• Prohibit terms such as "light", "mild" and "low-tar" that mislead consumers into believing that certain cigarettes are safer than others

What can you do about it?

If you feel strongly about this issue, we can keep educating the public and decision makers about why tobacco prevention is important, and we can remind them of what FDA regulation of tobacco will do to prevent tobacco use. What can you do as an individual? As an independent advocate, you can read up on this issue, decide what your personal take on it is, and contact your members of Congress about FDA regulation. You can find their contact info at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. Need more info before you take action? You can search for the full bills, lists of co-sponsors, bill summaries, and more at www.thomas.gov, just search for 'tobacco + FDA' on the home page.

Controversy over FDA

FDA regulation of tobacco can be a tricky issue. Public health organizations like the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Medical Association and dozens of others support FDA regulation of tobacco as a way to save lives, prevent tobacco use, and prevent the tobacco industry from targeting kids.

Here's where things get tricky. Philip Morris, the country's largest tobacco manufacturer, also supports FDA regulation of tobacco. Yeah, we know, you're probably thinking "What? Big Tobacco and the public health community both support this? What's going on here?" Another interesting piece of info is that Reynolds American, Inc., Lorillard Tobacco Company, and other tobacco companies do not support FDA regulation of tobacco, and are actively advocating against it. So, Big Tobacco's not on the same page on this one.

An article from the January 25, 2007 edition of the Wall Street Journal noted that:

"The company's (Philip Morris') rivals contend that new restrictions would hurt them more because their brands are much less known than the famous Philip Morris Marlboro brand. With marketing potentially dramatically curtailed by FDA regulation, they would have fewer ways to promote themselves. The result, they say, would be that Marlboro would keep its market share. Philip Morris USA's share of the retail cigarette market was 50.4% as of the third quarter of 2006. Competitors such as Reynolds American Inc.'s R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which markets Camel and Kool cigarettes, gripe that FDA regulation is the "Marlboro Monopoly Act."

The article also included comments from Representative Henry Waxman, in response to questions about Philip Morris' support of the bill:

"I don't think there's been any love between Philip Morris and Henry Waxman ... I don't care about Philip Morris's interests,' he added. 'Cigarettes -- as dangerous as they are -- are the only consumer products that are completely unregulated by the federal government."

Some public health advocates are wary of supporting legislation that would allow the FDA to regulate tobacco products if Philip Morris also supports this legislation. The majority of the public health community, including the organizations mentioned above still strongly advocate that FDA regulation would reduce tobacco use, prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, and ultimately save lives, regardless of Philip Morris' reasons for supporting it.

You can read more about the different sides of this issue online. There are a ton of fact sheets, links, and other useful info at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/fda, and you can google 'Philip Morris + FDA,' to find out more about Philip Morris' support of this legislation.

Overview

Cherry, sour apple, peach, vanilla, grape, chocolate, mango and bubble gum. Sounds like a sampling from the candy section at your local grocery – some jelly beans, a bag of jolly ranchers, a candy bar? Actually, they are all flavored tobacco products. From chew to cigarettes, little cigars, and roll-your-own tobacco, the tobacco industry says they're not targeting kids – who are they kidding?

The Details

The list goes on: strawberry, banana, berry blend, grape, orange, lemon, pineapple, black cherry, chocolate mint, butterscotch, candy cane, coconut, cotton candy, strawberry kiwi, and more! It's pretty obvious that the tobacco industry is trying to attract a younger audience with theses candy and fruit flavors. They've even said so themselves...

Marketing Innovations, Inc. prepared a memo of recommendations to Brown and Williamson, for the project "Youth Cigarette – New Concepts. The 1972 memo included the following:

"Cola Flavor: While the government would not permit us to add caffeine to a cigarette, it may be possible to use a artificial ingredients to obtain a cola taste and aroma. Suitable names might be: Cola – Cola, Cola – Cooler ... Apples connote goodness and freshness and we see many possibilities for our youth-oriented cigarette with this flavor. It's a well known fact that teenagers like sweet products. Honey might be considered."

A Lorillard memo featured the following from the 1979 "Sedgefield Idea Sessions:"

"Fruit Flavored Chewing Products: Several avenues were explored in this area with the idea being directed toward younger chewers coming into the market. . . . [Many] felt that younger chewers would be attracted to products with less tobacco taste. For example it was suggested that we investigate [...] switching study data from the company which produces 'Life Savers.'"

"Another suggestion was that we manufacture a product in 'bite size', individually wrapped sections, with different flavors. Another suggestion was to produce a chewing product in which bubble gum is incorporated. Another suggestion was to produce and market a chewing tobacco product in which the tobacco would be surrounded by a flavored sugar coating, similar to gum balls."

So, not only is Big Tobacco continuing to push candy flavors to attract new, young smokers and chewers, at one point they were even considering creating actual candy-coated chewing tobacco!!

What can we do about it?

What can Catalyst do about it? Let people know what the tobacco industry is up to, and work with public officials and others in your town or county to stop Big Tobacco marketing candy flavored products in your area.

What can you do as an individual?

As an independent advocate, check out more info about FDA regulation of tobacco on the catalyst website. FDA regulation would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. You can contact your members of Congress if you feel strongly about FDA regulation, and let them know more about flavored tobacco products. You can find their contact info at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Need more info before you take action? Take a look online and find out what other communities and states are doing about this issue. Google "ban on flavored tobacco" to browse through news articles, factsheets and other info.

Overview

We know Big Tobacco is BIG in the U.S., but it is even BIGGER at the global level. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is a way for countries to regulate tobacco by signing on to a worldwide agreement. By doing this they commit to implement policies and strategies proven to reduce and prevent tobacco use.

The Details

The World Health Organization began negotiating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 1999, and nearly four years later, in May of 2003, the WHO's 192 member states reached a final agreement. Since this time, 168 countries have signed the FCTC and 145 countries have ratified it. By signing the treaty a country basically says they support it in theory. The FCTC became legally binding to those countries that ratify it on November 29, 2004, once 40 countries had ratified the treaty. Only after a country ratifies the treaty does the country have to follow the treaty's provisions.

The United States has signed the FCTC, but has not ratified it. In those countries that have, the treaty does the following:

• Enacts comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
• Require rotating health warnings on tobacco packaging that cover at least 30 percent (but ideally 50 percent or more) of the pack (and can include photos)
• Ban the use of misleading and deceptive terms such as "light" and "mild"
• Protect citizens from exposure to tobacco smoke in workplaces, public transport and indoor public places
• Combat smuggling
• Increase tobacco taxes

What can you do about it?

We can let people know that tobacco use isn't just a problem here in the U.S. Every time we make progress in tobacco prevention at home, we are pushing the tobacco industry to explore other markets to find their "replacement customers." It's our job as advocates to make sure people realize tobacco use is a global issue.

What can you do as an individual?

As an independent advocate, you can read up on this issue, decide what your personal take on it is, and contact the office of the President and your members of Congress about the fact that the U.S. has not ratified the FCTC. The way it works is that the President needs to send the signed treaty to Congress for Congress to ratify it. You can find the contact info you'll need at www.whitehouse.gov, www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Need more info before you take action?

You'll find some great background information and useful links at www.fctc.org, the website of the Framework Convention Alliance, a coalition of organizations around the world that continue to advocate for ratification and implementation of the FCTC.

Overview

Just Eliminate Lies. Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco. REAL. XPOZ. Global Youth Action on Tobacco. Question Y. reACT Against Corporate Tobacco. You can see that Catalyst is just one among many, many youth–led movements across the country and around the world. Check out what other movements are up to and figure out how you can use some of their ideas in your community.

The Details

The majority of states across the country have either a statewide youth movement, like Catalyst, or local youth advocacy coalitions working on tobacco prevention. Statewide youth advocacy efforts are often part of comprehensive tobacco prevention programs that also address adult tobacco use and tobacco cessation. These programs are usually supported by funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between 46 states and the five major tobacco companies (MN and three other states have their own settlements).

The $206 billion master settlement was distributed to the states with the intention of using a portion of it for tobacco prevention efforts. Unfortunately many states only use a small portion of this money to fund tobacco prevention efforts, and the structure and size of these programs vary from state to state. Many are housed within state departments of health, and others through foundations or other institutions.

There are also national networks and organizations, and a global network of youth advocates. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (www.tobaccofreekids.org) and the American Legacy Foundation (www.americanlegacy.org) both work with high school and college aged youth across the country by providing training opportunities and other support. Ignite (www.ignitegeneration.org) is an independent non-profit organization founded and led by youth advocates. Ignite also has chapters across the country, many on college and university campuses.

The Global Youth Advocacy on Tobacco (www.gyatnetwork.org) is a network of youth and young adults working on tobacco prevention efforts around the world, and Essential Action's Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control (www.essentialaction.org/tobacco) helps to connect advocates in the U.S. and Canada with advocates in other parts of he world.

There's a snapshot of what's going on at the national and global levels, and here are a few examples from across the country:

Just Eliminate Lies (JEL) Iowa

www.jeliowa.com

JEL is thousands of Iowa youth dedicated to giving Iowa teens the true, unfiltered facts about Big Tobacco's lies, fighting against their constant attempts to addict teens, and changing people's attitudes about tobacco use. JEL has helped to raise support for a tobacco tax increase in Iowa, which passed in March 2007, and is also working to support smoke-free workplaces across the state.

Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco (FACT) Wisconsin

www.fightwithfact.com

FACT is a movement for teens and by teens that exposes the facts behind the tobacco industry's manipulations and empowers youth to take action and create change. FACT members across the state are advocating for local and countywide smoke-free workplace policies.

Get R!EAL (Resist! Expose Advertising Lies) Colorado

www.getrealcolorado.com

Get R!EAL is a generation of Colorado teens taking action against the tobacco industry. Their goal is to empower teens to take a stand against Big Tobacco by providing them with information and advocacy skills. They do everything they can to get in Bog Tobacco's face, and organize events at the local and statewide level, like reminding retailers not to sell cigarettes to kids and holding press conferences to get the message out.

You can find a full list of statewide youth programs, as well as local, national and global youth movements in Catalyst's "Links" section.

Overview

Taxes. Sounds real exciting, right? Tobacco taxes can actually be a pretty interesting issue. Think about it, when the price of tobacco goes up, people buy less of it. This is a way to hit Big Tobacco where it hurts, their wallets...

The Details

There is a federal tax on tobacco products, and states and cities across the country also tax tobacco products. Most of these taxes are at the state level, but a handful of cities, like New York City and Chicago, also have raised their taxes. Cigarette taxes across the country range from $ 0.07 per pack in South Carolina, to $2.58 in New Jersey, and a combined state and city tax of $3.00 in New York City and $3.58 in Chicago.

So, why raise the tax on tobacco products? Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes will reduce youth smoking by about seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent. This decrease in tobacco consumption also ends up reducing health care costs. States can also make sure their tax increases have even more of an impact on reducing tobacco use and related health care costs by making sure a portion of the tobacco tax increase goes to fund comprehensive tobacco prevention programs.

Even the tobacco industry recognizes that raising tobacco taxes contributes to a decrease in tobacco consumption – they just don’t like to talk about it in public unless they have to. They have actually argued in public that tobacco taxes don’t reduce tobacco use. Their internal documents tell a different story ...

“If prices were 10% higher, 12-17 incidence [the percentage of kids who smoke] would be 11.9% lower.” R.J. Reynolds, 1982

“It is clear that price has a pronounced effect on the smoking prevalence of teenagers, and that the goals of reducing teenage smoking and balancing the budget would both be served by increasing the Federal excise tax on cigarettes.” Philip Morris, 1981

“Jeffrey Harris of MIT calculated...that the 1982-83 round of price increases caused two million adults to quit smoking and prevented 600,000 teenagers from starting to smoke...We don’t need to have that happen again.” Philip Morris, 1987

What we can do about it?

Catalyst can educate communities about the fact that increasing the tobacco tax reduces tobacco use. We can directly support, and even initiate, local proposals for tobacco tax increases in our cities and counties. This means we can meet with our city council members, speak at public forums and hearings, and directly ask city and county officials to support these policies.

What can you do as an individual?

As an independent advocate, you can work on this issue more directly at the state level too. Minnesota is doing pretty well, with a cigarette tax of $1.49 per pack we are ranked 15th in the country. All of the work you are doing at the local level, especially your public education efforts, support what is going on at the state level. If you want to do more as an independent advocate, you can contact your state officials a well, and volunteer to work with other organizations advocating for any new tax increase proposals that might come up in MN.

You can find more info about tobacco taxes at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/prices/ and about specific efforts in Minnesota at www.smokefreecoalition.org in the “Issues” section.