Statement from Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program on the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control Report
“California is failing to treat the root cause of our problem”

LOS ANGELES – Dr. Bill J. Releford, Founder of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, today issued the following statement:

“Results of the American Lung Association’s 2008 Tobacco Control Report released this week reinforce the notion that there is a lack of suitable smoking regulations and cessation support programs on a state and national level.  
 
“California did receive an A on smoke-free air laws; however it received a D in both cigarette tax rates and access to cessation treatments and services for those who want to quit smoking, and an F in funding for tobacco prevention and control.
 
“Clean air in California is clearly an important issue in protecting Californian’s from second hand smoke and curbing pollution; however banning smokers from public locations without investing in education programs and cessation coverage simply places a band-aid on the root cause of our problem.  
 
“The American Heart Association designates smoking as ‘the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States.’ Roughly 100,000 African Americans will suffer a stroke this year, and a great deal of these are attributed to smoking.
 
“There is nothing more destructive than tobacco smoking in the African American community.  The marketing of tobacco products to the African American community, compounded with the lack of knowledge and resources to quit smoking has placed the African American community in a cycle of addiction.  
 
“The particular effects of mentholated cigarettes on the African American community, disproportionately African American men, are devastating. The tobacco industry has historically placed these products in the communities where they are deceptively marketed as cool and less dangerous. Mentholated cigarettes have escaped legislation banning other forms of flavored cigarettes, and remain widely available.
 
“It is time to step up to the plate and proactively get on board by supporting smokers, to the fullest extent possible, in quitting. Stricter licensing and higher taxes may limit the access for smokers instead of surrounding them with temptations. Offering a full variety of cessation services, including counseling, medications, and relapse prevention services is also critically necessary.  
 
“The ALA’s assessment should function as fuel to push us in a healthier direction. An investment in the health of our citizens is an investment in the long-term human infrastructure of our country. Let this report card be a reminder that until we provide help for smokers to put it out, the problem will only continue to grow.”
 
Note: This issue, among many other health concerns for men in the African American community will be addressed at the 1st Annual African American Men’s Health and Empowerment Summit on Saturday, February 28, 2009 in Los Angeles. More details can be found at www.blackbarbershop.org http://www.blackbarbershop.org .