Project Action Letters to the Editor
February 2009
Project Action is a tobacco-free coalition covering Hamilton, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties. The goals of the coalition center around community awareness and education related to smoking prevention and smoking cessation. In addition to community involvement, Project Action is also an excellent educational resource for community agencies and the public. If you are thinking of quitting smoking, Project Action has up-to-date information on local cessation programs and the NYS Smokers’ Quit Line. For more information on all of Project Action’s smoke free initiatives visit their website at www.projectactionhfm.org or call Sue Arminio at 841-7288.
November 2008
The tobacco industry sponsors events, individuals, teams and facilities by providing financial support for activities, promotions, and services. Sponsoring the event, tobacco companies earn brand recognition. Tobacco companies legitimize themselves as good corporate citizens and normalize tobacco as a way of life. Tobacco companies use sponsorship to promote and heighten the visibility of their products. The tobacco industry spends millions annually to advertise and promote their deadly products in New York State. For more information, please feel free to contact us at www.projectactionhfm.org.
October 2008
Get Mad About Ads
Carol Tomlinson, RN
Recently, while standing in line to pay for gas in a local convenience store I noticed an large amount of tobacco advertising. I counted 18 ads for cigarettes, 8 for chewing tobacco, 4 for different types of cigars and pipe tobacco. That’s 30 ads in one store and many were the eye level of an average 10 year old.
Leaving the store I realized there were more ads outside both on the building and the pumps. After this experience I went on-line and found a fascinating site, GetMadAboutAds.org. Here are some of facts I learned:
- Tobacco companies spend almost $13 BILLION each year on retail ads and promotions aimed at youth and young adults;
- NYS retail stores average 21 interior and 5 exterior tobacco ads;
- Research has shown that kids are twice as likely as adults to notice and remember retail tobacco ads;
I am amazed that after all the work that has been done to combat health problems associated with tobacco use in NYS that we still allow such blatant disregard for the health of our children and teens. As responsible adults we need to “get mad” and refuse to patronize retail stores that promote tobacco products that target our children.
Carol Tomlinson, RN
Community Health Educator
HealthLink Littauer
October 2008
Get Mad About Ads
Raising awareness is key and therefore please be on the look out for the getmadaboutads billboards, radio spots on WIZR 930 AM, and on-the-ground materials surfacing in your community. Community activists are working to spread the message. Please visit the website getmadaboutads.org to find out how you can help your community. Tobacco ads in convenience stores are targeting our teenagers. Tobacco companies hook young smokers and children are more likely to be influenced by cigarette advertising than peer pressure. Parents, please ask local retailers to voluntarily reduce or eliminate their tobacco advertising. Together, lets decrease children smoking.
September 2008
2nd Annual Fulton County Resource Fair
If you have a chance this Friday, September 12th from 12-4pm, at the Johnstown Mall, please stop by and visit numerous agencies, organizations and businesses in Fulton County that are ready willing and able to help you and your loved one at the Fulton County Resource Fair. The event is sponsored by the HFM Prevention Council. The organizations that are going to there are Turning Point, Northeast Parent and Child Society, FMCC College, Fidelis Care, Senator Hugh Farley, In our own Voices, Gloversville Housing, Workforce
Development, Office for the Aging, Salvation Army, Gloversville Headstart, Project Action, HFM Prevention Council, Fulton County Drug Court, Fulton Community Action Agency, Planned Parenthood, Boys and
Girls Club, Mental Health Association and Crime Victims Assistance. This is an exciting fair and hopefully you can come. Don't miss out on the educational expertise in Fulton County. For more information, please call Rachel Truckenmiller at 736-8188, X101.
August 2008
Margaret Clark
HFM Prevention Council
Cheers to Mayor Thane for supporting the smoke free parks and playgrounds for the health of our children. There are important reasons why smoke free parks and playgrounds are important for the health of children. Second hand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals; 2,000 are poisons and 69 cause cancer. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from colds and ear infections. This is especially dangerous for them as it can aggravate their condition.
Cigarette butts make parks and playgrounds in Amsterdam look dirty and uninviting; our children deserve a clean place to play. Also littered butts are a potential choking and burning hazard.
Thanks again for the support of smoke free parks and playgrounds for the health of our children.
August 2008
Dorean Page
About 400 years ago English immigrants found a way to make staying on the North American Continent profitable for their merchant supporters. They grew tobacco to ship back to Europe. Tobacco became the cash crop of the “New World”. Unfortunately, it also brought slavery and an addiction to nicotine which causes a disease called cancer...
Click here to read letter (pdf)
August 2008
Nancy Tyler
Ahhh..........."Smoke-Free, The Way Life Should Be".........Thank you Mayor Thane for supporting me on this serious issue as the Amsterdam city parks have a big problem with too many smokers attending the events and the numerous children attending that are not able to breathe clean air (even the kids selling the popcorn are being exposed), the elderly, disabled, high school youth, everyone is at risk that attends....
Click here to read letter (pdf)
August 2008
5th Annual “Strong Arms for Children” Arm wrestling Competition
Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties Family Resource Center and Prevention Education Department are teaming up once again with Project Action, Reality Check and the HFM Prevention Council in conjunction with the Upstate NY Arm wrestling Group to host the 5th Annual “Strong Arms for Children” Arm wrestling Competition on Friday, August 29, 2008 at the Fonda Fairgrounds...
Click here to read letter (pdf)
July 2008
Rachel Truckenmiller
Wednesday, July 2, at the Amsterdam Mohawk baseball game was Project Action Night. Project Action, which is the Tobacco Free Coalition for Hamilton, Fulton and Montgomery Counties, organized the evening to increase public awareness about tobacco issues in our community...
Click here to read letter (pdf)
June 2008
Ann Brennan Rhodes, Executive Director
In 2007, more than half of everyday cigarette smokers stopped smoking for one day or longer in an attempt to quit smoking. Since New York State has increased the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.25, I encounter people everyday who are trying to quit smoking.
Click here to read letter (pdf)
May 30, 2008
Angie Dresser, RN MST
Get Mad About Ads
"What influences our children? Advertisements. Everyday we pass by advertisements, selling everything from milk to tobacco. While I don’t mind my school age child drinking milk, I do mind her using tobacco. "
Click here to read letter (pdf)
May 21, 2008
Dorean Page, Prevention Educator
Get Mad About Ads
"Your local tobacco coalitions are promoting a campaign to raise awareness about the tobacco companies' desperate push to get our youth interested in using their nasty products. It is called "Get Mad About Ads."
Click here to read letter (pdf)
April 2008
Carol Tomlinson, RN, BS, Community Health Educator
HealthLink LIttauer
Free way to Quit Smoking
"Over the past week I have heard a lot of people complaining about New York State passing an additional tax on tobacco products. Let me say, I am not fond of government adding taxes, but since it appears to be a “done deal” it occurred to me that smokers might want to know there is free and low cost help available to quit smoking. "
Click here to read letter (pdf)
March 2008
Sarah Kraemer
Health Before Profits
"Recently, three grocery stores chains in New York and New Jersey have decided to stop selling tobacco products. This is great news since tobacco causes one out of every three cancer deaths."
Click here to read letter (pdf)
February 2008
Suzanne Hagadorn
Cities need to pass tougher smoking laws
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, "there is no safe level of exposure" to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke causes many of the same diseases in non-smokers as smoking does to smokers.
Click here to read letter (pdf)
January 2008
Katryna Wells, Outreach Coordinator
Hamilton County Public Health Nursing Service
Resolution to Quit Smoking
Click here to read letter (pdf)
December 2007
Margaret B. Clark, Prevention Educator
HFM Prevention Council Coalition partner with Project Action
Why Smoke Free Housing?
Click here to read letter (pdf)
November 2007
Carol Tomlinson, RN
"A thanks to all those who participated in the 30th Annual Great American Smokeout"
Click here to read letter (pdf)
November 2007
Susan Arminio
Program Coordinator
Great American Smokeout
Click here to read article (pdf)
October 2007
Meg Doherty
"Express Support for the New York State Smokers’ Quitline"
Click here to read article (pdf)
September 2007
Dawnne Calkins, CASAC
St. Mary's Hospital at Amsterdam
Saving Lives, Saving Dollars
Click here to read article (pdf)
July 5, 2007
Susan Arminio
Program Coordinator
"5
th Annual Wilma E. Smith Memorial Race "
Click here to read article (pdf)
June 2007
Katryna Wells
Outreach Coordinator – Hamilton County Public Health Nursing Service
"Project Action Thanks Local Establishments"
Click here to read article (pdf)
May 2007
Christina D. Akey
Fulton County Public Health Educator
"Quit Smoking for your Baby and You"
Click here to read article (pdf)
March 30, 2007
Betsy Reksc, Prevention Educator
HFM Prevention Council
"The statistics are staggering above 40% of pregnant women smoke that live in Hamilton, Fulton and Montgomery Counties..."
Click here to read article (pdf)
February 14, 2007
Dorean Page, Hamilton County Prevention Educator
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council of Hamilton, Fulton, Montgomery Counties
"Through with Chew Week"
Click here to read article (pdf)
February 8, 2007
Ann Rhodes, Executive Director
HFM Prevention Council
"On Thursday, February 22, The Great American Spit Out will be recognized. This day is dedicated to supporting spit tobacco users who want to quit..."
Click here to read article (pdf)
February 2007
Carol Tomlinson, RN, Community Health Educator
HealthLink Littauer
"Just when you think you have seen it all they come up with a new twist. Last week R. J. Reynolds announced a feminized version of its macho Camel cigarettes, called Camel # 9..."
Click here to read article (pdf)