Breath Matters Monthly e-Newsletter

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Current Issue:

Breath Matters
The American Lung Association of California's Monthly e-Newsletter
February 28, 2006 Number 133
http://www.californialung.org

Content:

If You Have Lung Cancer, We Can Help
Association Calls for Stronger Particle Pollution Standards
Smoke-Free Transit Stops Gaining Popularity
Health Network Supports Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas
Regina Stevens Awarded Nationwide Volunteer of the Week
Advocates Score Smoke-Free Housing Success
Calabasas Passes Landmark Local Smoking Ordinance
Researcher Hopes to Reduce Organ Rejection for Lung Recipients
Are You Part of an Asthma Walk Team?
Tell a Friend

IF YOU HAVE LUNG CANCER, WE CAN HELP

For help with lung cancer treatment decisions, visit
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=38494

ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR STRONGER PARTICLE POLLUTION STANDARDS

The American Lung Association of California is advocating for tougher federal particle pollution (PM) standards because the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current proposal falls far short of what is necessary to protect public health. Association representatives, including youth ambassador Jonah Ramirez, will encourage air regulators to strengthen the standards at a March 8 hearing in San Francisco, one of three cities in the U.S. where hearings are scheduled.

The association’s Health Network for Clean Air has launched an e-petition and is hoping to collect 200 signatures by March 8. Health professionals are encouraged to sign on and let the EPA know air quality standards must protect public health at http://lungaction.org/campaign/epapmstandards

The EPA’s proposal is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to tighten federal air standards, which drive state and local air quality plans and regulations.

The agency reviewed more than 2,000 studies showing the tiny particles threaten the lives of thousands of Americans each year. Based on overwhelming evidence of death and disease caused by exposure to soot and other particles, the American Lung Association, the EPA’s own staff scientists, and the agency’s independent scientific review panel called for much tighter limits.

For more information, contact Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.442.4446 or bhgen@alac.org or Linda Weiner at 415.282.8871 or linwiner@earthlink.net.

SMOKE-FREE TRANSIT STOPS GAINING POPULARITY

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (SDMTS) recently voted to make all transit and bus stops smoke-free, a first for Southern California. The American Lung Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, part of the Tobacco-Free Communities Coalition, advocated for the measure, especially in light of the California Air Resources Board’s recent action designating secondhand smoke as a toxic air contaminant.

SDMTS is the largest public transit system to opt for smoke-free bus stops. Northern California cities, including Berkeley, Palo Alto and San Mateo, already enjoy smoke-free stops.

For more information, contact Debbie Kelley at 619.297.3901 or Debbie@lungsandiego.org.

HEALTH NETWORK SUPPORTS PLAN TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS

The American Lung Association of California and its Health Network for Clean Air are urging lawmakers to implement key recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California. Physicians, nurses and other health professionals joined the association in testifying at hearings, writing letters and signing a petition in support of the Climate Action Team’s plan to meet aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets set by Governor Schwarzenegger last June.

California already has some of the most polluted air in the nation and higher temperatures from global warming are expected to make it worse. The new recommendations include mandatory emissions reporting by all industry sectors so the state can track progress and a public goods charge for transportation to fund key strategies to reduce emissions. Advocates are also calling for a statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions to spur progress toward reduction targets.

For more information, contact Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.442.4446 or bhgen@alac.org.

REGINA STEVENS AWARDED NATIONWIDE VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK

Regina Stevens, volunteer for the American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, was recently awarded nationwide Volunteer of the Week. She runs the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura and is an “irreplaceable” volunteer.

She hosts Better Breathers Club lung disease support group meetings and is a major supporter of Camp Wheez, the association’s summer camp for kids with asthma. She has also been working with the association to provide asthma education to childcare providers.

Regina is not only a tireless volunteer, she is also an enthusiastic fundraiser for the organization.

Visit http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=1160311&tr=y&auid=1408300 for more information.

ADVOCATES SCORE SMOKE-FREE HOUSING SUCCESS

Tobacco control advocates scored a smoke-free housing success recently when the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee recognized the need for affordable housing projects to provide smoke-free units. Representatives from the American Lung Association of California’s Center for Tobacco Policy and Organizing as well as East Bay’s RESPECT project wrote letters and testified at hearings on behalf of the proposal to give tax credits for smoke-free units.

On January 18, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee voted to add one point to affordable housing projects that promise to make half the units smoke-free.

For more information, contact Dian Kiser at 916.739.8925 or respect@jps.net.

CALABASAS PASSES LANDMARK LOCAL SMOKING ORDINANCE

The city of Calabasas has passed a landmark local ordinance banning smoking both indoors and outdoors in all public places where people congregate. The comprehensive ban could be the strongest in the nation and expands on existing statewide laws that prohibit smoking in workplaces, including bars and restaurants.

The American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties joined other health groups in supporting the new ordinance, which was passed on first reading and was championed by Mayor Barry Groveman. The Council is also looking at banning smoking on balconies in multi-unit housing and in cars when children are present.

For more information, contact Jayne Brechwald at 805.963.1426 or jayne@lungsbvc.org.

RESEARCHER HOPES TO REDUCE ORGAN REJECTION FOR LUNG RECIPIENTS

Preventing organ rejection is a major challenge in transplant medicine, especially for lung transplants. That’s why Roland Nador, MD, a researcher at Stanford University Medical Center, is hoping his project will help reduce the risk of rejection.

He is studying a combination of selective radiation treatment, injection of a substance that depletes immune cells, and bone marrow cell infusion from the organ donor to see if it can successfully reduce organ rejection after a lung transplant.

Dr. Nador was one of 17 researchers who received funding last year through the American Lung Association’s research program, which granted nearly $1 million to lung disease research in fiscal year 2005-2006. For information about funded projects, visit http://californialung.org/research/research.html

ARE YOU PART OF AN ASTHMA WALK TEAM?

Spring Asthma Walks are right around the corner. Be part of a team and join an asthma walk near you. Visit http://www.californialung.org/press/030925asthma.html

TELL A FRIEND

Forward this e-newsletter to friends, family and business contacts. Encourage them to subscribe for free at
http://www.californialung.org. Signing up is easy. Just enter your e-mail address at the upper left corner of the Web site homepage below the logo.

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