Breath Matters
The American Lung Association in California’s Monthly e-Newsletter
Fighting for Air
To automatically connect with your nearest American Lung Association, or to speak with a nurse or respiratory therapist at our free HelpLine, call 800.586.4872.
January 30, 2009 Number 168
Content:
- Monthly Health Tip: Get Your Flu Shot
- State Budget Crisis: Proposals Would Weaken Diesel Controls
- Landmark Secondhand Smoke Law Featured in New York Times
- State Earns Mixed Grades in Annual Tobacco Report Card
- Association’s Annual Report Highlights Accomplishments
- Secondhand Smoke Ruled Public Nuisance in Multi-Unit Housing
- Regional Program Director Wins Public Health Award
- Tobacco Control Advocate Talks About Third-Hand Smoke on KCBS
- Upcoming Events
- Researcher Studies Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury
- Show Your Heart
- Tell a Friend
1. MONTHLY HEALTH TIP: GET YOUR FLU SHOT
Protect yourself from influenza, also known as the flu, by getting your flu vaccination. To find a location nearest you, visit the American Lung Association’s www.flucliniclocator.org and enter your zip code in the Flu Clinic Locator box. You can also sign up to receive influenza updates on the latest news and information during flu season.
2. STATE BUDGET CRISIS: PROPOSALS WOULD WEAKEN DIESEL CONTROLS
The American Lung Association of California joined with other environmental and health advocates on January 27 to publicly urge the governor and legislature to reject any proposals that would weaken or delay key public health protections, including diesel pollution controls for trucks and construction equipment.
The association and others are concerned the Republican leadership is exploiting the budget crisis to weaken the California Environmental Quality Act. In addition, the Global Warming Solutions Act and new standards to reduce diesel pollution could also be on the chopping block.
To view a related statement, go to http://californialung.org/
For more information, contact Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.554.5864 or bhgen [at] alac [dot] org
3. LANDMARK SECONDHAND SMOKE LAW FEATURED IN NEW YORK TIMES
Belmont’s landmark secondhand smoke law was recently featured in The New York Times. The article included a quote from American Lung Association of California staffer Serena Chen, who helped secure the sweeping secondhand smoke protections.
Under the law, which went into effect January 9, smoking is allowed only in detached homes and yards, streets and some sidewalks, and in designated smoking areas outside. A major beneficiary of the new law is people living in multi-unit housing because they are now protected from secondhand smoke.
“I think Belmont broke through this invisible barrier in the sense that it addressed drifting smoke in housing as a public health issue,” Chen told The New York Times. “They simply said that secondhand smoke is no less dangerous when it’s in your bedroom than in your workplace.”
To read the complete article, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/
For more information, contact Chen at 510.893.5474 or schen [at] alac [dot] org, or Paul Knepprath at 916.554.5864 or pknepprath [at] alac [dot] org
4. STATE EARNS MIXED GRADES IN ANNUAL TOBACCO REPORT CARD
California’s tobacco control policies earned mixed grades in the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2008 report released January 13, which graded states and the District of Columbia on four key tobacco control policy areas. A statewide telephone news conference releasing the results garnered significant media coverage.
California earned an A grade for its smoke-free air laws; a D for its cigarette tax rate; an F for tobacco prevention and control program funding; and a D for coverage of cessation treatments and services.
The American Lung Association of California also released local grades for 297 cities and 30 of the 58 counties in California. The local grades cover three key policy areas, including: smoke-free outdoor air, smoke-free housing, and reducing sales of tobacco products.
For a related news release and complete report details, go to http://californialung.org/
For more information, contact Justin Garrett at 916.554.5864 or jgarrett [at] alac [dot] org
5. ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The American Lung Association of California published its Annual Report and 2009 wall calendar in December, which provides highlights and accomplishments from the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Each month includes a stunning photo of California’s natural wonders donated by nature photographer Don Anthrop and a feature about someone whose life has been touched by the American Lung Association.
The 2007-2008 Annual Report is available online at http://californialung.org/
If you prefer a hardcopy of the report/wall calendar, please contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444 or aweisser [at] alac [dot] org
6. SECONDHAND SMOKE RULED PUBLIC NUISANCE IN MULTI-UNIT HOUSING
The American Lung Association of California helped secure an important legal victory against secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing on January 12. The association filed an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief in support of a young girl’s claim that cigarette smoke in common areas of her apartment complex was a public nuisance (Birke v Oakwood).
According to attorneys representing the American Lung Association of California and the young girl, California’s Second District Court of Appeal has become the first court in the United States to rule an apartment tenant can sue her landlord for failing to restrict cigarette smoking in outdoor common areas like the swimming pool, playground or dining areas. The groundbreaking decision unanimously reversed a trial court ruling that dismissed the girl’s claim.
Go to http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/
For more information, contact Kimberly Weich Reusche at 916.554.5864 or kwreusche [at] alac [dot] org
7. REGIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR WINS PUBLIC HEALTH AWARD
Longtime American Lung Association of California staffer Donna Beal, MPH, CHES, has won this year’s Judith R. Miller Award from the American Public Health Association (APHA). Working out of the Santa Barbara office, she is the association’s regional program director.
The award is given in recognition of outstanding service to the health education profession and “takes into account extraordinary service to the field of public health or to the profession, in the way of leadership, that transcends our current criteria,” according to the APHA statement.
Beal received her master’s degree in Public Health at Tulane University and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). She has been with the American Lung Association for 13 years and her expertise in public health ranges from advocacy/policy work to implementation of best practice education programs. She is a Master Trainer for the American Lung Association and has extensive background in community mobilization and program implementation and design.
For more information, contact Beal at 805.963.1426 or dbeal [at] alac [dot] org
8. TOBACCO CONTROL ADVOCATE DISCUSSES THIRD-HAND SMOKE ON KCBS
Third-hand smoke is a poisonous sticky substance that ends up on smokers’ hands, clothes, and hair as well as on the surfaces of areas where they smoke. American Lung Association of California staffer Steven Gallegos recently appeared on KCBS news talking about the dangers of third-hand smoke.
Interest in the subject was sparked by an article in the January issue of Pediatrics about a study conducted at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston that focused on the risks third-hand smoke poses to infants and children. For a related article about the study, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/
In the KCBS interview, Gallegos explains that similar research had also been conducted in California thanks to funding from the Proposition 99 tobacco tax and the results were published in 2005.
For more information, contact Gallegos at 213.384.5864 or sgallegos [at] alac [dot] org
9. UPCOMING EVENTS:
- March 7, Lake Elsinore, SkyDive With Us, http://www.skydive4free.com/
charities/96-american-lung- association-of-california.php 714.835.5864, lrabenstein [at] alac [dot] org - March 28, San Francisco, Climb California, Stair Climb Event, www.climbcalifornia.org, 510.893.5474
- April 4, Bakersfield, Healthy Air Walk, www.healthyairwalk.org, 661.847.4700
- April 11, Stockton, Healthy Air Walk, www.healthyairwalk.org, 209.478.1888
- April 18, Los Angeles, Climb California, Stair Climb Event, www.climbcalifornia.org, 213.384.5864
- April 18, San Diego, Evening in the Sky, www.eveninginthesky.com, 619.297.3901
10. RESEACHER STUDIES TRANSFUSION-RELATED ACUTE LUNG INJURY
Acute lung injury is an often devastating syndrome caused by excessive inflammation. It has a number of causes, including the transfusion of blood products. Transfusion-related acute lung injury, known as TRALI, is the number one reported cause of death due to blood transfusions. A researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, is hoping to change that by finding ways to prevent TRALI.
Mark Looney, MD, is working with a mouse model that closely mimics the human condition. It is the first model of TRALI in a living animal, providing the best opportunity yet for understanding the underlying mechanisms of acute lung injury.
He is one of 13 researchers funded by the American Lung Association of California in 2008-2009. To learn more about the research program and other funded projects, go to http://www.californialung.org/
11. SHOW YOUR HEART Let someone special know you love them this Valentine’s Day with a special donation to the American Lung Association in his or her name. The American Lung Association is fighting for air – for you and your loved ones. To donate online, go to https://www.kintera.org/site/
12. TELL A FRIEND Forward this e-newsletter to friends, family and business contacts. Encourage them to subscribe for free at www.californialung.org Signing up is easy. Just enter your e-mail address in the green box on the lower right corner of the homepage under the words “Get free monthly lung health news.”
