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Breath Matters
The American Lung Association of California’s Monthly e-Newsletter
Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
To automatically connect with your nearest American Lung Association, or to speak with a nurse or respiratory therapist at our free HelpLine, call 800.LUNG.USA (800.586.4872).
March 31, 2004 Number 110
Content:
SAN FRANCISCO ADOPTS GREENHOUSE GAS RESOLUTION
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a Greenhouse Gas Resolution earlier this month presented by the American Lung Association of San Francisco & San Mateo Counties. The resolution calls for cleaner transportation to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming and threaten our health. It recognizes passenger cars and light trucks as the largest source of global warming pollution in California and urges the state Air Resources Board to adopt the strongest regulations to reduce the emissions from motor vehicles.
The association is now working with Contra Costa County to pass the resolution, which also designates May as the American Lung Association's Clean Air Month. The resolution is part of the Clean Fleets Program, funded by a grant from the Energy Foundation.
For more information contact Linda Weiner at 650.994.5864 or lweiner [at] alasfsm [dot] org or Vandana Bali at 415.775.1065 or vbali [at] alac [dot] org.
SAN DIEGO SURVEY FINDS HIGH RATE OF ILLEGAL TOBACCO SALES TO MINOR
A large-scale survey of San Diego area retail stores that sell tobacco found that more than 33 percent sold tobacco products to minors, a rate almost three times that of recent state-sponsored surveys. The American Lung Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties coordinated the survey effort, which included 10 community agencies, 62 youth volunteers, and 31 adults who teamed up to survey 864 tobacco retailers over two months.
The survey results were announced at a news conference with six television crews, the San Diego Union Tribune and KPBS radio station covering the event. The survey results will be used to garner support for adopting the Tobacco-Free Community Model Ordinance, which includes tobacco retailer licensing and other provisions aimed at reducing youth access to tobacco.
For more information, contact Debra Kelley at 619.297.3901 or debbie [at] lungsandiego [dot] org.
STATE AIR BOARD PASSES REGULATIONS TO END DIESEL EMISSION DEFEAT DEVICES
The American Lung Association of California joined other groups in successfully urging the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to adopt a measure requiring diesel software upgrades that will reduce smog and particulate-forming nitrogen oxide emissions from most heavy-duty diesel trucks, buses, and recreational vehicles built between 1993 and 1999. The regulation is the result of a legal settlement between CARB, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the nation's six biggest diesel manufacturers after it was discovered that between 1993 and 1998 they had equipped their engines with software allowing them to exceed federal and state emission standards.
For more information, contact Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.442.4446 or bhgen [at] alac [dot] org.
LUNGS ARE FOR LIFE CROSSWORD PUZZLE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY
In an effort to have all materials available electronically, the American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties has produced an electronic version of its Lungs are for Life crossword puzzle for fifth-graders. The American Lung Association's Lungs are for Life program is a fourth, fifth and sixth-grade school curriculum that teaches about the lungs and ways to keep them healthy, including not smoking and reducing air pollution. The crossword puzzle includes questions about tobacco use.
For more information or an electronic version of the crossword puzzle, contact Donna Pearson-Beal at 805.963.1426 or donna [at] lungsbvc [dot] org.
CMA HOUSE OF DELEGATES ADOPTS IMPORTANT LUNG HEALTH POLICIES
The California Medical Association's (CMA) House of Delegates passed two important lung health resolutions thanks to the efforts of the California Thoracic Society's delegate Tom Addison, MD.
One resolution supports legislative efforts to authorize the possession and self-administration of inhaled asthma medications in all public schools by children with asthma, provided there is written authorization from the child's parent or guardian and a written authorization from the healthcare provider documenting that the child has the skills necessary to self-administer the medication.
Also passed was a resolution that calls on the CMA to urge the California Air Resources Board to expeditiously and without delay adopt and implement the strongest possible regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles under the Assembly Bill AB 1493 (Pavley, D-Agoura Hills).
For more information, contact Colleen Richardson at 714.730.1944 or cts [at] aol [dot] com.
TOBACCO WALKS THE PLANK IN ŒPIRATES
A virtually smoke-free slate of Best Actor Oscar nominees earned Pink Lung Awards in the ninth annual Hackademy Awards, sponsored by the American Lung Association of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down! (TUTD) project. However, three of the five nominees for Best Actress received Hackademy Awards for their heavy tobacco use.
Teen reviewers with TUTD also gave Best Picture nominees a Gray Lung, because while they were not deserving of an Hackademy, they did contain more than 25 instances of smoking.
The annual TUTD Report was also issued and reflected a dismal year with 80 percent of PG-13 movies featuring tobacco use. In addition, 74 percent of movies depicting tobacco use included pro-tobacco messages.
For more information, contact Shelley Mitchell at 916.444.5864 or smitchell [at] saclung [dot] org.
DONATE TO RESEARCH FUND: APRIL 15 TAX DEADLINE IS TWO WEEKS AWAY
You're running out of time to do your taxes and support asthma and lung disease research. Donate to the Asthma and Lung Disease Research Fund under Contributions on the 2003 California state tax return and support the American Lung Association of California's research program. To see where the fund is located, click on any version of the California 540 income tax form at http://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/.
For more information and materials to help spread the word about this important opportunity to raise much-needed funds for research, visit http://www.californialung.org/research/fund.html.
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