By Karen Stokes The 2023 released “State of Tobacco Control” evaluates state and federal policies on actions taken to eliminate tobacco use and recommends proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies to save lives. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in America and takes the lives of 7,850 Wisconsin residents each […]
EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED, THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS PAGE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MADISON TIMES
Black Health: Going Up In Smoke
Legislatively Speaking By Senator Lena C. Taylor I grew up in a period when smoking was cool and common. Cigarettes were accessible and encouraged. Models were often depicted with the thin tobacco stem, positioned perfectly between two fingers. Factory workers labored openly with a “square” balanced evenly on their lips. No matter the race, socioeconomic […]
No Menthol Sunday Kickoff: Panel Discusses Effects of Menthol Cigarettes on the Black Community
By Karen Stokes On Friday, April 22, 2022, Attorney Sharon Eubanks, Carol McGruder, co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and Mark Meaney, the Deputy Director of Commercial Tobacco Control Law and Policy at the Public Health Law Center led a virtual panel discussion as part of the No Menthol Sunday kickoff. […]
No Menthol Sunday: Shyquetta McElroy Talks Smoking, Quitting and Poetry
By Ana Martinez-Ortiz The first time Shyquetta McElroy puffed on a cigarette, she was 12 and had just lit it for her mom. She did not like it, but nearly a decade later, she tried again. For 11 years, McElroy smoked on and off. This past January, McElroy quit smoking for good and instead picked […]
No Menthol Sunday Goes Virtual for 2020
By Ana Martinez-Ortiz La’Ketta Caldwell knew she had to be a part of No Menthol Sunday. As a youth development professional and an artist, Caldwell viewed the opportunity as a chance to positively impact her community, especially the youth. For her part in last Sunday’s statewide day of observance, Caldwell recited her poem, “Awaken.” “The […]
The Next Steps in Wisconsin’s Plan for Clean Air
By Ana Martinez-Ortiz In the summer heat and humidity, it’s not always easy to catch a deep breath. However, when one finally gets an opportunity to inhale, there’s a good chance that it is smoke free air. Nine years ago, on July 5, 2010, Wisconsin implemented its Smoke Free Air law. The law advocated for […]
Milwaukee Health Department Plans to Address Tobacco Disparities
By Ana Martinez-Ortiz When it comes to tobacco, most people know at least one person in his or her life who smokes. In Wisconsin, the state average reaches 16 percent, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Last week, the Wisconsin African-American Tobacco Prevention Network (WAATPN) and the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network […]
As we Reflect on the Legacy of African-Americans this Month, Let’s not Forget to Talk about Menthol
By Jeff Engelmann and Delores Green As we celebrate Black History Month, there are many notable achievements our state can be proud of. We elected Mandela Barnes, the first African-American Lieutenant Governor in our state. On Jan. 7, 2019, 19-year-old college student Kalan Haywood became the youngest state legislator in Wisconsin, and perhaps, the nation. […]
Local Teens Celebrate Fifth Anniversary of Wisconsin Law Barring Indoor Smoking
by Edgar Mendez Milwaukee, WI — With the sun shining down on their smiling faces and a gentle breeze keeping them cool, members of FACT, Wisconsin’s youth-led tobacco prevention movement, gathered recently in front of Atkinson Library, 1960 W. Atkinson Ave., to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the enactment of Wisconsin’s indoor smoking law. The […]