WEEK 3: ACT NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR BREATH

It’s pretty scary…

In the year since our lawmakers failed to pass a comprehensive smokefree bill, another 16,000 of our Michigan kids became regular, daily smokers. Don’t let our lawmakers fall for tobacco industry “tricks.” The Legislature can give our kids a real “treat” this year by passing a comprehensive smokefree bill.

IT’S TIME TO ACT NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR BREATH!

This week, we want you to CALL your Senators and Representatives and tell them you want a comprehensive smokefree law NOW!

Teens who work in smokefree worksites are 25% less likely to smoke than those who work in places without smoking restrictions.

We want to hear from you. Once you've taken action visit our "Act Now or Forever Hold Your Breath" Campaign blog and leave a comment telling us what you've done!

Let’s have our kids collecting candy instead of cancer this year…

ACTION ALERT: ACT NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR BREATH

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at this picture:

Something is not right. Michigan is one of the “unlucky 13” states that still does not protect its residents from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Please email your legislators TODAY and tell them it’s time to pass a comprehensive smokefree bill.

Despite the ongoing budget battle, last week the Senate took action to pass the legislation allowing you to hang items from your review mirror. The vote prompted Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, to lament that the Senate spent time on "the fuzzy dice bill" when it could have devoted time to more substantial issues -- such as a comprehensive smokefree workplace law. We could not agree more!

Take Action Now or Forever Hold Your Breath!

Email your elected officials and tell them to stop "rolling the dice" with workers' health. Ask that they make the smokefree legislation the top priority instead of wasting time on frivolous legislation like "the fuzzy dice bill". We want to leave the other “dirty dozen” behind and pass a comprehensive smokefree bill today.

We want to hear from you. Once you’ve taken action visit our blog at http://campaignforsmokefreeair.wordpress.com/aignforsmokefreeair.wordpress.com/

Which issue do you think is more important to Michigan's residents?

ACTION ALERT: Save Tobacco Prevention and Cessation for Our State!

URGENT – URGENT – URGENT- URGENT

We need you to CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES to save tobacco prevention programs in our state. These programs keep kids from smoking and help people quit!

According to subscription only MIRS news, Andy Dillon has just proposed an increase in the Other Tobacco Products tax. This tax would generate $41 million in revenue for the state. Unfortunately, the revenue would not be used for tobacco prevention and cessation.

We need to contact Speaker Dillon, Governor, and Representatives and tell them to support these tobacco tax increases and use the money to restore the Healthy Michigan Fund tobacco prevention and cessation program. Our legislators need to hear from the public that people support tobacco taxes and the tobacco prevention program!

WHAT: Contact your Representative, as well as Speaker Dillon and Governor’s Office.

HOW: To find the contact information for your Senator and Representative visit the following links:
-House: http://www.house.mi.gov/find_a_rep.asp

Contact information for the Governor’s office: 517-373-3400
House Speaker Dillon 517-373-0857 andydillon@house.mi.gov

Pass this alert along to your networks and encourage them to take action.

WHEN: Immediately! There is no time to waste. Make these calls as soon as possible. Encourage people to keep calling until a final budget deal is in place.

MESSAGE:

1. Increase tobacco taxes and fund and restore the tobacco prevention and cessation program!

2. The Healthy Michigan Fund and the Tobacco Prevention Program are essential to the health and economy of our state.

3. Michigan ranks 46th among all states in funding for tobacco prevention and cessation.

4. You cannot solve the problem of chronic disease by eliminating prevention funding in favor of Medicaid.

TAKE ACTION TODAY!