April 2010


Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago's e-newsletter is published monthly and contains news of our happenings, program updates and links to lung health resources. 

This month's issue includes:

To receive our monthly e-newsletter, send an email to info@lungchicago.org.

Chicago Tobacco Prevention Project Launch

CTPP SpeakersThe Chicago Tobacco Prevention Project was announced last month, as Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago was awarded $11.5 million to reduce smoking rates and exposure to secondhand smoke. Chicago is one of 44 communities to receive federal stimulus funds to promote wellness under the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services.

View a video of our press conference here.
Read more about the project here.

 

 

Letter to the Editor: Smoking Cessation Coverage Saves Lives and Money!

On April 5, 2010, Dr. Robert Cohen submitted a letter to the editor of Chicago Tribune urging action on a bill that would require Illinois insurance companies to cover smoking cessation services and medications.

Cohen, a board member of Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago and chairman of pulmonary and critical care medicine for the Stroger Hospital of Cook County, argued that the bill would save lives by helping people quit smoking. And, he argued, it would save money by reducing the health care costs associated with tobacco use.

The Illinois House of Representatives recently passed a version of the bill, championed by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz. Voting on the Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Heather Steans, is expected soon. Passage of this law will make Illinois the third state to require comprehensive smoking cessation coverage.

Read Dr. Cohen's letter to the editor here.

E-cigarette Myths

E-cigarettes are devices that turn tobacco and other toxic chemicals into vapor. They have been advertised as being less harmful than cigarettes and as tools for smoking cessation, but there is no evidence to support these claims.

On April 1, the US Court of Appeals ruled that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may continue to block imports of e-cigarettes, due to the fact that the products pose "acute health risks" and contain a wide variety of cancer-causing chemicals. Individual states are now poised to pursue stricter regulations on the sale and promotion of e-cigarettes.

Myth 1: E-cigarettes are healthier than regular cigarettes.
Fact: Until the FDA studies and regulates e-cigarettes, there is no way of knowing how safe they are. E-cigarettes deliver tobacco and toxic chemicals just like cigarettes do. One FDA study found carcinogens and diethylene glycol (a chemical used in antifreeze) in samplings of e-cigarettes.

Myth 2: E-cigarettes are effective tools for smoking cessation.
Fact: FDA must study and regulate each smoking cessation tool before it is marketed as an effective quitting strategy. To date, the FDA has not studied e-cigarettes, so they are not approved for smoking cessation.

Myth 3: E-cigarettes have the same restrictions as regular cigarettes.
Fact: Currently, there are no age restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes. That means that children can purchase e-cigarettes. And companies produce e-cigarettes with candy and fruit flavors specifically targeted toward younger audiences.

Get Involved

Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered devices that turn nicotine and other toxic chemicals into vapor. Illinois Senate Bill 3174 restricts the sale of these harmful products until they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This bill has already passed in the Senate and will beup for debate in the House soon. Please send a letter to your State Representative asking him or her to support this legislation, which protects us from the unknown harms of these products.

Visit our Advocacy Action Center to send a letter to your representative now.