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November/December 2006 |
Welcome
Lowering the rate of teen smoking in Indiana is a priority
Smoking is the most preventable disease in America today and the church and other members of the faith community need to set the example for a tobacco-free Indiana. |
The American Public Health Association, based in Washington, D.C., has honored the Hoosier Faith and Health Coalition with its Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Section's 2006 Community-Based Leadership Award. I flew to Boston Nov. 7 to receive the award on behalf of my faith-based and health-based colleagues here in Indiana as co-convener of the coalition.
For the past three years, I have worked with the HF&HC to lower the rate of teen smoking in Indiana from one-in-three teens to one-in-four teens, to maintain the funding of Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation agency of state government at $10.8 million and to increase the number of communities across Indiana establishing smoke-free workplace ordinances beginning with Indianapolis, an ordinance that took years to establish.
During its annual conference in June, the North Indiana Conference supported ITPC funding and smoke-free workplace ordinances.
So far as a coalition we have been successful more times than unsuccessful and the percentage of smokers in Indiana continues to decrease, however Indiana still has one of the highest incidents of tobacco use in the United States at 27 percent of adults. This means higher medical insurance premiums; higher costs for medical establishments, like our own United Methodist-related hospitals; and more tax dollars to pay for the cost of lower-income citizens with smoking-related diseases who are treated as welfare recipients.
On the average in Indiana, every day 27 Hoosiers die of tobacco-related illnesses.
Tobacco free
During the past three years, more than 70 United Methodist churches, groups and institutions have become involved in this struggle to make Indiana tobacco free. At the same time Philip Morris hypocritically preaches on TV commercials to parents to discourage their teens from smoking as it continues to pump cigarettes by the millions into grocery stores, convenience stores, huge retailers and mom-and-pop tobacco stands. Their primary target is young adults.
The help of our 1,260 United Methodist congregations across the state is needed to lower the rate of tobacco use, especially among teens. This month, HF&HC is joining with a wide-range of health organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, March of Dimes, Indiana Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and public health agencies in backing legislation to raise the cigarette tax in Indiana 50 cents to $1 a pack. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a $1 increase in Indiana's cigarette tax would on its own reduce youth smoking by 18 percent in Indiana. Research shows that most teens won't spend $4-$5 of their limited funds on a pack of cigarettes. Teens would rather spend that kind of money on clothes, cell phones, other electronics and gasoline.
The taxes raised by this increase hopefully will be earmarked for tobacco prevention and cessation, and for health care costs related to tobacco use. If the tax is approved by the members of the 2007 General Assembly, they will determine where the added revenue will be spent.
As Christians, we believe that the body is sacred (a temple) and needs to be respected. Tobacco has been proven time and time again to be harmful to the body. All three Abrahamic faith traditions (Jewish, Christian, Muslim) believe that we should not harm our own bodies for they are sacred. All three traditions today preach abstinence of tobacco use because it is harmful.
The United Methodist Church as stated in its Social Principles believes refraining from tobacco is both a standard of personal discipline and social responsibility. In light of the overwhelming evidence that the use of tobacco is hazardous to the health of people of all ages, as Christians, we have a social obligation to abstain from the use of tobacco because it is harmful to one's own body and to those who inhale passive smoke. We also have a social obligation to protect our public and workplaces from the deadly carcinogens given off by tobacco smoke.
The faith community needs to set the pace for the rest of the community, especially in issues of health and personal well-being. Smoking is the most preventable disease in America today and the church and other members of the faith community need to set the example for a tobacco-free Indiana.
Congregations are key to prevention
Congregations are the key to preventing and lessening smoking in Indiana. Pastors and their congregations need to set the pace in assisting their city and county councils in preventing workplace smoking, lessening teen smoking and assisting smokers to kick the deadly habit, thus improving the health and well-being of Hoosiers.
If your congregation has not done so, the Hoosier Faith & Health Coalition needs your help in signing the coalition's three-fold resolution. Presenting the General Assembly with more than 500 signatures of congregations in Indiana will have a profound affect upon raising a cigarette tax to prevent teen smoking and in maintaining or surpassing current funds to support the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation agency.
For a copy of the resolution to sign and fax, log on to www.inareaumc.org and click on Anti-smoking Campaign on the homepage.
Thank you for your support in making Indiana tobacco free.
- Daniel R. Gangler
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008