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Mayor Bowser puts the health of our kids ahead of the profits of Big Tobacco in her FY23 Budget

March 16, 2022

 

WASHINGTON, DC - Public health organizations, parents, and community leaders are praising Mayor Bowser for including funding for the Flavored Tobacco Product Prohibition Amendment Act of 2021 in her FY23 Budget released today. This landmark law protects DC kids from Big Tobacco, saves lives, and advances health equity by ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the District of Columbia.

"This law prioritizes investments in our youth over the profits of Big Tobacco," stated Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, Health Chair, NAACP-DC.

“The passage of this bill will protect DC kids and advance health equity. We thank Mayor Bowser for her leadership in funding this law,” proclaimed Liz Furgurson, DC Tobacco Free Coalition Chair.

The campaign to advance the funding of this bill is part of a multi-year effort thanks to the leadership of Councilmembers Cheh, Allen and Gray and the involvement of more than 75 organizations including DC Academy of Family Physicians, DC Federation of Civic Associations, Medical Society of DC, NAACP-DC.

“Funding this law aligns with the lauded and bold actions of the DC Government including holding tobacco companies accountable for creating a teen public health crisis and deceiving District residents about flavored tobacco,” proclaimed Dr. Federico Asch, president of the American Heart Association Greater Washington Region Board of Directors and cardiologist at MedStar Health.

“The American Lung Association applauds Mayor Bowser for including the funding to implement the law prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products within the District.  This is a huge victory for kids in the District and an important step in addressing the teen tobacco use epidemic.“, said Aleks Casper, Director of Advocacy, American Lung Association.

“ACS CAN thanks Mayor Bowser for including funding for the implementation of this law. This sends a loud and clear message that the health of all DC residents must be protected. The tobacco industry has aggressively targeted the District’s Black and Brown communities with menthol cigarettes for decades. Now, we are seeing Big Tobacco relentlessly target our youth with other flavored tobacco products. We must protect our kids from the aggressive and devious practices of Big Tobacco, and ensuring funding for this legislation will do just that,” said Jocelyn Collins, Washington, DC, Maryland and Delaware government relations director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)

We urge the DC Council to protect this funding throughout the budget process.

Flavors Hook Kids DC is a coalition of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, NAACP - DC Chapter and more than 70 public health and community organizations focused on protecting DC youth from Big Tobacco by ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products. Learn more about the Flavors Hook Kids DC campaign at flavorshookkidsdc.org.

 

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Media Contacts

Marc L. Kaplan
Senior Regional Media Advocacy Manager
Albany, NY