On the Trail of Merlin

by Carol McGruder

Whenever I tell people that I am the Project Director of the San Francisco African American Tobacco Free Project they seem to take a step back and conjure up an image of me as a one woman temperance band complete with a big bass drum, always on the ready to corner some unsuspecting smoker and proselytize about the evils of smoking and tobacco. They needn't worry because tobacco control advocates don't waste their time chasing smokers, we view smokers as helpless puppets, the vast majority of whom were suckered in and addicted long before they knew what hit them. No, we don't waste time with individual smokers, we have set our sights on the mighty Tobacco Industry, we are after Magical Merlin, ever elusive with magic mirrors, deep pockets, and friends in very high places. We have been hot on his trail this year, and it has been very exciting indeed.

1997 has seen many advances, the media has been full of daily reports and articles on tobacco related issues. On the local front, the city of San Francisco was victorious in a small lawsuit against the Tobacco Industry and is in the final stages of working out an all but total ban on outdoor cigarette advertising.

Hopefully, this time next year I will be reporting that San Francisco has also divested all city and county retirement funds from tobacco stock.

Nationally the so-called "Global Settlement" has captured headlines far and wide. Even though this settlement was submitted to Clinton and is now before Congress for final tweaking and approval, it is far from over. The proposed settlement would allow the Tobacco Industry to buy immunity from future lawsuits (which is what brought it to the bargaining table in the first place) for a mere 300-400 billion dollars. To the average person that sounds like a lot of money but the Tobacco Industry won't even flinch when it writes the check. Especially, if Congress finds a better way to hide the 50 billion dollar tax credit that magically passed both houses and the White House without having a sponsor- never doubt the power of Merlin. The tax credit which was a done deal, was rescinded after it was shamelessly exposed by the press. Along with purchasing immunity in the US, the Tobacco Industry would also literally have the world as its' oyster because it refused to negotiate international issues and has no intention of being held to US standards when it descends on the poor unfortunate masses in developing countries. As America moves to protect her own young, children and youth of developing countries will be free game if they happen to be African, Asian, or East European for that matter.

If the Global Settlement is accepted as is, it will be a classic example of winning the battle and losing the war. The US is a microcosm for the rest of the world. Just as America's poor and people of color bear the brunt of smoking related death and disability, so will developing countries who lack the resources to fight the Tobacco Industry and its big bag of tricks. Nobody's said it-but I will, who needs imperialism, wars, or plagues when you can get people of color to pay for their own destruction (and make a handsome profit at it too!) ? We urge African Americans to get involved and put the issues of tobacco and smoking in the political context that it belongs, in the meantime I'll keep thumping that drum.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a poisonous chemical that is inhaled in cigarette smoke. It constricts blood vessels. Nicotine is also used in insecticides.

Bidis (or Beedies)

Bidis are cigarettes which are manufactured and smoked in India and have become a trend in the U.S.. In India they sell for about 7 cents a pack and are smoked by the very poor. Here, bidis are generally smoked by teenagers and those in the 18 to 24 age group. The small cigarettes are wrapped in leaves and resemble marijuana joints. Bidis are of great concern to those in Tobacco Control because they appeal to youth and also because they contain eight times the amount of nicotine found in American cigarettes.

If You've Got Some Tobacco Lingo You Want to Share Send It In.

SF African American Tobacco Free Project
Carol McGruder, Project Director
Lisa Manning, Project Coordinator
185 Berry Street, Suite #4300
San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: (415) 777-3229
FAX: (415) 512-9625
e-mail: tobacco@polarisinc.com

75% of Bar Patrons Don't Smoke?

86% of Bar Patrons in California would stay in a bar the same amount of time or longer if the bar were smoke free?

76% of California bargoers are bothered by second hand smoke in bars?

These statistics were compiled in a 1997 study by the Field Institute and are available through a brochure created by BREATH. The brochure is called Important Information About a New Law Affecting California's Restaurants and Bars.

   Smoke Free Bars

The new law requiring smoke free bars was the main topic of discussion at the Tobacco Free Coalition meeting on Wednesday, December 17th. The good news is that Coalition members who have made rounds to the bars are finding that most barowners are expecting an uneventful transition on January 1, 1998. During his bar visits, coalition member Bob Gordon gives each barowner a Transition Kit, which is a folder of helpful information he created to ease the transition to Smoke Free Bars. The Coalition is also using the visits to check compliance with the ban on self-service displays of cigarettes. Health educators will be responsible for enforcement of the law and will spend the first three months educating bar employees.

In spite of the optimism, the Coalition will be on guard for media attention and backlash against the new law requiring Smoke Free Bars (Labor Section 6404.5). The Coalition is anticipating great resistance to the law by smokers who feel that bars are the last of their territory. There is already a petition to repeal the law. In response, the Coalition is planning to be squeakier than the smokers groups when it comes to the public ear.

At the end of the meeting members watched a video designed to educate bar employees about the new law. The video emphasized California's tourism industry and how, based on surveys, it will not be negatively affected by the new law. On the homefront, some bartenders are expecting business to improve due to Labor Section Code 6404.5.

   Advocate of the Month:
                   Laura Jones

The SFAATFP would like to congratulate Laura Jones as Advocate of the Month. Laura Jones came to the SFAATFP through the San Francisco African American Historical and Cultural Society.

Laura Jones is 10 years old and in the 5th grade. She was very active in the Tobacco Advocacy Institute, creating two of the four bookmarks produced, attending every meeting and participating in the Showcase at Booker T. Washington Community Center.

Laura was a very dedicated and enthusiastic member of the Tobacco Advocacy Institute and is known at the SFAA Historical and Cultural Society as a computer whiz!

The SFAATFP along with the rest of the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project is entering a very exciting period. we are in the last six months of a tow year contract and are ready to complete our research and diagnosis so that we can begin our Global Framework Actions. The SFAATFP couldn't do it wihout

the help of our new Intern/Advocates. Carol and I are very impressed with our three 8th graders. They're smart enthusiastic and have already given us ideas we can use.

Keep reading us (and working with us) in the new year for a close-up view of Tobacco Control.

We pay $15.00 for any photographs, articles, or letters that we publish, so please send 'em in!

Sincerely,

Lisa Manning,
Project Coordinator