What are the Current Tobacco Laws

1. Smokefree Workplaces, Restaurants, and Bars.

2. Ban on Outdoor Tobacco Advertising and Promotion

3. Self-Service Display Ban

4. Illegal Sale of Tobacco to Minors

5. Ban on Free Distribution of Tobacco Products

6. Ban on Promotional Items in San Francisco Schools

7. Statewide Ban on All Joe Camel Advertisements

8. Moratorium on Sale of Tobacco Paraphernalia in Most Zoning Districts in San Francisco.

9. Ban on Cigarette and Tobacco Advertising on City and County Property

10. Ban on sales of single cigarettes

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   The History of the "Fabulous Forty"  

     The “Fabulous Forty” began in October 2000. It was organized by Community Advocate, Ernestine L. Daniel, who has since become the Project Coordinator of the San Francisco African American Tobacco Free Project.  40 African American religious leaders representing Bay Area churches, temples, and mosques were recruited to create and implement a joint resolution that:

1.       Documented the harm that tobacco products inflict on the African American community   

2.       Denounced the strategies and marketing practices of the tobacco industry 

3.       Pledged to not accept grants/funding/or sponsorship from the tobacco industry 

4.       Worked to convince the African American Press, newspapers, and magazines to do the same.

     Ernestine worked very hard to contact the religious leaders, and was dedicated to getting the leaders to join forces together. As Pastor Shad Riddick of the Metropolitan Baptist Church located at 1632 Newcomb Avenue in San Francisco stated, “Ms. Daniel was very, very persistent. She gave me great information about the tobacco industry and how they manipulate the African American people and communities.  The first meeting was held with Pastor E. Boyd, at Bethel AME Church in October 2000. Pastor Boyd, hosted Pastor Larry James, of the New Liberation Presbyterian Church, Pastor Calvin Jones Jr., of Providence Baptist Church, Pastor James McCray Jr., of Jones United Methodist Church, Imam Abu Qadir Al-Amin of the San Francisco Muslim Community Center. In the convening months many more followed, eventually the 40 religious leaders became known as the “Fabulous Forty."

   On February 16, 2001, the “Fabulous Forty” took a moral stand against the tobacco industry. The religious leaders signed a groundbreaking resolution denouncing the predatory activities of the tobacco industry, at a ceremony held at Bethel AME Church. These religious leaders and the institutions they represent have pledged not to accept any form of tobacco industry sponsorship or advertising. The “Fabulous Forty” received extensive media coverage.

   A follow-up resolution sponsored by Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, was passed by the Board of Supervisors of the City & County of San Francisco, commending the San Francisco African American Tobacco Free Project and the “Fabulous Forty” for their tireless efforts to free their community from the deadly grasp of nicotine addiction and their decision not to accept any funding from the tobacco industry.  

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Secondhand smoke is the tobacco smoke that is inhaled by non-smokers. The technical term is “Environmental Tobacco Smoke.” Sometimes shortened to its initials – ETS.

When a person lights up a cigarette, pipe or cigar in a room, secondhand tobacco smoke comes in from two sources. There’s “mainstream smoke” that enters the air when a smoker exhales. And there’s   “sidestream smoke” that goes directly into the air from the burning tobacco. A recent study showed that the sidestream smoke from a cigarette sitting in an ashtray can be even ‘more’ dangerous than the smoke that a smoker exhales.

Secondhand smoke has poisons in it and affects anyone who inhales it. But growing up in a Black community can make the risks of secondhand smoke even more serious.

by Ernestine Daniel

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The 2^nd Annual Intercambio Celebration from November 14^th-23rd 2002 was wonderful. Our buddies from Togo, Ghislain Aledji, and Senegal, Medard Bassene, were able to attend the National Tobacco Conference, held at the Hilton Hotel here in San Francisco. Our buddies had a full schedule of learning and networking with other tobacco control advocates, activists, lobbyists, and researchers. Each working group developed a joint action project that they will implement together. The SFAATFP and our buddies from Togo and Senegal, adopted a joint project entitled, “Une Vie C’est Une Vie/A Life Is A Life.”  This joint project will highlight the aggressive marketing practices targeted at developing nations, making the point that all life whether American or African is sacred and has the same value.

 The Project has (3) components:

1. To produce a joint Social Marketing ad/banner and a printed publication in French and English that will highlight our respective organizations and warn of the predatory tactics of the Multinational Tobacco Companies.

2. To produce a short video with footage from each of our countries denouncing the predatory activities of Multinational Tobacco Companies.

3. To produce a Music/Rap/Spoken word CD with tobacco control messages compiled  from the music of each of our countries.                                                                                                                   

                                                                        

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Anthony Holmes lives in the Bayview/Hunter’s Point. He has been with the SFAATFP for 18 months. Anthony has done a wonderful job giving presentations, researching information on the internet and representing the SFAATFP at local events.

He’s been able to outreach to the brothers and sisters in the Bayview/Hunter’s Point community. Anthony has given them concrete information, on how the tobacco industry manipulates our African American community.

Thanks Anthony, With Much Love!

Ernestine and Carol


                                                                        

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