Licensing Fees

Tobacco sales make up 20 to 60 percent of total sales for independently owned and franchised stores in the United States.1 Independently owned and franchised stores also receive incentives from tobacco companies for advertisements. Retailers are allowed to buy tobacco products from wholesalers at a discount in exchange for prime positioning of tobacco ads. Annually in the District, tobacco retailers pay $15 for a licensing fee and wholesalers pay $50. Mautner Project and SmokeLess LGBT DC believe that the licensing fee should be raised to $200 for retailers and $350 for wholesalers. The revenue that is created would allow the creation of culturally competent cessation groups and social media campaigns to promote cessation.

References:

1 Feighery E, Ribisi K, Achabal D and Tyebjee T. Retail Trade Incentives: How Tobacco Industry Practices Compare with those of Other Industries. American Journal of Public Health. 89(10): 1564-1566.

SmokeLess LGBT DC One Time Smoking Cessation Class!

Want more information about quitting smoking? Are you ready to quit but can’t commit to a 7-Week Course?

Mautner Project and the DC Center have the perfect opportunity for you. A one night only class! This class will give you the group session that you want and the quit materials that you need! Get connected with the DC Quit Line and come together with other smokers who can help you on your quit journey. For more information, contact Riana at 202.332.5536 or rbuford@mautnerproject.org.

The class will be held Monday, March 5, 2012 at 6:30 PM at the Mautner Project offices. 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 710. Please contact Riana to RSVP!

Also, join your voice with ours! Sign up to be a member of SmokeLess LGBT DC and help in the fight against tobacco in the District! Go to http://smokeless.mautnerproject.org/ or email Riana with your name, email address, and state (if you live in the District, also send your ward number).

A New Year: Quitlines, targeted campaigns and the LGBT community

Check out this article from our friends at LGBT Tobacco Control Network!

Smoking Cessation Classes

Are you conflicted about smoking? Have you tried to quit in the past and gone back to smoking after a few weeks or months?

Stop by the DC Center. We’ve helped many other LGBT people quit, and we’ll be starting up a new round of quit smoking classes. These small group classes will run from 7-8 pm on Thursday nights starting Jan 12th.

For more information, email justin@thedccenter.org or Rbuford@mautnerproject.org

Flavored Cigars

Have you read this article from the Huffington Post about Flavored Cigars in Maryland? Check it out!  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-greenberg/teen-smoking-cigars_b_1100950.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl8|sec3_lnk2|113908

Clearing the Smoke

Clearing the Smoke

Join The George Washington Cancer Institute, The DC Center for the LGBT Community and Mautner Project as we present Clearing the Smoke a town hall style meeting to discuss tobacco in the DC area.   Monday, November 28, 2011 from 7pm- 8:30pm at the DC Center-1318 U Street Northwest Washington, D.C.  Topics will include: Tobacco and AIDS, Tobacco and Minority populations, and a briefing on tobacco policy in D.C.

For more information, please call (202) 682-2245

Little Cigars

Little cigars are a favorite among youth between the ages of 12-17. Because they are often purchased as “singles,” the surgeon’s general warning of the negative health effects are not on the product packaging.

Little cigars and cigarillos are currently not subject to regulation by the FDA.

At 100- 200 mg of nicotine, little cigars contain more nicotine than cigarettes which contain 8.5 mg. Unlike cigars, little cigars are inhaled, exposing the smoker to even more direct risk of nicotine exposure.

National Latino Tobacco Control Network and Legacy Foundation held a meeting to discuss new tobacco products on February 7, 2011 in which local and national tobacco control advocates participated. Legacy presented information on the tobacco industry’s emerging products and the implications of these products on communities of color, as well as low socio-economic status (low SES) groups, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities.

To read the entire report, click here!

Smoke-Free DC?

Without debate, without public input, the DC Council just created a hole in the city’s smoke-free laws. In mid-June, while drafting the Budget Support Act of 2011 (BSA), language was inserted that would allow hotels across the city a one-time exemption from the smoking ban. Councilmember Phil Mendelson stood up for the health of people across DC, unfortunately, his was the lone voice speaking out to ensure the laws that were in place were protected.

Less than a week later, the DC Council tried to “fix” the law by creating a tighter limitation on which hotels were allowed to apply for an exemption. Sadly, they’re ignoring the real solution, which is to remove the law completely.

The smoke-free laws were created to protect the public from the dangers of second-hand smoke, and have been in place since 2007. A large number of HIV/AIDS and LGBT organizations endorsed the original smoke-free workplace legislation. Endorsers of the original smoke-free workplace legislation included: The Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance, the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, Mautner Project, The National Coalition for LGBT Health, AQUA-DC (Asians Queers United for Action), and Whitman-Walker Clinic. Establishments that supported the legislation included Cafe Luna and Skewers, and the Duplex Diner.

These laws protect the health of people in bars, restaurants, office buildings, and hotels. The effects of second-hand smoke are well-known and documented. Supporters suggest that since it’s only one time, it can’t be that bad. Ask yourself, would you be interested in going to a hospital that had a one-day exemption from hygiene? What about a restaurant that had a one-day exemption from their food safety regulations?

This bill is hurts the health of people across the District. Not just people attending the event will be exposed to second-hand smoke, but other people staying at the hotel and the employees of the hotel will be exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. They didn’t ask for an exemption to the law. The DC Council shouldn’t have created one.

–Justin Johns

The DC Center for the LGBT Community

Menthol Cigarettes

Although all flavored cigarettes were banned in 2009, menthol cigarettes were left out of the ban. Because of their minty flavoring, these cigarettes are more addictive than non-menthol. The flavor takes away from the harshness of smoking and makes smoking easier especially for first time users. This fact is especially detrimental to the youth demographic as youth, especially black youth, smoke menthol cigarettes at greater numbers than non menthol. According to the Center for American Progress, more than 80 percent of all Black youth smokers use menthol and more than 70 percent of gay and transgender youth smoke menthol cigarettes.

It is also reported that the FDA is considering a ban on the sale and distribution of menthol cigarettes in the United States. This measure could save lives and cut smoking-related health problems experienced by African Americans as well as the LGBT community. To learn more about the possible menthol ban, log on to the center for American Progress’ website at www.americanprogress.org.

Smoking Cessation Classes

The DC Center is providing FREE quit-smoking classes. The classes take place on Tuesdays from 6 – 7 pm, starting July 12th. The classes run for 7 weeks (through August 23rd). These LGBT-friendly classes provide a more effective way for people to quit smoking. People can register for the class by stopping by the DC Center (1318 U Street NW – U. Street Metro Station), by emailing readytoquit@thedccenter.org, or by calling (202) 682-2245. The event is also listed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=212694112099952.