Page 40 - May 24 Issue.indd

Tips, Classes and
H ealth C orner Programs to help

you live healthier!

successes, challenges, and common • Menthol reduces the harshness
questions, along with announcements, and can make smoking easier to
sermons, presentations and social start and harder to quit.

media graphics. The end goal is to create
• People that smoke menthols
healthy, tobacco free communities.
report a higher number of quit
No Menthol Sunday 2024 attempts but less success.
The community looks up to their faith

By Heather Grove, BSN, RN based leaders and places a lot of trust • Maryland’s Quitline,
in their messages. No Menthol Sunday 1-800-QUIT-NOW is a free
Each year the Center for Black Health
is a chance for faith based leaders to resource to help individuals quit.
& Equity encourages faith leaders
take actionable steps to protect their

and communities to participate in • The tobacco industry has
communities from the predatory
No Menthol Sunday. No Menthol engaged in predatory marketing
tactics of the tobacco industry and
Sunday is a call to action highlighting for years and some populations,
connect those struggling with tobacco
the detrimental impact tobacco has such as Black folks and youth, are
addictions to resources to help them

on Black communities. This year, No more likely to be impacted.
quit.
Menthol Sunday will take place on • A menthol ban would
Sunday, May 19. No Menthol Sunday is an opportunity reduce youth access and
for transparent conversations about experimentation, increase quit
We encourage all local faith leaders to
tobacco and a time to commit attempts, and help address
get involved. One of the goals of the
to creating safe and supportive tobacco-related disparities.
campaign is to engage faith leaders to
environments for people who smoke
provide education to members of their • A menthol ban would prohibit
to begin a new quit journey. Genuine
congregations about smoking, vaping, people from manufacturing,
support and encouragement from
and the role menthol plays in initiating distributing, and selling
faith based leaders and connection to
and maintaining tobacco addiction. menthols. Individuals would not
cessation resources can make a huge
be criminalized or get in trouble
difference in quit attempts.

This year is the 10th anniversary and for possessing or using menthols.
the theme is “Rooted in Power: A Enforcement would be on
In addition to the tool kit, here are
Decade of Determination.” manufacturers, distributors, and
some facts about menthol to get the
retailers.
conversation started:
The Center for Black Health and Equity

• Our community - which includes
has a free toolkit available online • Cigarette smoking is the #1
our families, our kids, our
at https://www.nomentholsunday. preventable cause of death in the
neighbors, and members of our
org/. Th e toolkit highlights previous US.
congregations are all aff ected
by tobacco, some directly, some
indirectly.
We have the power this Menthol
DOT/CDL
Sunday to persist towards a tobacco
free world.
MEDICAL EXAMS
Complying with New
Government Requirements
FMCSA Certified Physician
Prompt C.E. Jensen, MD
Service Competitive
Price 410-924-8560
Evenings and Saturdays by appointment
40