Release Date: August 19, 2008
Contact: Christine Patmon, Metro Health Public Relations Manager, 207-8638
Tobacco Coalition Teams Up with Missions for Official Kickoff
August 22 home game to feature PSAs, educational booths and giveaways
“Tobacco is foul” and “Yes You Can” will be the rallying cries at the August 22 San Antonio Missions home game during the official launch of the San Antonio Tobacco Prevention and Control Coalition (SA-TPCC). The coalition is teaming up with the Missions as it begins its community-wide goal of preventing and reducing tobacco use.
Fans attending Friday night’s 7:00 p.m. game at Nelson Wolff Stadium,
5757 W US Highway 90, will hear anti-smoking messages and learn how they can quit tobacco while watching the Missions faceoff against the Frisco RoughRiders. Dr. Bryan Alsip, assistant director of Metro Health, will throw the opening pitch.
“Metro Health and the coalition are excited to team up with the Missions to introduce this coalition to our community,” said Dr. Alsip. “Minor league baseball serves its fans well with its ban against tobacco use because aspiring young players look up to players as role models. That means the policy has a positive effect on helping prevent tobacco use among young people. It is our hope that all role models, and particularly parents, will follow that lead as well.”
Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death in the United States and costs the nation billions of dollars in health-related costs and mortality-related
economic losses. In Texas alone, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of 24,100
people each year, making the product more deadly than AIDS, cocaine, motor vehicle accidents, fires, and several other causes of death, combined.
“Many people do not think about the emotional and financial impact smoking also has on families. Quitting for the benefit of your family can be a major call to action as the coalition moves forward,” added Dr. Alsip. “Also, of great concern is the number of middle school students in our community, particularly girls, who have recently started smoking. Prevention will be a key goal for our young people.”
Earlier this year, Metro Health successfully applied for a state grant to prevent and reduce tobacco use in San Antonio and Bexar County. The funds from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will be used to develop a comprehensive and culturally-appropriate program to be spearheaded by the coalition.
Along with Metro Health, SA-TPCC members include the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, South Central Area Health Education Center, University Health System’s Texas Diabetes Institute, and the San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
For more information, call Health Program Manager Brenda Lemke at
207-5261.
