User:BAMead/Sandbox1

The War on Poverty

• Kay king (talk) 19:28, 16 February 2011 (UTC) Tobacco Free Alabama, contractng out fire services, contracting out prison systems

The War on Poverty may prove too large an undertaking for the team. Any other suggestions? Each team member should post three-five suggestions by Monday, February 21st. Dr. Rosell (talk) 19:43, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

I just noticed that Takeeta posted several suggestions on the User Page. Takeeta, consider posting them at the Discussion Page. Dr. Rosell (talk) 19:45, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

Tdale4: If we are still considering doing, "Tobacco Free Alabama, we could utilize the site: http://www.tobaccofreealabama.org/ and http://acscan.org/action/al/campaigns/smokefreealabama/ —Preceding undated comment added 17:03, 21 February 2011 (UTC).

• Kay king (talk) 21:13, 21 February 2011 (UTC)here are a few refrences for our topic Tobacco Free Alabama:

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/what_we_do/state_local/tobacco_settlement/alabama

http://www.tobaccofreealabama.net/index.php?page=info_home

http://acscan.org/action/al/campaigns/smokefreealabama/

Takeeta Dale 19:22, 23 February 2011 (UTC)Tdale4 (talk): Here are some more article suggestions just in case we haven't fully decided to do "Tobacco Free Alabama". •Civil Service Reform Act •Free and Reduced School Lunch Programs •Safe Routes to School

User:Kay king Outline

Bethany Mead (talk) 02:02, 28 February 2011 (UTC)Hey I tried to look at the outline and couldn't for some reason. I'm not sure if it attached wrong or if I'm just doing something wrong :/

216.93.133.208 (talk) 00:12, 14 March 2011 (UTC)Here are summaries of sources that I found. I think about 5 of them are newspaper articles.

The Case for Smoke Free Alabama: American Cancer Society: http://acscan.org/action/al/campaigns/smokefreealabama/

Facts on Smoking in AL: http://www.tobaccofreealabama.org/index.php?page=facts

Economy link/challenges to AL tobacco sales: http://www.tobaccofreealabama.org/index.php?page=news.main&newsid=63

Spending on Tobacco Prevention in Alabama: Allocation of funds: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/what_we_do/state_local/tobacco_settlement/alabama.

Statewide Smoke-free Workplace Legislation, SB130 / HB490: http://acscan.org/action/al/campaigns/smokefreealabama/

American Lung Association - Alabama fails in four out of four categories based on tobacco control and prevention standards: http://www.tobaccofreealabama.org/index.php?page=news.main&newsid=65

Smoking ban in restaurants fails by no-vote: http://www.tobaccofreealabama.org/index.php?page=news.main&newsid=58

[User:Tdale4|Tdale4]] (talk): ^{Tobacco Free Alabama Rough Draft Article}OverviewTobacco use is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. Each year more than 443,000 Americans die from tobacco-related illnesses (http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/2010-key-findings/). According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 88 million nonsmoking Americans continue to be exposed to secondhand smoking in homes, vehicles, workplaces, and public places (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/statesystem/Common/File_Download.aspx?FileName=STATESystemSFA.pdf&ObjectId=88). The American Lung Association, founded in 1904 to help combat tuberculosis, has worked for more than 100 years to save lives by preventing lung disease and promoting lung health, including fighting illnesses and death caused by tobacco use (http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/2010-key-findings/commitment.html). The Lung Association is a member of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Alabama; this association works to reduce tobacco use in the state by creating smoke-free environments at the state and local level and increasing tobacco taxes (http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/state-grades/alabama/behind-the-scenes.html). The American Lung Association gives support to people with lung cancer, and ultimately through stronger tobacco control policies seeks to reduce the 157,000 deaths that are caused by lung cancer each year. The American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control is a call to action for national and state elected officials: Enact strong tobacco control laws so that lives can be saved by improving lung health and preventing lung disease (http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/2010-key-findings/commitment.html).

Legislative Efforts in AlabamaIn efforts to producing a tobacco-free environment, Alabama has introduced several bills with the purpose to prohibit smoking in virtually all public places and workplaces or further restrict smoking in restaurant dining areas. During the 2010 legislative session, State Senator Vivian Figures introduced the bill to prohibit smoking within restaurant dining areas; the bill was approved by the Senate but did not pass in the house before the legislative session ended (http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/state-grades/alabama/behind-the-scenes.html). Alabama has had some success in passing stronger smoke-free ordinances at the local level. To date, 12 cities and towns in Alabama have prohibited smoking in all private workplaces, restaurants and bars, and an additional five cities and towns have prohibited smoking in all restaurants and bars only (http://www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org/state-grades/alabama/behind-the-scenes.html).

Economic DownsideThe State of Tobacco Control 2010 report grades states on their anti-tobacco efforts; in this report, Alabama received straight “F’s.” The report grades states on the basis of four topics: 1) their spending on programs to prevent and control tobacco use, 2) their statewide smoking restrictions, 3) the tax they levy on cigarettes, 4) and whether they pay for medications and counseling for Medicaid patients and state employees who are trying to quit smoking. Alabama ranked right at the bottom in all four categories (http://tobaccofreealabama.org/index.php?page=news.main&newsid=65). For every smoker in Alabama, $993 a year is spent on hospital care as a result of smoking. A national study shows that Alabama’s economy suffers $5.6 billion a year in direct costs because of smoking, which also includes more than $1 billion in lost workplace productivity and $1.7 billion in direct medical expenditures (http://tobaccofreealabama.org/index.php?page=news.main&newsid=63). • Alabamians spend $842 million a year on drugs directly as a result of smoking. • Nearly $125 million a year is spent by Alabamians in nursing homes directly as a result of smoking. • For every smoker in Alabama, $993 a year is spent on hospital care as a result of smoking.

How are other states handling the usage of Tobacco?As of December 2010, twenty-seven states prohibit smoking in bars and thirty-two states prohibit smoking in restaurants. Thirty-three states have 100% smoke-free indoor air laws for worksites. Idaho, Mississippi, and North Carolina prohibit smoking in government worksites but not in private worksites. As of December 31, 2010, twenty-five states, being Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have 100% smoke-free indoor air laws for bars, restaurants, and worksites. Also, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are now smoke-free in all three locations (bars, restaurants, and worksites). A new North Carolina law now prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants but still not in all workplaces (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/statesystem/Common/File_Download.aspx?FileName=STATESystemSFA.pdf&ObjectId=88). --Takeeta Dale 17:50, 14 March 2011 (UTC)