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HOOSIER FAITH AND HEALTH COALITION SMOKING REDUCTION RESOLUTION WHEREAS: As people of faith, we believe that the body is a spiritual temple, we therefore have an essential interest in reducing the toll of tobacco, particularly among children and youth who are targeted by the tobacco industry; WHEREAS: Every year more than 19,000 Hoosier children become addicted to tobacco, of whom a third will die prematurely because of this addiction. This year more than 9,500 Hoosiers will die from tobacco use and thousands more will suffer from illness and health problems caused by smoking and secondhand smoke. Smoking-caused health problems cost Indiana a total of more than $1.6 billion per year, including more than $380 million paid for by the state Medicaid program with taxpayer dollars; WHEREAS: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and other experts have established that fully funding state tobacco prevention programs, increasing taxes on tobacco, and prohibiting smoking in workplaces, including restaurants and bars, substantially decrease smoking and other tobacco use, particularly among children, thereby reducing tobacco-caused harms and costs; WHEREAS: Indiana's tobacco prevention efforts are working and must continue and strengthen. The efforts of the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program (ITPC) and its many local partners has resulted in a 32% drop in Hoosier high school smoking since 2000 and a 10% drop in adult smoking since 2002; WHEREAS: Indiana receives more than $125 million in settlement payments each year from the tobacco companies, and the Indiana Legislature uses this tobacco settlement money to fund the ITPC at $10.8 million per year, which is just a third of the funding it had several years ago; be it: RESOLVED: That the undersigned endorses comprehensive and effective public policy measures to prevent and reduce smoking and other tobacco use in the state particularly among children, including: - Funding Indiana's tobacco prevention and cessation programs to at least the minimum level suggested by the Centers for Disease Control of $32.5 million per year; - Increasing Indiana's tobacco tax rates by at least $.50 a pack, using the revenue to fund tobacco prevention and other critical health programs; - Establishing smoke-free communities that provide comprehensive protection from secondhand smoke in all workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the undersigned faith organization will inform its members and the general public of its endorsement of this Resolution, and work to educate the Governor and the members of the General Assembly about the toll of tobacco on Indiana and the need for aggressive action to prevent and reduce tobacco use in the state, especially among kids. Organization Name: ________________________________________________ Contact Person: Title: Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. / Dr. / Other: _______ Address, City, State, Zip: ______________________________________________________________________ Phone, Fax, E-mail: __________________________________________________________________________ Authorized Signature: ______________________________________________ Please Print Name: ______________________________________________ |