Community celebrates anti-tobacco progress
A great big party was thrown Thursday at Solano Town Center in Fairfield to celebrate progress in reducing tobacco usage in Solano County.
The community celebration, thrown by TobaccoFree Solano, was held in the upstairs space formerly occupied by Forever 21.
“Tobacco-Free Solano is making great strides ro reduce the social injustices, death and injury caused by tobacco products,” advised Robin Cox with Solano County Public Health. “And, we’re celebrating a huge success of two successful ordinances that have passed in the city of Benicia.”
More than a dozen people attended the gathering, which included various speakers and recognitions.
The aim was to highlight successes thus far and talk about what happens next.
Carol McGruder, a founding member of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, spoke about progress in the Bay Area and how partnerships made it happen.
“We changed the norms and the expectations,” she pointed out.
Michael Miller with Brown Miller Communications explained how campaign efforts close to home effected positive change.
Last year, the Benicia City Council was set to discuss tobacco ordinances. So Miller’s team and TobaccoFree Solano got to work on outreach, on speaking to as many stakeholders as possible and rolling out messages through print, broadcast and online media.
The goal, Miller said, was to “help create an environment that’s conducive to change.”
Thanks to that campaign, the City Council subsequently passed anti-tobacco ordinances said to be the strongest in Solano. Those regulations, organizers said, are “groundbreaking..”
The first ordinance regards retail licensing and the second outlines smokefree public places throughout Benicia.
Benicia Mayor Elizabeth Patterson said the work was hard, but the outcome was worth it.
“It takes hours, days, weeks and a lot of hope to make something like this happen,” she said.
Organizers said they plan further outreach in all Solano cities to spread the message that tobacco is dangerous.
Meanwhile, several people were recognized for various achievements.
The Benicia High School Friday Night Live club was awarded the Alvina Sheely Youth Leadership Award. Acknowledged were students Aimee and Katie Han, who are sisters, and Alex Cortez.
Jasmine Coutee was named the Les Ross Memorial Volunteer of the Year.
All are invited to join the group at its next meeting, from 3-5 p.m. April 21 at 275 Beck Ave. in Fairfield, in Conference Room 1.