Together joins Indiana anti-smoking campaign

By Daniel R. Gangler

INDIANAPOLIS -- Together has joined an interfaith anti-smoking campaign intended to curb smoking in Indiana where, according to statistics, one in four adults smokes. Faith groups including United Methodists and health providers see smoking as a threat to public health.

Smoking-caused health problems cost Indiana a total of more than $1.6 billion per year.

The campaign's centerpiece is a resolution being circulated and signed by houses of worship across the state including United Methodist congregations. This grass roots campaign also includes other Protestant, Anglican, Catholic and Jewish groups. An ad hoc committee is working with Registered Nurse Cheryl Larson of the United Methodist-related University of Indianapolis nursing school and the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency.

The resolution begins: "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."

Using government statistics, the resolution goes on to point out that "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 10,000 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."

As one of the coalition's members, Together asks your congregation's administrative board or council to consider signing the Hoosier Faith and Health Coalition Resolution. A copy of this resolution may be found at www.inareaumc.org as a PDF file. The committee asks that congregations take action on the resolution in January, so those results can be made known to Governor Joe Kernan and members of Indiana's General Assembly, encouraging them to increase funding of the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency's campaign against smoking.

To decrease smoking in Indiana, the state-run Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency runs an Internet and communication campaign called www.whitelies.tv. Because of this campaign, teen smoking in Indiana has gone from 32 percent to 23 percent of youth from 2000 to 2003.

To date interfaith leaders and public health officials in Indianapolis have been unsuccessful in their attempts to ban smoking in public places through a city ordinance.

In December, a year-long effort to provide smoke free environments for workers, especially in offices, restaurants and bars through a city ordinance to ban smoking in public places, failed.

News reports show similar attempts being made to ban smoking in public places in Lafayette, Fort Wayne and Lexington, Ky. Ordinances that ban smoking in public places have gone into effect in New York City and Boston.

A copy of the resolution may be found online at www.inareaumc.org as a PDF file. If you do not have Internet access, Together will fax you a copy of the resolution. Call 317-924-1321.

Last updated on 01/14/2004

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