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December 19, 2003 Contact: Bonnie Widerburg, (503) 731-4180 Use principles of Kwanzaa to quit smoking The Kwanzaa holiday is a time when people come together to celebrate family, community and culture. It was first established in 1966 in the middle of the Black Freedom Movement. To commemorate this holiday, Oregon’s Tobacco Prevention and Education Program (TPEP) created a bookmark that uses Nquzo Saba, or the seven principles of Kwanzaa, to help people quit smoking. Smoking rates for African American adults are among the highest in Oregon. More than one in four African American adults smoke. In comparison, 18 percent of Hispanic adults in Oregon smoke. "Part of the focus of the tobacco prevention program is to work with diverse communities," said Mel Kohn, M.D., state epidemiologist in the Oregon Department of Human Services. "Fusing the tobacco prevention message with Kwanzaa is a natural fit because Kwanzaa represents the principles of healthy living and community involvement. "While the Kwanzaa tips are aimed at individuals, there is much a community can do to support smokers who want to quit. Developing policies to limit where people can smoke and keeping tobacco products away from young people, reducing advertising and eliminating tobacco industry sponsorships can go a long way to reduce smoking." The bookmark uses the Kwanzaa principles to emphasis the importance of creating a positive support structure to help people through the process of quitting. Each bookmark tip focuses on developing a different positive habit. • Umoja or Unity. I will help myself or someone I care about to quit and I will feel good about it. • ujichagulia or Self Determination. I will make the commitment to quit by setting a realistic date and sticking to it. • Ujima or Collective Work and Responsibility. I will join a support group or form my own for encouragement. • Ujamaa or Cooperative Economics. I will use the money and energy I save by not buying cigarettes to support my community and nonprofit organizations. • Nia or Purpose. I will make a list of the reasons I want to quit in order to make my purpose clear and I will review this list whenever needed. • Kuumba or Creativity. I will keep a journal of thoughts, poems or sketches that chronicle my journey to a smokefree life. • Imani or Faith. I will pray, chant or meditate for spiritual assistance. I WILL QUIT SMOKING. The bookmarks direct people to the toll-free Oregon Tobacco Quit Line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867). Experienced cessation specialists answer the quit line. They work with callers to analyze their tobacco use habit then create customized quit plan to help them succeed in becoming smokefree. The success rate of people who use the quit line is more than double that of people who try to quit on their own. It helps smokers and tobacco chewers. Services are free. The bookmarks can be found at Reflections Bookstore, 313 NE Killingsworth Street, and the African American Health Coalition, 2800 N Vancouver, Suite 100, Portland. |
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