We all well know that the tobacco industry spends millions of dollars in Arkansas marketing new addictive products. Cigar/cigarillo products are quickly becoming an issue for minority communities. Despite an FDA ban on flavored cigarettes, the tobacco industry continues to target young adults with products that taste like candy and smell like fruit. These products are becoming popular amongst African Americans and Latinos, especially our young people. The CDC reports that consumption of cigars and cigarillos has increased by more than 150% since 2007. MISRGO and our work with the community is the key component in mitigating cigar and cigarillo use in minority communities. We must continue to increase awareness of the issues, engage in the policy progress regarding cigar products and promote cessation efforts. Through social planning, awareness efforts, and community organization change can be implemented within our communities in Arkansas that have been devastated by tobacco use. This is exactly what you MISRGO team, our sub-grantees and community members are doing and it’s working! Thanks to our efforts we have seen a decline in tobacco (particularly smokeless tobacco) use in the minority community.
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