November was quite a month!  A LOT happened on the national stage, and here in Massachusetts we've kept moving forward.

The Senate released its version of the FY 2021 budget on November 18. It does not include the increase of $500,000 to the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program's (MTCP) line that the House had proposed in its version. Instead, it level-funds the program at the FY 2020 amount of $4.6 million.

The House and Senate are currently in conference to iron out differences between the two versions.  Tobacco Free Mass and other organizations have advocated for the Conference Committee to use the House's version, which would give MTCP a much-needed increase in the face of increased demands on the program. We do not know how long the Conference Committee will deliberate, but we'll keep you posted and we'll let you know what the next steps are.

In good news, the Senate voted down an amendment from Sen. Fattman that would have allowed the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes.  This is a victory and validation of our newly-passed law!

We are amazed and grateful for the many, varied nonprofit organizations that work together to make our world a better place. Giving Tuesday is a chance to support those nonprofit organizations, and this year your financial support is especially important.  As you put together your plan to give to the organizations you care about most, please consider supporting Tobacco Free Mass. We are a small organization with a large impact, and we depend on your support.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Beyond Menthol: Untangling Tobacco and Racism, Tobacco Free Mass' 2020 Policy Forum!

A recording of the forum is available online.  Please watch it and share!

News you can use

• COVID-19 and tobacco harm people of color disproportionately, for similar reasons. We need to apply lessons learned from the pandemic to our fight against tobacco and racial inequities.

• California's tobacco control program put out a great FAQ on COVID-19, tobacco and vaping--it's a lot of helpful information in a quick read.

• Help tailored to menthol smokers is available through the Massachusetts Smokers' Helpline, which has an incentive for menthol smokers who want to quit.  There's also help available through The Center for Black Health and Equity and its COVID Big Quit initiative. Take a look and spread the word!

• A study in JAMA found that people who used e-cigarettes in addition to counseling to quit smoking didn't fare better in the long run than people who used counseling alone.

• New findings suggest that users of e-cigarettes may experience increased rates of respiratory conditions independent of other tobacco product use.

• Have we had a Finale on EVALI? The mysterious vape-related lung disease has decreased but not disappeared. Medical professionals are making progress on diagnosing EVALI, though it remains tricky.

• The Truth Initiative released findings that the majority of adults in the United States support a menthol ban--and that support is highest among groups the tobacco industry has targeted with menthol.

• Tobacco Free Mass sent a letter to the legislature supporting the SAPHE 2.0 Act, which would strengthen local public health through increased capacity, sustainable funding, data collection, and ensuring standards are met.  The bill was reported favorably out of committee and received funding in the Senate budget.  Learn more about this legislation at MPHA's website.

• And last but most certainly not least, Tobacco Free Mass awarded the Blake Cady Award for Leadership in Tobacco Control to Allyson Perron Drag and Marc Hymovitz!  Awards for Tobacco Free Mass Legislative Champion were given to Senator John Keenan and Representative Danielle Gregoire. The awards were presented at the Policy Forum, but you can congratulate the winners anytime!

Upcoming Tobacco Free Mass Meetings

The next full coalition and Advocacy Committee meetings are coming up this week!  You'll receive an agenda shortly in advance of the meeting.

December 3 – Full Coalition meeting from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Zoom.  To attend the meeting, you must register, which you can do with this link.

December 3 – Advocacy Committee meeting from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Zoom. To attend the meeting, you must register, which you can do with this link.

It's cool to be kind

A side benefit of Giving Tuesday is that it shows how many people are actively working to make the world a better place.  A kind world, you could say! It's important to remember that you're part of that movement.

--Gwen

Gwendolyn Stewart

Tobacco Coalition Director

m: (617) 500.3449

Feel like procrastinating?

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• Website: tobaccofreema.org

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