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E. Yvonne Lewis, Faith Access to Community Economic Development (F.A.C.E.D.), 310 E. Third St. ~ 5th Floor, Flint, MI 48502, 810-232-7733, yvonlewis@hotmail.com
While public health advocates are not new to working with the faith community, rarely have they spoken to the issue of tobacco usage. Traditionally, tobacco use has been perceived as a non-issue for faith leaders and their parishioners, therefore this is an issue that is not often, addressed in the faith community.
The Faith-based Tobacco project was developed to bring awareness to the need of the faith community to address tobacco use as well as, the importance of faith leaders to openly take a position on this issue. Research and studies have shown, having tobacco policies in place tend to make tobacco use less acceptable thereby changing social norms and behavior. With this understanding, the faith-based tobacco project was designed to bring this issue to the forefront by collaborating with the faith community to develop policies that address tobacco use and secondhand smoke within houses of worship. This project presented F.A.C.E.D. with an opportunity to educate faith leaders and their respective parishioners of the health impact of tobacco use and secondhand smoke, by focusing on increasing the number of formal tobacco-free policies.
Drawing upon an established partnership relationship with fifty faith organizations, F.A.C.E.D. utilized presentations, leadership luncheons, and one on one relationship building, to educate the faith community of the harmful impact of tobacco use and to develop tobacco-free policies. We have fourteen faith-based organizations that have successfully developed tobacco-free policies and are continuing to work with the remaining organizations to further this endeavor.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Faith Community, Tobacco
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.