September-October 2000
Vol.1 No. 1

In this Issue:

IN THE NEWS
NEW & REVISED PUBLICATIONS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
NAAAPI BUSINESS

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IN THE NEWS

New Underage Drinking Media Campaign Proposed in Congress
Congressman Mica (R-7th FL) and Congresswoman Roybal-Allard (D-33rd CA) will introduce "The National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking Act of 2000" once the House reconvenes on September 6, 2000. The bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct the National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking (the Campaign). HHS' Office of Public Health and Science would manage the campaign, in conjunction with the Surgeon General. The legislation would authorize up to $1 million in the first year, for the development of a comprehensive strategy to design, implement, conduct and evaluate the Campaign. In addition, the legislation authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for the Campaign in each of the following five years.
Information Source:
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
www.CADCA.org

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Philip Morris Removes Malt Liquor Billboards When Community Objects
Responding to protests by community leaders and social service agencies in North Portland, Oregon, Miller Beer agreed to stop a billboard campaign which featured youth dressed in gang attire promoting 40-oz bottles of Olde English 800, a potent malt liquor that is marketed primarily in poor Latino and African American communities. Olde English 800, the best selling malt liquor on the US market, was purchased by Philip Morris, Inc. last year in a move that went largely unnoticed by the media and alcohol and tobacco activists.
Information Source:
Join Together Online (JTO)
www.jto.org

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Youth Speak Out on the Glorification of Drugs in Rap Music and Videos
Young people who are part of Day One -- a progressive organization in Pasadena that actively challenges abuse of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs -- are challenging one of the brightest lights in Rap Music -- Dr. Dre. A letter in the August 21 issue of the Hollywood Reporter from the group urges Dr. DRE to stop promoting drugs through his music. Speaking of drugs in songs and videos, the letter states: ""Some of us know its entertainment, but what about those who don't. Some kids don't know how to separate entertainment from reality."

Day One, which is headed by Michael Browning, was also been involved in protests against an FM radio program hosted by rap icon Snoop Dogg. (Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog are currently teamed in a chart-topping rap video and CD called The Next Episode that reeks with drug, alcohol and tobacco use messages.) The letter from the Day One youth group is timed to a visit by Dre to Pasadena to accept a lifetime achievement award. Day One has organized a gathering at a local church to pray for him and the hip-hop community.
Information Source:
Electronic Urban Report (EUR)
www.EURweb.com

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NEW & REVISED PUBLICATIONS

Nicotine Dependence/Community Mobilization
"Pathways to Freedom: Winning the Fight against Tobacco" is going to be updated for 2001. The major change in the premiere quit smoking booklet for African Americans will be removal of the "brand-switching" section and expansion of information on nicotine replacement aids and other proven medications that support treatment of nicotine dependence. "When the brand-switching section was written in the early 1990s, we didn't have any other graduated ways to deal with nicotine dependence," explained Dr. Robert G. Robinson at the Office on Smoking & Health, lead author. "Now an entire array of nicotine replacement aids and other medications are available. We want the booklet to showcase what we've learned in the last decade to help even more African Americans become free of addiction to tobacco."

In addition to its success in helping individuals quit smoking, Pathways to Freedom also provides guides for community actions that help entire neighborhoods become tobacco free. Dr. Robinson said that the process of changing Pathways is just beginning and he encouraged anyone who has had experience with Pathways to provide feedback on what worked and what can be improved. "The first Pathways was a community undertaking with lots of grassroots input," Robinson said. "We want this one to evolve in the same way."

To provide input on Pathways to Freedom, contact Dr. Robert G. Robinson at the Office on Smoking & Health, Tel: 770-488-5709

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Breathing Free: Secondhand Smoke & the African American Community
NAAAPI is putting the finishing touches on a 24-page booklet designed to help African American communities address the issue of secondhand smoke. The booklet will incorporate the radio public service announcements that are currently airing in media markets around the country with the tag line "Let's give our children the chance to breathe free." Breathe Free, as the booklet is called, combines basic information on the dangers of tobacco smoke with issues that are culturally relevant to many African Americans -- segregated housing conditions, high incidence of asthma in children, extended families and concerns about treating anyone -- even smokers -- as second-class citizens. These issues are handled sensitively in ways that help people see the importance of children breathing clean, clear air.

To learn more about "Breathe Free" project, contact NAAAPI Tobacco Project
Director Carmella Chandler.
E-mail: naaapi@msn.com
Tel: 610-617-9145

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

September 21
Making a Killing: Philip Morris, Kraft & Global Addiction
INFACT Film Premiere
New York, New York
E-mail: infact@igc.org
Tel: 1-800-688-8797
URL: www.infact.org
Information available about arranging a screening

September 22
Combating Underage Drinking Teleconference
E-mail: ekujjtap@aol.com
Tel: 606-622-6671
URL: www.juvenilenet.org/jjtap/drinking/index.html
Information available about arranging for a local viewing site

September 24-27
13th Annual National Prevention Network:
Prevention Research Conference
Columbus, OH.
E-mail: scarlson@ou.edu
Tel: 405-325-1447
URL: www.ccfd.com/NPN/index.shtml

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September 29 - October 4, 2000
MADD National Youth Summit
to Prevent Underage Drinking
Washington, DC
Tel: 214-744-6233
URL: www.madd.org/nys

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NAAAPI BUSINESS

Membership Drive
To prepare for its 10th anniversary in 2001, the National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery (NAAAPI) is launching its first-ever national membership drive. NAAAPI has two major classifications of membership: Affiliate (Group) and Individual. And from now through the end of the year, memberships are FREE!!! NAAAPI does NOT accept as affiliates, members or financial contributors any persons or organizations that are involved directly or indirectly in the promotion, glamorization and/or normalization of smoking or other tobacco abuse, alcohol abuse, underage alcohol use, illicit drug use, gambling or handgun violence.

More information and membership interest forms for individuals and affiliated organizations and coalitions are available on NAAAPI's web site.
URL: www.naaapi.org

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Outreach to Alcohol Abuse Prevention Groups
NAAAPI continues to seek community-based coalitions in predominately African American communities that address the issues of alcohol abuse and/or underage drinking, either as a stand-alone issue or in conjunction with tobacco use, drug abuse, youth service and/or violence prevention. We are hoping to link these groups into a communications network that will keep people informed of new initiatives in the area of alcohol. The NAAAPI African American Alcohol Abuse Prevention Project is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To learn more about NAAAPI's alcohol prevention outreach effort, contact NAAAPI Alcohol Policy Director.
E-mail: naaapi2@msn.com
Tel: 610-617-9145

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Words to the Wise is published online by the National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery (NAAAPI).

The Editor is Charyn Sutton: onyxsutton@msn.com

Funding is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

We welcome your comments!