For the National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery (NAAAPI), tobacco control advocacy is the mission to change social policy or societal norms through education and action. NAAAPI has worked since 1991 to impact the effects the tobacco industry has had on the African American community and communities of color.

Tobacco control advocacy by NAAAPI began with the community protest against Uptown cigarette. This protest represented more than getting rid of another cigarette. This action was the community’s way of advocating for itself against the tobacco industry’s plans to push another deadly product onto the African American community. Advocacy allows a community to define itself on its terms, rather than on the terms of someone else. Subsequent NAAAPI activities across the country, such as black washing billboards and t-shirt and cap exchanges, have increased community awareness of how the tobacco industry has tried to “normalize” tobacco use without regard to the resulting illnesses and deaths. The targeted promotion of menthol tobacco products to the African American community further foster the need for communities to decide for themselves whether they want to be the market for an industry that promotes such a detrimental product.

Each NAAAPI campaign uses media advocacy to educate individuals and organizations about the power they have to change the way the tobacco industry sees them and to help them mobilize communities to action. This power, or rather empowerment, has enabled the faith community, health professionals, and others to work together to help NAAAPI address the issues of target marketing and promotion of tobacco products to communities of color.

When NAAAPI introduced “World No-Tobacco Day” to the United States in 1994, communities across American joined tobacco control advocates from around the world in commemorating this day. It is one of three world health days designated by the World Heath Organization (WHO). World No-Tobacco Day afforded NAAAPI the opportunity to engage organizations and communities in advocating for the health and wellness of its members and to assist those addicted to tobacco.

Come join NAAAPI as it continues to advocate for the health and wellness of African Americans.

Breathe Free
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