DATE: April 25, 2019
FOR RELEASE: Immediately
CONTACT: Sherri Stayer, Executive Director
Phone: 814.946.2845
Email: sherris@altoonalungspecialists.com
Tobacco 21 Day at the Capitol: Tuesday, May 7, 2019
The Lung Disease Foundation of Central Pennsylvania, through a grant from the American Lung Association and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, is funding several TRU (Tobacco Resistance Unit) Groups from Blair County to participate in the Day in the Capital 2019 in Harrisburg, PA where they plan to educate legislators on the importance of the Tobacco 21 initiative and sustaining Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funding dollars to support tobacco cessation and prevention programs and services.
Participants will include TRU Group members and chaperones from Joshua House in Tyrone and Blair Regional YMCA, and representatives of the Lung Disease Foundation of Central Pennsylvania. This is expected to be one of the largest turnouts for the initiative to date with 700 youth and 100 advocates registered to attend. Funding for the trip is being provided by the Lung Disease Foundation through grants received as a result of their designation as Tobacco Control Service Provider for Blair and Bedford Counties.
The proposed Tobacco 21 legislation calls for a policy change to raise the age to legally sell tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21 years of age. According to the U.S. Health and Human Services, each day, more than 2,300 kids under 18 years of age try their first cigarette. Supporters of this new policy hope to significantly reduce youth tobacco use, prevent related disease, and premature death among younger generations.
The Blair County participants will be travelling by bus leaving at 6:00 a.m. from Lowe’s in Altoona. After arriving in Harrisburg, they will participate in numerous activities including legislative visits prior to a 12:00 p.m. news conference on the Main Rotunda Steps.
For more information on events, Tobacco 21, TRU Groups, Master Settlement Agreement Funding, and the Foundation, please contact Sherri Stayer, Executive Director, at 814-946-2845, ext. 200 or email her at sherris@altoonalungspecialists.com.
The Lung Disease Foundation of Central Pennsylvania, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit foundation founded by Dr. George M. Zlupko, is located at the Lung Disease Center of Central Pennsylvania, 800 Chestnut Avenue, Altoona, PA along with the Altoona Lung Specialists and the Sleep Disorder Network.
