Congratulations to Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson (PPMH) for being named a New York State 2015 Tobacco-Free Community Champion. As of January 1, 2016, all PPMH properties became tobacco-free, including ten health clinics located in eight NYS counties, a decision that promotes tobacco-free living and health equity for their employees and patients.
The success of our tobacco-free efforts relies on partners like PPMH to help build healthy, tobacco-free communities where people live, learn, work and play. Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson provides quality and comprehensive reproductive health care to more than 20,000 men and women every year. In combination with the education and training programs PPMH provides to diverse groups, their community reach is extensive and profound. By going tobacco-free, PPMH prevents harmful secondhand smoke exposure, raises awareness of the impact of tobacco use on health, and makes it easier for tobacco users who want to quit to do so successfully, an important step in promoting health equity.
Pictured in the photo: Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson CEO Kim Atkins (far left) and Board Chair Joyce Elliott (far right) accept Champion award along with members of PPMH’s Tobacco-Free Committee including (L-R) Emma Enness, Bryan Beckman, Kristin Fiato-King, Larry Brodsky, Gail Pliscofsky, and Laura Gallery.
The Community Champion distinction was awarded on behalf of five Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities contractors in the communities in which the PPMH clinics and other properties are located: The Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition (Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady Counties); Glens Falls Hospital Living Tobacco-Free Initiative (Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties); Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities of Hamilton, Fulton and Montgomery Counties; Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie Counties; and BRiDGES Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties.
To the left is a typical tobacco product display. If you don’t use tobacco, you may not even notice, but kids do. Kids see. Kids notice. Kids remember. In fact, kids are more than twice as likely as adults to notice and remember retail tobacco marketing.