Proyecto
Vida: Latino Deje de Fumar has developed
language and culturally sensitive services to help
members of the Hispanic community quit smoking.
The program kicked off in January of 2006 and the
response from the Hispanic community has been overwhelming.
As with many communities in the Northeast, Hispanic
immigration is forcing language and culture adaptation
to better serve the public health needs of its changing
 community.
The Tobacco Dependence Program (TDP) is no exception.
Located in a community that is today 50% Hispanic,
12 months ago only 3% to 8% of clients seeking tobacco
cessation services were Hispanic. To live up to
its mission of helping anyone who wants to quit
smoking succeed, the TDP knew that tobacco cessation
services would have to meet the language and culture
needs of the Hispanic population.
In 2005, the TDP was awarded a grant by the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation to develop tobacco cessation
services that were culture and language appropriate
for the Hispanic community of New Jersey. In January
2006, Projecto Vida: Latino Deje de Fumar
was launched to increase utilization of smoking
cessation services by immigrant Latino communities
in New Jersey and reduce their tobacco use and the
health problems associated with smoking. It is very
encouraging that today more than one-third of TDP
clients are Hispanics.
Be
informed. Smoking is the number
one cause of preventable death in the United
States today. As the numbers of Latinos in the
United States continue to grow, tobacco companies
are using aggressive marketing campaigns to
recruit their next generation of smokers. Moreover,
experimentation with cigarettes begins in the
teen years and since nearly 38% of Latinos in
the United States are 18 or younger; this is
highly desirable demographic for tobacco companies.
Visit www.trinketsandtrash.org
for all the latest in tobacco marketing techniques
that include direct marketing and developing
brand loyalty. |
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