San Jose City Council Recognized for Tobacco Control Efforts
San Jose, Calif. – Over the past decade, Bay Area cities have the led the charge to protect public health through innovative tobacco control measures. At City Hall this Tuesday, Breathe California recognized one of these dedicated municipalities by presenting a special commendation to the San Jose City Council.
“San Jose has long recognized the need to protect the public from the dangers of tobacco use,” proclaimed Margo Sidener, President & CEO of Breathe California of the Bay Area. “Their diligence and commitment has led to some of the lowest local smoking rates and most stringent tobacco protections in the country.”
The commendation recognized the city’s leadership for more than a decade of dedicated leadership in the tobacco control arena. San Jose was one of the first cities in the country to regulate smoking in the workplace, bars, restaurants and other public places. San Jose was also one of only four cities to join in the landmark lawsuit against the tobacco industry and is one of only a few cities, counties and states to directly use all of Master Settlement Agreement funds for health and tobacco control programs. Furthermore, as a result of these successes, the city was recently recognized by Self Magazine as one of America’s Top-10 Healthiest Cities for Women and the nation’s best city for tobacco control measures.
“Leaders in San Jose have had the foresight and courage to address tobacco control issues in a way and at a time that far outpaces the rest of the country,” continued Sidener. “We look forward to continuing to work with the city on innovative measures to reduce the impact of tobacco use on our local communities.”
As the local lung health leader, Breathe California of the Bay Area is dedicated to fighting lung disease in all its forms and working with its communities to promote lung health. For more than 95 years, the local agency has fought critical health issues, including tobacco use, asthma, lung cancer, tuberculosis and air pollution, through a variety of programs and services. For more information, please contact Breathe California at (408) 998-5865 or www.lungsrus.org.
Media Contact:
Dave Low
(408) 998-5865
david@lungsrus.org