Clearing the Smoke-Mecklenburg Tobacco-Free Coalition

Addresses tobacco-related disparities to improve the health of our community.

The Clearing the Smoke - Mecklenburg Tobacco-Free Coalition works to ensure that all people in our community, regardless of race/ethnicity, age, income, or identity, have an equal chance to breathe clean air and are free from overexposure to commercial tobacco products.

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease and the primary cause of many chronic diseases in Mecklenburg County. The tobacco industry has intentionally targeted historically marginalized groups with predatory marketing, contributing to tobacco-related health disparities in the following communities:

Communities Facing Tobacco-Related Health Disparities
Black/African Americans
Hispanic/Latinos
Native Americans
LGBTQ+Individuals
Low income/Low Educated Individuals
People with Behavioral Health Conditions
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Goals

Raise awareness about the harmful effects of commercial tobacco use.

Educate about the predatory marketing of menthol and flavored cigars in historically marginalized communities, especially in Black and Brown communities.

Explore policy changes at the local and state level.

Assess avenues for enhancing culturally tailored tobacco treatment.

Build an informed network of advocates starting with a 5-part training series provided by The Center for Black Health & Equity.

Membership

Membership includes a commitment to the Coalition by joining one of the workgroups, attending monthly meetings, trainings, community events, and actively responding to planning emails (approx. 3-4 hours per month). Supporters are individuals that are unable to join the Coalition as members but will help us spread the word about the coalition.

Join the Coalition

A diverse group of smiling adults standing against a white background.

Education/Community Mobilization
Responsible for educating the community about the harms of tobacco use, quit resources, and developing community support for tobacco-free policies and interventions that address tobacco disparities.
Data
Responsible for identifying existing or creating data sources to determine the impact of tobacco and menthol/flavor use on overall community.
Policy Advocacy
Responsible for exploring policy and advocacy opportunities at the local and state level to promote tobacco-free communities.
Tobacco Use Treatment
Responsible for identifying existing cessation resources, providing trainings on evidence-based strategies for tobacco cessation, contributing to the promotion of cessation resources and recruiting healthcare providers to join the coalition.

Who Uses Menthol Tobacco

The following stats are provided by the 2020 National Survey of Drug Use and Health.

The percentage of adult smokers who report using menthol tobacco.

81%

Black/African American Adults

51%

Hispanic/Latino Adults

54%

LGBTQ+

33%

White Adults

source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10216874/

Tobacco Disparities in Mecklenburg County

Groups impacted more by tobacco include communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals and those with low income. The following chart highlights adult tobacco use in Mecklenburg County based on information collected by the 2023 Mecklenburg County Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.

Hand holding a paper sheet with no smoking sign over a crowded street public place background. Forbidden area zone, restrictive symbol stop smoke.

The Quit Journey

Read the QCity Metro article about our coalition featuring Maurice Robinson’s personal story with commercial tobacco use and his quit journey. Maurice is a community leader in the Inlivian Community where he resides and is passionate about reducing the harms caused by commercial tobacco and helping people quit.

Maurice's Story