The Advocate

On Tuesday, January 18th, the San Leandro City Council will finally consider adopting a policy to end the sale of menthol cigarettes in the city. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM and the menthol cigarette ordinance is agenda item #12A, which you can find at https://sanleandro.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=907619&GUID=F5D283C4-1357-48C5-BDEB-525A681DA612. Here is the meeting agenda and the Zoom meeting link is https://zoom.us/j/506831637. You can view the draft ordinance at https://sanleandro.legistar.com/ViewReport.ashx?M=R&N=Text&GID=191&ID=4649781&GUID=6068FFC3-E264-443A-B5F2-D21F73E6EF6A&Title=Legislation+Text. There will be an opportunity for public comment, and speakers on this item will likely be given 1-2 minutes each to provide their comments. The Alameda County Tobacco Control Coalition has developed a participation packet with background information on this issue, as well as participation details. You can find that at https://docs.google.com/document/

Thank you to everyone who came out in solidarity with neighbors, students, public health advocates, and local leaders across San Leandro to push for ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and similar products in our community!   We had thirty-one (31) speakers who shared public comment at the Rules Committee in support of ending the sale of menthol cigarettes, including representation from: 16 residents, 7 San Leandro youth (one of whom got permission to step out of class to give public comment!), 5 San Leandro-based community-based organizations, and 11 public health/coalition partners.   Because of your voices, the City Council’s Rules Committee unanimously voted to direct city staff to move forward with drafting a Tobacco Retail License (TRL) ordinance update that ends the sale of menthol cigarettes with a January 2023 implementation date. This draft is expected to return directly to the full City Council in January 2022. At that January meeting, discussion can happen regarding an ex

Do you care about public health? Is improving sustainability and resiliency important to you? Are you interested in stopping the flow of poisonous tobacco products into youth, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ communities? Then here's your opportunity to help educate San Leandro residents about how they can take action to end the sale of menthol cigarettes in our city! The event is on Saturday, October 16, 9:30 AM to 12:00 Noon. RSVP here for the meet-up location. It's a door-to-door precinct walk. Training is provided. Friends and family welcome! Contact actobaccofree@gmail.com for information.   Here's the official blurb The Alameda County Tobacco Control Coalition is requesting help and support as San Leandro considers strengthening their Tobacco Retail Licensing (TRL) ordinance in the coming months, including ending the sale of menthol tobacco products in the city. Surrounding cities have since ended the sale of menthol and all flavored tobacco, making San Leandro the go-to city to bu

The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and The Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in partnership with The Alameda County Tobacco Control Coalition, is hosting a community discussion on how menthol negatively affects the Black community in Alameda County. Save the date When: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (PST) Register at : shorturl.at/nBPQ4 Presentations by: Dr. Phillip Gardiner, AATCLC Carol McGruder, AATCLC Dr. Valerie Yerger, AATCLC/Delta Sigma Theta Please come learn about and support this critical public health issue. Yours Truly will also be there giving a brief speech on behalf of San Leandro's Temple Beth Sholom! For more information, contact rachel.gratz-lazarus@acgov.org and/or visit Tobacco Free Alameda County .

(Source) The title really tells you everything you need to know about what this post is for. Menthol tobacco products kill thousands of people every year and leave even more with lifelong debilitating illnesses. Even if we weren't in the midst of the most deadly pandemic in modern history fueled by a respiratory-based illness, this would still be the right thing to do. Here's how you can help: 1. Youth Organizers from both San Leandro and Union City will be hosting a joint press event and rally against Big Tobacco on Tuesday, August 10th at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial Park 1105 Bancroft Avenue in San Leandro. Please feel free to circulate the attached flyer and invite others to join this youth-led event.   2. The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council will be hosting a San Leandro “Why Menthol? Why Now?” Virtual Community Event on Wednesday, September 1st from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. San Leandro organizations will be co-hosting, including Unity in the Community, SLATE, and t

The San Leandro City Council is having their next regular meeting this Monday, July 19, beginning at 6:30 PM PDT. What’s on the agenda? Climate action, racial justice, police brutality, mental health crisis response, menthol cigarettes, community health, reimagining public safety, affordable housing, and more besides! The Zoom link is here . Alternatively, you can call in at 1-888-788-0099 or 1-877-853-5247. If you are unable to join in real-time, you can still submit your comments to clerk@sanleandro.org. If you do, make sure to CC citycouncil@sanleandro.org to make sure every elected official gets to read what your voice wants them to hear. That said, let’s start in order of appearance! Agenda Item 1.A, Pledge of Allegiance It’s past time we acknowledge that American was founded on stolen land and slave labor. Without accepting the truth of our history, we are doomed to repeat it. Or, at the very least, commit the same sins in rhyme. Including a land acknowledgment helps ground our c