Portland’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization: Not too early to go smoke-free!
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NWHF Staff
| Posted on: October 31st, 2008
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Public Health
While the Oregon Statute prohibiting smoking in all bars, taverns and workplaces takes effect on January 1, 2009, a partnership between Oregon’s Tobacco Prevention and Education Program (TPEP) and Portland’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization is helping Asian and Islander business owners comply with Oregon’s new Smoke-free Workplace Law – and encouraging them to make the transition as soon as possible.
An article on page 7 of the October 28, 2008 Asian Reporter discusses their work and highlights Portland’s Canton Grill’s decision to comply with the law well before it takes effect.
According to Elizabeth Takahashi, coordinator of the TPEP program, the number of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Oregon who die every year from tobacco use is roughly five times the number who are murdered per year and seven times the number of suicides.
As Miryang Kim, TPEP health educator, notes, “smoking is a cultural habit,” for many in Portland’s Asian communities. For example, young Korean men “usually begin during compulsory military service. Smoking and drinking becomes an expected part of getting along with buddies and superiors. By the time men realize the harm cigarettes cause their families and themselves they’re already addicted.”
Congratulations to Elizabeth and Miryang for their work reducing smoking among Oregon’s Asian populations, and for getting some recognition for their efforts.
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I applaud Portland’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization in assisting Asian and Islander business owners understand and comply with the new smoke-free statute. This is an important and necessary law to protect health, but is not an easy transition for many business owners- especially those mentioned above, who’s cultural traditions may incorporate smoking tobacco. Hopefully this support will be noticed and offered to other minority business owners to ensure that they can have the best opportunity for success and health within their business after the statute takes effect in January.