Flavors Hook Kids NY Tweet to Action Page

Tweet Your Support For Restricting The Sale of Menthol Cigarettes

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson will not bring Intro 1345 to a vote unless he hears from more New Yorkers. Let him know via Twitter that you care about reducing the impact of menthol cigarettes in New York City and want him to restrict menthol cigarettes now.

Note: You must have a twitter account to use this system. Click on the Tweet that you want to send and it will take you to your Twitter account and automatically fill in the tweet that you have selected. Please make some noise until Intro Bill 1345 is brought to the City Council for a vote. 

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• While lung cancer deaths are on the decline, over 2,600 New Yorkers die from lung cancer every year. By restricting the sale of menthol cigarettes we can save lives. @NYCSpeakerCoJo put public health first and bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• More than 4 out of 5 young adult (18 to 24) tobacco users started with flavored tobacco products. It is time to restrict the original flavored product—menthol cigarettes. We need @NYCSpeakerCoJo to bring Intro 1345 to a vote #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• Simply removing flavored e-cigs from stores in NYC left our youth vulnerable. Every day that menthol cigarettes are sold means more kids will get hooked. It’s time for @NYCSpeakerCoJoto to bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• You are more likely to walk past a store selling menthol cigarettes in NYC than to walk past a school or a Starbucks. Stores selling menthols in NYC neighborhoods make it easy for Big Tobacco to hook our kids @NYCSpeakerCoJo bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• The overwhelming number of smokers in NYC, legally purchase their cigarettes from NYC stores. Restricting the sale of menthol cigarettes would prevent more youth from getting hooked by Big Tobacco. @NYCSpeakerCoJo must bring Intro 1345 to a vote #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• Health care professionals are dedicated to promoting the health of all New Yorkers. They do their part every day in the fight against tobacco-related illnesses. It is time for @NYCSpeakerCoJo to do his part by bringing Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

Political

• Intro 1345 is co-sponsored by 2/3 of the Council, all 5 borough presidents, the City Comptroller, and more than 100 health, social justice, religious and community organizations. So why won’t @NYCSpeakerCoJo bring the bill to a vote? #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• RJ Reynolds Tobacco — has hired 7 firms to defeat efforts to ban menthol cigarette sales. Over 100 health, social justice, religious and community organizations all support Intro 1345. Whose side is @NYCSpeakerCoJo on? Bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• NYC Mayors @MikeBloomberg and @BilldeBlasio, @NYCCouncil Speakers Gifford Miller, @chriscquinn and @MMViverito all led in the fight against tobacco.  What will @NYCSpeakerCoJo's legacy be?  Will he side with Big Tobacco or pass Intro 1345. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• If Big Tobacco is able keep Intro 1345 from being voted on then the voters of NYC in 2021 will remember that @NYCSpeakerCoJo didn’t stand with them when it mattered. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

People of Color

• Big Tobacco’s #1 weapon to addict young people to tobacco has been menthol cigarettes–especially in communities of color. Allowing menthol cigarettes to be sold everywhere makes it that much easier to hook our kids. #MentholHooksKidsNYC @NYCSpeakerCoJo bring Intro 1345 to a vote.

• Years of targeting by Big Tobacco have resulted in more than half of youth smokers and 7 out of 10 young African Americans smoking menthols. @NYCSpeakerCoJo, protect communities of color and restrict the sale of menthol by bringing Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• Menthol cigs are disproportionately used by people of color already burdened by tobacco-related disease. Black men are the most likely to be diagnosed and die from lung cancer. It is time for @NYCSpeakerCoJo to bring Intro 1345 to a vote #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• People of color have carried the greatest burden from tobacco-related diseases. This is no accident. For decades big tobacco has targeted their communities with menthol products. It is time for @NYCSpeakerCoJo to bring Intro 1345 to a vote #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• When we talk about menthol cigarettes it’s bigger than addiction & health. It’s a social justice issue. Big Tobacco has been targeting people of color for too long. @NYCSpeakerCoJo it’s time to bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC 

Asian

• Smoking rates in the Asian community, particularly Chinese and Korean men, continue to climb at a rapid pace, despite decreasing rates overall. Menthol cigarettes are at the heart of this rise. @NYCSpeakerCoJo must bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• Asian smokers use menthol cigarettes at a rate of 31% compared to white smokers (24%). Meanwhile, over half of Asian youth smokers report smoking menthol cigarettes. @NYCSpeakerCoJo bring Intro 1345 to a vote and stand up for our kids #MentholHooksKidsNYC

Women

• While lung cancer deaths are on the decline, it’s imperative that all NYers are protected from Big Tobacco. @NYCSpeakerCoJo the women of NYC are counting on you to put them first. Please bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKids

• Big Tobacco has marketed “slim and stylish” menthol cigarettes like Virginia Slims for years to portray female smokers as independent, stylish, sophisticated and sexy.  It is time for it to end. @NYCSpeakerCoJo must bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• Big Tobacco continues to market menthol cigs to lower socioeconomic status women, including military wives, low-income minority women, lower-income older female smokers, and less-educated young white women. @NYCSpeakerCoJo must bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

LGBTQ

• Big Tobacco has targeted the LGBTQ community through targeted advertisements in LGBTQ press, cigarette giveaways, and free tobacco industry merchandise often depicting tobacco use as a part of LGBTQ life. @NYCSpeakerCoJo bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC

• More than 36% of LGBTQ smokers smoke menthols, which are easier to use and harder to quit. The LGBTQ community has paid one of the highest prices for Big Tobacco’s targeting of specific groups. @NYCSpeakerCoJo bring Intro 1345 to a vote. #MentholHooksKidsNYC