On November 20th, over 200 elders, youth and community organizations from the Lao, Hmong, Khmer and Vietnamese communities of Minnesota gathered at the U Garden Restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a luncheon to discuss the importance of discouraging smoking and the use of tobacco products.
Representatives from many agencies including the Lao Assistance Center’s Chongchith Saengsuham spoke about the devastating impact cigarettes had on the health and well-being not only of individuals but their families and community.
Each year, over 15,000 to 20,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders die from tobacco-related illnesses, a figure higher than AIDS, car crashes, murders and suicides combined. Participants at the luncheon were able to see how tobacco products are made with some of the deadliest poisons imaginable, including those found in common household products like window cleaners, butane, and cleaning solutions.
A key part of the celebration was stressing the importance and impact the elders voices can have on the direction of the community and their ability to make a difference. Several veterans from the war in Laos came forward to discuss the historical relationship of tobacco to their community, noting that they were often given free packages of cigarettes during the war and encouraged to smoke. Today, we see and recognize the deadly effects this has and the economic drain it causes in families.
This is an issue that affects men and women of all ages.This year’s theme was: Honor Yourself, Honor Others-Please Don’t Smoke!, and it was an important message that resonated with those in attendance.
The Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota has developed many materials in Lao to help people who want to quit, particularly through the QUITPLAN program. For more information, you can call Chongchith Saengsuham at (612) 374-4967 or e-mail her at chongchith@laocenter.org
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