Dear Editor:

On Thursday, November 16, thousands of individuals will participate in the American Cancer Society’s “Great American Smokeout.”  It is a day when smokers will give up their cigarettes for that day in an initial attempt to stop their smoking habit. I hope that many smokers in West Virginia will make their own attempt on that day.

In particular, I would like to request that all firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel who smoke put down their cigarettes, cigars, pipes and even spit tobacco on that day. Two years ago, I had a tobacco prevention/cessation display at a conference for firefighters. I was astonished when  the firefighters looked at me and my display and “walked away very quickly.”  After several hours, one brave firefighter came over to  tell me that my displays “scared” most of the firefighters because many (probably more than 75%) used some form of tobacco. Finally a few firefighters came over to talk to me about why they used tobacco; how hard it was to quit; and that some of them wanted to quit. They also told me that other groups such as police officers and EMS personnel also had high numbers of tobacco users.

These groups of individuals are part of a group of  kids’ “heroes.”  When children see their “heroes” using tobacco products, they want to be just like them. They want to be “heroes” too. Therefore, please do not send the message that if they want to be a firefighter, police officer or an EMS personnel, that they should use tobacco.

As one of these “heroes,” your contribution to our community is immeasurable. You probably love what you do. Don’t let your use of tobacco cut your efforts short. Your family, friends and community need you.

If you are interested in quitting, please feel free to contact me at 847-2131 or 1-888-554-2260 so we can discuss your cessation options. You can also contact the YNOTQUIT line at 1-877-966-8784 or the American Lung Association at 1-800-586-4872.

Cordially,

Jean Tenney
Mountain Valley Regional
Tobacco Prevention
Coalition Coordinator

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Dear Editor:

To those of you who care about protecting the Monongahela National Forest, please read this: The Forest Service has ignored 13,000 public comments aimed at permanently protecting key wilderness areas. Quoting the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition, the U. S. Forest Service Final Plan “does not reflect the will  of the owners of the Mon, as many of the Forest’s most special places are not recommenced for congressional wilderness protection. The Forest Service’s new plan fails to permanently protect areas such as Seneca Creek, East Fork of Greenbrier, Spice Run, the Dolly Sods Expansion, Big Draft and other special places. It also fails to recommend any wilderness in the Greenbrier Watershed which currently has no designated wilderness and is a source fo drinking water for many West Virginians.”

“Protected public land like wilderness helps diversify and stabilize economies by attracting and retaining new businesses, residents and a local workforce, in addition to generating travel and tourism, one of the fastest growing sectors of West Virginia’s economy. A study released last summer by the West Virginia Department of  Tourism showed that tourism is a fast growing sector of our state’s economy; travel spending by tourists has increased by 11.4 percent per year since 2000, bringing in $3.4 billion in 2004 alone. This study went on to indicate that West Virginia’s strongest ‘product’ was backcountry recreation which West Virginia’ s designated wildneress areas are known for.”

Let’s not sleep through this one. More and more our country is moving away from “government by the people for the people” and toward serving the needs of big business and speical interest groups. We must protect West Virginia’s resources and tourism-based economy; no one else will. In this particular case, tourism and protecting our environment actually go hand in hand, complimenting one another. If you would like to get involved, you may learn more  at www.wvwild.org, where you can download letters personalized with your name and address to send to Senators Byrd and Rockefeller. Or, you can call Matt Keller of the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition, 304-864-5530. I’m sure he will gladly send you a Take Action Now flier with all the details. Let your voices be heard.

Karen Bowers
Buckeye

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