By Traci Kennedy on April 28, 2014
Director, Tobacco Free Missouri
Legislation moving through the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate raises questions about how to best protect our youth from the dangers of e-cigarettes. The language in HB 1690 and SB 841 mirrors bills that were written by tobacco industry lobbyists and circulated in various states. At first glance, it seems to be a genuine […]
By Daniel Giuffra on March 20, 2014
Advisory Board President, Tobacco Free Missouri Youth
Over the past three years, my involvement as a youth advocate has afforded me amazing opportunities traveling from our state to our nation’s capitol buildings and spreading the message that the next generation wants to be free from the burden of tobacco use. As president of the Tobacco Free Missouri Youth Advisory Board, I lead […]
By Tonia Wright on February 26, 2014
Editor-in-Chief, accessHealth News
You don’t have to be a smoker to suffer from heart disease, lung cancer or even throat cancer. People consistently exposed to secondhand smoke, at home or at work, are at risk for these conditions. As for infants and children, consistent exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to frequent colds, respiratory infections—including bronchitis and pneumonia—frequent […]
It’s been 50 years since we first learned that tobacco smoke is deadly. Since the release of the groundbreaking, 1964 Surgeon General’s report, we have further evidence that links smoking to diseases of nearly all organs of the body. In light of this significant health anniversary, a new report, The Health Consequences of Smoking – […]
By Bridget McCandless, MD on January 28, 2014
President and CEO, Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Let’s face it – the weather recently has certainly been a detriment to spending time outside. That is why it struck me just how addictive cigarettes are. As I looked out the window during the polar vortex with wind chills at -20 degrees, I saw a thin elderly woman standing alone in the freezing wind, […]
By Bridget McCandless, MD on January 15, 2014
President and CEO, Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
It’s that time of year again when many of my patients are trying to quit smoking. My job is only to be the cheerleader because I know that they have to choose to quit for their own reasons. I’m as amazed by those who set down the pack and never look back as I am […]
5,000,000… five million … 5 million Any way you put it, that’s a big number. Try to picture 5 million people. (That’s all 32 professional football stadiums filled to standing-room only. And then doubled.) These people are grandparents, parents, siblings and friends. Now, imagine that every one of those people you just pictured is dead. […]
Smoke-free casinos across the country are proving to be profitable as well as attractive to a broader base of casino guests, while also protecting the health of patrons and employees. Gaming operations bring jobs and revenue to our communities. We protect most workers with a clean indoor law. So, why should our Kansas City casino […]
In 2013, more Missourians are protected from secondhand smoke in the workplace than ever before. Twenty-two communities across the state have implemented clean indoor air ordinances prohibiting smoking in bars, restaurants and workplaces. Action by advocates at the local level led to the success of enacting these laws and improving the public health of the […]
By Norm Siegel on November 7, 2012
Board of Directors, Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Being a parent comes with constant concerns about the environment our children grow up in. Parents worry about their children’s education and making healthy choices. While there are many things in life you cannot predict or prevent, death or disease from tobacco use is not one of them. Despite being one of the most preventable […]
HCF's Local Health Buzz Blog aims to discuss health and health policy issues that impact the uninsured and underserved in our service area. To submit a blog, please contact HCF Communications Officers, Jennifer Sykes, at .
