By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
This Sunday, May 19, Faith communities across the State of Washington will observe “No Smoking Sunday”, a new effort to raise awareness about menthol tobacco, one of the leading causes of preventable death for Black and African Americans.
This event is one of the latest projects of the Washington State Department of Health’s “They Think They Know You” campaign, an initiative launched in 2023 to bring attention to the fact that Blacks and African Americans are disproportionately targeted with menthol tobacco products.
“[This] is a national day across the country where folks are coming together and claim this day for non-menthol smoking cigarettes. The main point is to inform folks the harmfulness of menthol cigarettes, especially in our community,” says Larry Williams, Founder and Chairman of the Anchor Group USA.
“I say this in a loving way, but our community has been ambushed by [menthol cigarette producers] from the time they started making menthol cigarettes until today, and we’re still imprisoned, I think, to the information that’s been put out there by the tobacco companies,” added Williams. “They don’t just do that in any community, they do it in Black communities. And we need to stop it.”
The campaign isn’t just about raising awareness, it is a call to action, a way to call out tobacco companies that use manipulation tactics, such as posting ads in areas with a greater concentration of Black and African American people. With tobacco companies encouraging products that increase the effects that nicotine has on the brain, tobacco has become more and more difficult for users to put down.
“No Smoking Sunday” is only the beginning of the long journey of educating tobacco users about the harmful effects of smoking. The call-to-action campaign, “No Smoking Sunday”, is a partnership between the General Baptist Convention Northwest (GBCNW) and DOH to prove tobacco companies wrong about what they think they know about the Black and African American community.
“The whole purpose of this day is to educate and inform Black and African Americans in the state of Washington that you don’t need that nicotine, you don’t need those menthol cigarettes, and if you feel that you do, we have some help for you,” says Williams. “I am not looking to make anyone feel bad, that is not my goal. My goal is to make sure that we are informed and educated about the harmful effects of smoking, menthol, and particularly nicotine cigarettes.”
As a previous smoker himself, Williams knows the harmful effects that menthol cigarettes can have on your body, and he believes that one of the most harmful effects of smoking menthol cigarettes is cancer, which is an ongoing enemy, that we must fight every day not just with word of mouth but also with action. “No Smoking Sunday” is a day striving for the greater good of the community, and advocates like Williams say that we cannot keep supporting tobacco companies by using their products that are detrimental to our health.
“I hope this day affects tobacco companies negatively because we can’t keep creating cancer in our communities,” says Williams. “I hate to see young people, especially young Black and African American young people, start on that path of smoking cigarettes. I have smoked before, but I don’t want to see our kids have to go through that again.”
According to organizers, the event encourages the community to “exhale defiance and inhale freedom.” It’s an opportunity to share stories, struggles, and victories. No Smoking Sunday is a way to break free from tobacco one Sunday, one breath, one community at a time.
More information about the campaign, resources for mental health and quitting tobacco are available online at TheyThinkTheyKnowYou.org.