A portion of Georgia's share of the 1998 Multi-state Tobacco Settlement Agreement is reaching the streets in DeKalb County. The DeKalb County Board of Health's Tobacco Use Prevention Unit awarded almost $120,000 to 20 local groups in a second round of Tobacco Action Grants (TAG) to conduct community-based prevention activities. All TAG awards aim to reduce tobacco use among people living in DeKalb County, and six of these projects focus specifically on secondhand smoke education.

"Secondhand smoke exposure is as big a health threat to children as wearing no seat belt because it can cause middle ear infections, asthma attacks, bronchial infection, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)," said Kathleen Collomb, director of DeKalb County Board of Health's Tobacco Use Prevention Unit. "These TAG awards are an exciting partnership opportunity to get our community groups the resources they need to improve the health of those they serve. "

Teams of community volunteers reviewed the 34 applications submitted to the DeKalb Tobacco Use Prevention Unit. The review teams then made funding recommendations to the DeKalb Prevention Alliance for Tobacco Control and Health (PATCH) coalition Executive Committee and 20 projects were selected. Projects include activities such as a youth tobacco prevention summit, a DeKalb smoke-free dining guide, a church-produced documentary and a Vietnamese cessation guide. The following grantees are funded from February 2002 through January 2003: Africa's Children's Fund; Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Inc.; DeKalb County School System (Stephenson High School Service Learning, Wellness Incorporated, Chapel Hill Middle School, Stone Mountain Middle School, Stone Mill Elementary); DeKalb Medical Center Foundation; 1st St. Paul AME Church; Health Institute for Preventive Care, Access, Research, and Education; National Benevolent Association Columbia Community Connections; Nigerian Youth Alliance; Oakhurst Medical Centers, Inc.; On Common Ground, Inc.; Operation Dignity; Sagal Somali Radio Service; Scottdale Child Development and Family Resource Center, Inc.; William T. White Family Resource Center; Women Watch Afrika; and YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta. The grant awards range from $1,000 to $10,200.

"The TAG program empowers community members to make a difference by tackling the serious issue of tobacco use at a grassroots level." said Karen McNamara, vice-president of Wellness Incorporated and a TAG recipient. "We are thrilled to partner with the DeKalb County School System to bring tobacco prevention messages to youth."

For more information on the Tobacco Action Grant activities or on tobacco use prevention efforts in DeKalb County, contact LaTonia McGinnis, Tobacco Grant Specialist for the DeKalb Tobacco Use Prevention Unit, at 404-508-7884 or you may visit www.dekalbhealth.net.

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