URGENT
Its getting hot in Springfield! The casino industry is at it again! House Bill 1850 passed out of the Illinois House of Representatives Executive Committee earlier today over the opposition of public health advocates. This is yet another attempt by the casino industry to ram through legislation allowing smoking in Illinois casinos.
Please tell your Representative to vote "NO" on House Bill 1850!
With your help, we managed to slow down their earlier attempt to pass House Bill 1846. Now, they're trying to push through House Bill 1850, another proposal which would be harmful to the health of Illinois casino workers and casino patrons alike. We fear that if a bill to exempt casinos passes the Illinois legislature, it could open the floodgates to other exemptions, such as bars, private clubs, restaurants, leading to the unraveling of our Smoke-Free law.
Please tell your Representative to vote "NO" on House Bill 1850!
We need your help today. This bill could be called for a vote as early as Tuesday, November 30.
Thank you again for all you have done and continue to do to support our policy and advocacy efforts!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
See it, Print it, Send it. Protect Smoke-Free Illinois
Dear Advocates,
As you may know, the Illinois General Assembly convened for their fall Veto Session last week. Usually veto session in Springfield is uneventful. But last week we saw the casino gaming industry flex its muscles at the Capitol, ramming House Bill 1846 through the House Executive Committee. This cynical proposal would allow casinos to ignore smoke-free protections that apply to every other public and work place in our state.
Clearly, allowing smoking in casinos would harm the health of workers and patrons alike and would make casinos all but off limits to customers with cardiovascular problems. But by opening up the law to exemptions, House Bill 1846 could also lead to an unraveling of the overwhelmingly popular and effective Smokefree Illinois Act.
With the help of advocates who took action on our alert last week, we managed to win a small battle by keeping the legislation from a final vote by the full House of Representatives! There is no question that having time to debate this measure in the light of day clearly benefits public health over casino avarice. But the war continues, and the bill could be voted on by the full House as soon as the legislature returns after Thanksgiving. We hope we can continue to count on your help!
Please follow the steps below to ask your legislators to keep Illinois smoke-free.
See it! Here is a link to a recent letter to the editor from one of our volunteers: View AHA Letter to the Editor
Print it! And please write a personal note to your Illinois State Representative suggesting they read the letter from the paper. Don't forget to tell your state representative:"Vote NO on House Bill 1846 to keep Illinois 100% Smoke-Free to protect ALL workers and patrons!"
Mail it! Please fax or mail your note and a copy of the letter to the editor to your state representative. Follow the link below to find your State Representative's contact information :http://tinyurl.com/FindMyLegislator
BE COUNTED! Click Here if You Completed This Activity.
Any potential weakening of the smoke-free law would once again put Illinois citizens at a higher-risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions. If you haven't already, remember to contact your representative by following the link below.
Tell your Representative to vote "NO" on House Bill 1846!
As you may know, the Illinois General Assembly convened for their fall Veto Session last week. Usually veto session in Springfield is uneventful. But last week we saw the casino gaming industry flex its muscles at the Capitol, ramming House Bill 1846 through the House Executive Committee. This cynical proposal would allow casinos to ignore smoke-free protections that apply to every other public and work place in our state.
Clearly, allowing smoking in casinos would harm the health of workers and patrons alike and would make casinos all but off limits to customers with cardiovascular problems. But by opening up the law to exemptions, House Bill 1846 could also lead to an unraveling of the overwhelmingly popular and effective Smokefree Illinois Act.
With the help of advocates who took action on our alert last week, we managed to win a small battle by keeping the legislation from a final vote by the full House of Representatives! There is no question that having time to debate this measure in the light of day clearly benefits public health over casino avarice. But the war continues, and the bill could be voted on by the full House as soon as the legislature returns after Thanksgiving. We hope we can continue to count on your help!
Please follow the steps below to ask your legislators to keep Illinois smoke-free.
See it! Here is a link to a recent letter to the editor from one of our volunteers: View AHA Letter to the Editor
Print it! And please write a personal note to your Illinois State Representative suggesting they read the letter from the paper. Don't forget to tell your state representative:"Vote NO on House Bill 1846 to keep Illinois 100% Smoke-Free to protect ALL workers and patrons!"
Mail it! Please fax or mail your note and a copy of the letter to the editor to your state representative. Follow the link below to find your State Representative's contact information :http://tinyurl.com/FindMyLegislator
BE COUNTED! Click Here if You Completed This Activity.
Any potential weakening of the smoke-free law would once again put Illinois citizens at a higher-risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions. If you haven't already, remember to contact your representative by following the link below.
Tell your Representative to vote "NO" on House Bill 1846!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Letters: No exemptions from smoke-free law
This letter appeared in The State-Journal Register on Nov. 19.
Illinois is a smoke-free state, meaning smoking is not allowed in public places, including casinos. Unfortunately, earlier this week an Illinois House of Representatives committee quietly rushed through House Bill 1846, allowing smoking in casinos by exempting them from our smoke-free law.
If Illinois begins to exempt some public places from the smoke-free law, where do we draw the line? Doesn’t every Illinois worker deserve to work in a safe and healthy environment, free of toxins such as secondhand smoke? What about the nonsmokers who would like to enjoy a night at the casino?
The American Heart Association strongly opposes this cynical attack by the gaming industry on a popular and effective public health measure. The casinos are pleading poverty, but while it has yet to be proven that the smoke-free laws have any significant impact on a casino’s bottom line, there is no question that secondhand smoke is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In fact, even a few minutes in a smoky environment can cause a heart attack.
Please ask your state representative to “double down” on your health by voting “no” on House Bill 1846. It is time for the casino industry to consider the health of their workers and patrons and to fold their hand. Illinois’ casino workers and patrons are best served if we keep our smoke-free law intact!
Kathleen L. Grady, PhD, APN,FAAN
Associate professorFeinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Evanston
Illinois is a smoke-free state, meaning smoking is not allowed in public places, including casinos. Unfortunately, earlier this week an Illinois House of Representatives committee quietly rushed through House Bill 1846, allowing smoking in casinos by exempting them from our smoke-free law.
If Illinois begins to exempt some public places from the smoke-free law, where do we draw the line? Doesn’t every Illinois worker deserve to work in a safe and healthy environment, free of toxins such as secondhand smoke? What about the nonsmokers who would like to enjoy a night at the casino?
The American Heart Association strongly opposes this cynical attack by the gaming industry on a popular and effective public health measure. The casinos are pleading poverty, but while it has yet to be proven that the smoke-free laws have any significant impact on a casino’s bottom line, there is no question that secondhand smoke is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In fact, even a few minutes in a smoky environment can cause a heart attack.
Please ask your state representative to “double down” on your health by voting “no” on House Bill 1846. It is time for the casino industry to consider the health of their workers and patrons and to fold their hand. Illinois’ casino workers and patrons are best served if we keep our smoke-free law intact!
Kathleen L. Grady, PhD, APN,FAAN
Associate professorFeinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Evanston
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Your Immediate Action Needed to Protect Illinois' Smoke-Free Law!
URGENT
In a surprising turn of events, House Bill 1846 passed out of the Illinois House of Representatives Executive Committee yesterday. This bill would allow smoking in Illinois casinos until surrounding states pass smoke free laws.
This move is a devastating blow to Illinois casino workers who would be forced to breathe smoke-filled air within their workplace and to casino patrons who would also be subjected to secondhand smoke. We fear that if a bill to exempt casinos passes the Illinois legislature, it could open the floodgates to other exemptions, such as bars, private clubs, restaurants, leading to the unraveling of our Smoke-Free law.
This bill could be called for a vote as early as TODAY - November 17.
Thank you again for all you have done and continue to do to support advocacy efforts in Illinois and nationwide.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Happy Veterans Day!
The American Heart Association would like to thank all our military service men and women this Veterans Day. And to all heart attack and stroke survivors and families who've fought their own battles and persevered, we salute you as well!
*Remember to tell your friends and family to join our army of advocates at www.yourethecure.org this Veteran's day and urge them to take action in the fight to find a cure and build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
We can't spell CURE, without "U"! Join You're the Cure today! This group of volunteers contacts their elected officials to help pass important heart-healthy policies in their state and across the nation. Once you’re a part of You’re the Cure, you’ll receive e-mails that guide you on how to take action – from clicking on an alert that you can personalize and send to your lawmakers to talking points on what to say when making a call to a district office or visiting a lawmaker on legislation affecting heart or stroke issues. It’s a great resource to keep you up to speed with state and federal health legislation and the best part is, we offer it as a free service to the public.
Find us on Facebook: Join our page “You’re the Cure: Midwest Clicks for Hearts” at www.facebook.com/heartofthemidwest and make sure all your friends and family know you care about advocating for heart issues on Facebook! Our page has posts from all the states in our affiliate and highlights successes and opportunities in advocacy for heart and stroke issues. (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD, WI)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
What Did You Eat for Lunch Today? START! Eating Healthy Day - November 3, 2010
Heart disease directly or indirectly affects everyone in this country — your neighbors, your loved ones, you. Beating the No. 1 killer of Americans — heart disease — doesn’t have to mean radical fad diets and crazy exercise trends that are only temporary fixes. A long life of heart health is about taking small steps each day to change how you eat and live. As those small steps add up, one day you will realize you’ve changed your life — and perhaps the lives of those you love — for the better.
The American Heart Association has started a new campaign to encourage good health called Start! Eating Healthy Day on November 3, 2010. The American Heart Association encourages everyone to choose a variety of healthy foods (in the right amounts of course) in order to cut down on heart disease. There's also tips for businesses who want to help their employees to improve their heart health.
Learn more about Eating Right here and follow the link below for some great resources to share with friends and family:
Resources for National START! Eating Healthy Day
The American Heart Association has started a new campaign to encourage good health called Start! Eating Healthy Day on November 3, 2010. The American Heart Association encourages everyone to choose a variety of healthy foods (in the right amounts of course) in order to cut down on heart disease. There's also tips for businesses who want to help their employees to improve their heart health.
Learn more about Eating Right here and follow the link below for some great resources to share with friends and family:
Resources for National START! Eating Healthy Day
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