Area Tobacco Prevention Group to Meet in Monroe

For immediate release
Media Contact:
Amy B. Ferguson, Keating Magee
504-299-7175

AREA TOBACCO PREVENTION GROUP TO MEET IN MONROE

New Orleans, September 3, 2004—The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) will host its next regional organizing meeting in Monroe on Wednesday, September 8th at 9:00 a.m. at the Northeast Regional Office of Public Health at 1650 DeSiard St., Second Floor.
TFL, a statewide tobacco prevention initiative that seeks to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use among Louisianians, encourages all previous participants in the Statewide Summit on Tobacco Prevention and the first organizing meeting to attend. The meeting is also open to community leaders, concerned members of the public, and representatives from area organizations.
The Monroe region covers the following parishes: Caldwell, East Caroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union and West Caroll.
A light breakfast will be served before the meeting at 8:30 a.m. For more information or to RSVP, those interested should contact Cheryll Sheard, TFLs statewide manager, at 504-301-9817.
The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living provides statewide coordination of existing tobacco control initiatives, funds innovative community programming for tobacco control, and develops statewide media campaigns to help reduce the excessive burden of tobacco use on the states resources and improve Louisianas overall health and quality of life.

Tobacco Fact: In 2002, each pack of cigarettes sold in Louisiana cost an estimated $7.27 in smoking-attributable direct medical expenses and lost productivity.