b'BODY OF CHRIST NEWS MAGAZINEA CALL TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY Special GRANTS BY TRUSTED BLACK VOICES for First Time Homebuyers(Bring little or Honorable no money to close)Elbra Wedgeworth John Bailey Terri Richardson, MDMenthol cigarettes are a number one killer ofthan other types of cigarettes and harder to Black lives. For more than 60 years, the tobaccoquit. Its not surprising that the smoking rateCALL MARION BOSTONindustry has deliberately targeted the Blackamong Black residents in Colorado is almost community with menthol cigarettes whiledouble the smoking rate among white residents.Your Realtor @ eXp Realtyprofiting enormously and disproportionatelyFurthermore, Black adults who smoke in Colorado destroying Black lives and health. The tobaccoare more likely to try to quit smoking but less industry continues to target a new generationlikely to successfully quit than other adults who of young Black Americansaddicting them tosmoke (TABS 2018 and 2022).flavored tobacco products like those that have historically ravaged their communities. Ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products in Denver could tremendously reduce tobacco We need to end the tobacco industrys exploitationuse in our Black community and save lives. If the of Black lives for profit by eliminating flavoredU.S. ended the sale of menthol flavored cigarettes tobacco products in Denverincluding, andnationwide, it would save the lives of 654,000 especially, menthol cigarettesand address theAmericans, including 255,000 Black Americans systemic causes of addiction including povertyover the next four decades.and a lack of access to healthcare.In the words of National NAACP President and CEO Racism is a public health crisis, fueled in part byDerrick Johnson Its profoundly disturbing that the tobacco industrys intentional infiltration ofthe tobacco industry has deliberately targeted the Black community to sell menthol tobaccoBlack communities. Banning menthol cigarettes products. We can no longer allow them or theirwill save Black lives.enablers to profit from a history of systemic racism that continues to put the health of BlackUrging our political leaders in Denver to prioritize Americans at risk. ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and all flavored tobacco products is the first step to The tobacco industrys intentional marketingreducing health disparities and ending the tobacco tactics have ensured Black communities chooseindustrys profiteering of Black lives. We must also menthol cigarettes over regular cigarettes.hold those in power accountable for enabling the Tobacco companies targeted Black Americanstobacco industry and allowing for the exploitation with slick marketing campaigns in Black media,of issues that truly matter to the safety of ourLETS GET STARTED!and have flooded Black neighborhoods with freecommunity.or cheap menthol products, often appropriating Black culture and music to do so. Their tacticsPlease join us by adding your name to the growingCall or Texthave worked to addict Black Americans to menthollist of individuals and organizations that support720.671.0839cigarettes. In the 1950s, fewer than 10% of Blackending the sale of flavored products in Denver.Americans who smoked used menthol cigarettes.Email:Today, 85% of all Black smokers choose menthols. COME AND JOIN OUR EFFORT!Honorable Elbra Wedgeworth marionbostonrealtor@Menthol masks the harshness of smoking andJohn Bailey gmail.commakes cigarettes more addictive. MentholTerri Richardson, MDcigarettes are more attractive to younger people 17 BOCNEWS.COM'