Top News
FDA Proposes to End Sale of Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars: In a move we have long advocated for, on April 28, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced two proposed rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. This action will save lives, and end unjust disparities in tobacco use, primarily caused by the tobacco companies targeting vulnerable communities with menthol cigarettes. This could be the single most significant action taken by FDA in its almost 13-year history of regulating tobacco products.
- The rules propose to include all menthol cigarettes and all flavored cigars (regardless of weight or price or alleged “premium” status).
- Both would take effect one year after the date the final rules are published.
- Both are aimed at reducing health disparities, especially in Black and Brown communities.
We are urging the Biden administration to finalize rules by end of 2022. Voice your support by sending a comment to FDA.
Turquoise Takeover 2022 Celebration!
From coast to coast, landmarks, news anchors and LUNG FORCE supporters turned turquoise in support our annual Turquoise Takeover Celebration. Over 150 landmarks illuminated in our signature turquoise including the Hoover Dam, LAX Airport, One World Trade Center, The Willis Tower and Niagara Falls. You can get involved with our LUNG FORCE initiative by visiting LUNGFORCE.org.
Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones from COVID-19: Learn what to do to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Keep up with the latest through our COVID-19 information pages. Please GIVE to the COVID-19 Action Fund so we can help end COVID-19 and defend against future respiratory viruses. Find the latest at Lung.org/covid19 and be sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram social channels and share these timely resources to your network.
Honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we are joining the celebration of the rich culture and contributions of AAPIs in the U.S. Throughout the special month, we will highlight staff blogs which feature personal reflections on what AAPI Month means to them, lung health resources, and more related to AAPI and Native Hawaiian communities. Visit our AAPI Heritage Month webpage which will be updated throughout the month as new resources and information is released.
Listen to Lungcast™: For April’s Sarcoidosis Awareness Month, Dr. Mehdi Mirsaeidi, director of the ILD and Sarcoidosis Program at Jacksonville College of Medicine, joined our latest Lungcast™ episode to review the challenges and research surrounding the rare inflammatory disease. This episode provides an enlightening overview of the disease history and its unique inflammatory process, as well as treatment protocols and breakthroughs beyond steroids. Tune into the interview, plus past episodes, at: Lung.org/lungcast.
SUPPORT THE LUNG ASSOCIATION
Your support really counts! We invite you to get outside and join one of our fundraising events! Every year your participation at one of our Climbs, Walks, Treks or other fundraising events does so much to make our vision of a world free of lung disease a reality! Register for an event near you.
LUNG CANCER
Upcoming Lung Cancer Patient Virtual Meetup - “Lung Cancer Surgical Intervention Options” Dr. Darren Rohan, from Northwell Health, will discuss surgery methods and approaches for the different types of lung cancer. In addition, we will cover what you need to know before you or a loved one gets their surgery. This event will take place on Friday, May 20th at 1 pm ET/ 10 am PT. Register now.
LUNG FORCE Hero: Isabella C. shares the story of her mother, LUNG FORCE Hero Lidia and her courageous effort to continue as a full-time OB/GYN, despite a diagnosis of stage-IV lung cancer. She was determined to help others and spread lung cancer awareness. In 2019, Lidia discovered her passion for lung cancer advocacy, which led her to work with the American Lung Association. Although her mother is gone, Isabella is carrying on her mother’s legacy and represented the State of New Jersey for the Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day 2022. Read the whole inspiring story!
ASTHMA
May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month: The Lung Association is raising awareness through resources on asthma control, emerging treatment options and the importance of air quality. Visit Lung.org/Asthma. On May 3, we recognized World Asthma Day and shared our many tools and resources for living with asthma. We’re also advocating for the Family Asthma Act by asking individuals to sign our petition for Congress to pass this important legislation. We encourage healthcare professionals, teachers and parents of kids with asthma to take our free online course, Asthma Basics.
Asthma Public Policy Webinar: We have collaborated with a broad multi-disciplinary group of asthma specialists, medical professionals and public health and policy experts to update the National Asthma Public Agenda. Many of the policies and supporting strategies were updated to reflect the latest science. Please join us on June 1 at 2 p.m.CT to learn about the recommended policies and strategies to reduce asthma morbidity and mortality. Register here.
HEALTHY AIR
With the release of the “State of the Air” 2022 report, now is a great time to draw attention to the Lung Association’s air pollution work. Our Healthy Air Activist Toolkit is a resource you can use to engage your communities, health organizations and decision makers on issues relating to air quality and protecting health from air pollution. The toolkit includes access to three short films and accompanying material that can be used for film screenings and panel discussions. Just last week, the DC Department of Energy and Environment hosted a panel discussion for air quality awareness week follow by a screening of “Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air,” a documentary film the Lung Association supported in partnership with American University Center for Environmental Filmmaking. Learn more about how to request a film screening and more at lung.org/air.
RESEARCH
TB Scientist Publishes Research and Makes a Difference: During World TB Day in March, the Lung Association recognized University of South California’s Hyungjin Eoh, D.V.M., Ph.D. — a recipient of our 2021 Innovation Award — for his work in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This year, his lab discovered that Mtb has evolved its metabolism in such a way that it is able to withstand drug treatments, which is a mechanism important to developing treatments. In previous research, he also found that adding a certain molecule to the current TB drug regimen helps fight against dormant, non-replicating Mtb which might be hiding within the body’s cells, improving the treatment effect of drugs. Learn more about these findings in Dr. Eoh’s research articles: The Role of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Drug Tolerance of Mycobacterium and PEP Depletion Mediates Both Growth Arrest and Drug Tolerance of Mycobacterium TB.
EACH BREATH BLOG
Good Asthma Management Includes Protecting Against Pertussis: Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is an extremely contagious respiratory disease. While it can cause serious respiratory illness in people of all ages, there is an increased risk of infection and complications for adults with asthma.
Thank you for all you do!
Your generous support is the engine that drives our three-pronged mission of education, advocacy and research. Out of every dollar donated to the American Lung Association, 90 cents goes to program services that help all of us and our loved ones breathe easier, now and in the future!
Blog last updated: May 12, 2022
