REDUCING TOBACCO
INEQUITIES
Black men in Mississippi are dying from tobacco use, which is a significant public health concern disproportionately affecting the demographic.
THE BLACK TRUTH CAMPAIGN
A collaborative project aims to raise awareness about the grave impact of tobacco use in African American communities and communities of color. Addressing tobacco inequities for African Americans in Mississippi involves tackling the unique challenges that contribute to higher rates of tobacco use and related health issues in this community.
TOBACCO RESOURCES
For more information, please click on tobacco resources.
If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to reach out to us at the IAMH Reducing Tobacco Inequities Program. We’re here to help!
JOIN TOBACCO INEQUITIES
By joining the movement to address tobacco inequities, you can help create meaningful change. Support community-driven initiatives, advocate for policy reforms, and promote equitable access to cessation programs. Together, we can break the cycle of tobacco-related disparities and build healthier, smoke-free futures for all.
We encourage you to take a moment to complete the IAMH Tobacco Coalition Interest Form. Your input is vital in our efforts to make a meaningful impact!

ROOTED IN
POWER
NO MENTHOL SUNDAY
No Menthol Sunday, an annual observance led by the Center for Black Health & Equity, is an opportunity to engage faith leaders and their communities in a discussion about how to improve health and reduce health disparities for African American people. One way to improve health is to encourage people who smoke tobacco products to quit.
Tobacco product use remains a major contributor to the three leading causes of death among African American people—heart disease, cancer, and stroke. On No Menthol Sunday, faith leaders encourage congregations and communities to support one another in escaping tobacco addiction. They also highlight the role flavored tobacco products, including menthol, have played in starting to use tobacco and becoming addicted to it.
Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health Public Health Interventionist Peggy Jones is a minister. On No Menthol Sunday she preached I’m Alright NOW, Mental Health is Real but God is Greater. Additionally, Miss Peggy also shared tobacco cessation materials with church members.
LATEST BLOG


COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Over the years, No Menthol Sunday has become a powerful movement, bringing together health advocates, community leaders, and faith-based organizations to take a stand against the tobacco industry's harmful practices. The collective effort aims to reduce tobacco-related health disparities and promote health equity, particularly within African American communities. Here are a few photos from events hosted by Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health

OUR SOLUTION
The Institute for Minority Health's Reducing Tobacco Inequities project is a community-based approach. The community-based model recognizes the importance of treating members of a community as active and equal participants in all phases of the process to facilitate change.
To address health equity, we work with organizations and coalitions engaged in MS anti-smoking advocacy efforts. The specific aims of this project are to implement a culturally specific tobacco cessation program targeting African American males ages 12 and older in the Mississippi Delta River Region of Mississippi.
MORE RESOURCES
- CDC Black Men Health Report
- Black Lives Black Lungs Documentary
- Addressing Tobacco Use in the Black Community Toolkit
- Flip the Script - A Tobacco Inequities Narrative Change Project
- African American Communities Experience a health Burden from Commercial Tobacco
- African American Men and Lung Cancer Infographic
- CDC Commercial Tobacco and Health Equity
- The Tobacco Industry and the Black Community
- Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults

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