OKLAHOMA CITY (September 3, 2009) – State Rep. Anastasia Pittman this week helped plan a two-day seminar in October that will train anti-tobacco groups in how to apply and manage state and federal grants.

            The seminar will be the first of many that Pittman and a coalition of state officials and anti-tobacco groups are planning to help end tobacco use in Oklahoma.

            “Because of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement and the state’s foresight in protecting those funds, there is a regular stream of available money to fight tobacco use,” Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, said. “While other agencies are suffering from budget cuts, the state health department has increased funding for community organizations who qualify. So what remains to be done is to ensure that people in our communities fighting this problem know how to gain access to that money.”

            Though an exact date has yet to be set, Pittman is hoping to hold the seminar at one of the Metro Tech centers, she said. The seminar will be put on by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

            According to Sally Carter, the health department held listening sessions in the African-American community, the Hispanic Community and the Native American community. Attendees stressed that the health department needed to offer more services, more funding and information on how to apply for grants, she said.

            “We also want to make sure that all communities in Oklahoma are becoming aware of the services we provide,” Carter said. “For instance, we have a hotline – 1-800-QUIT NOW (784-8869) that will give Oklahomans the information and resources they need to quit free of charge. We will send patches and other tobacco use cessation products directly to the address they give us.”

            Chris Rogers, coordinator for the African-American Tobacco Education Network (AATEN), said that because the tobacco industry targets specific minority communities, efforts by the state have to be tailored to those specific communities as well.

            “Tobacco companies were the pioneers of cultural-targeted advertising, meaning they researched black communities in order to market to those communities in culturally appropriate ways,” Carter said. “They started doing this in the 60s, before mainstream companies were even trying to market any products to minority communities. We also have to adapt a culturally targeted message.”

            Pittman serves on the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Public Health and Social Services.