MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Mecklenburg County health leaders are working to combat tobacco-related disparities with their new multicultural tobacco-free coalition, ensuring all have people an equal chance to breathe clean air.
Smoking kills. It's a bad habit that caused Trenisha Rush to lose two important figures in her life.
"Both of my parents, I lost them to tobacco use," said Rush. "My mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and my father died of lung cancer."
Rush said the one thing her dad said on his deathbed was that he regretted picking up cigarettes.
"That's the last memory I have of my dad," Rush said.
Data in Mecklenburg County shows groups impacted more by tobacco include communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with lower incomes.
"We look at the data and we access in our own community what the data looks like," Allison Nelson, with Mecklenburg County Public Health, said.
County health leaders say most of that is due to predatory marketing with 100% of Black smokers reported using menthol cigarettes. That's compared to about 20% of white smokers.
Research also shows that marketing has a big impact on kids.
"We found in doing some corner store audits the youth are also susceptible to marketing of tobacco products," Nelson said. "We are seeing younger and younger kids becoming addicted to the use of tobacco, we talk about what the industry has done and ways to use strategies to alleviate some of that marketing,"
Some strategies include raising awareness, educating targeted communities, exploring policy changes at the local and state levels, and enhancing tobacco treatment.
The goals have Rush eager to be a part of the solution. She’s hoping her story can be someone else’s survival guide.
"What if my dad’s story saves thousands of lives," Rush wondered.
If you would like to learn more about the coalition or ways to get help click here.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.