Faith United Against Tobacco is a multi-faith and multi-denominational coalition of churches and faith-based organizations. The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting kids, Black Americans and other populations with flavored products, contributing to significant health disparities. While the United States has made tremendous progress, we cannot let up in this fight as tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death and kills nearly half a million Americans every year.
Our mission is to engage faith leaders and encourage their congregations, communities and lay members to advocate in support of policies that will prevent tobacco use among communities that are disproportionately impacted.
We carry out this mission through:
Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. Currently, over 1.6 million youth use e-cigarettes and 90% use flavored products – this is unacceptable.
Faith leaders can play an important role in educating and protecting their communities on the harmful effects of tobacco use and can share resources about preventing tobacco use and cessation services.
As trusted leaders in the community, it is important for Faith leaders to advocate for proven policies that will stop youth from using tobacco products and help tobacco users quit such as:
Faith leaders have a responsibility to promote health, love, and justice within their communities. By integrating tobacco prevention into your respective ministries, you can embody the teachings of scripture and lead congregants toward lives of health and wholeness. Let us unite in both prayer and action, seeking God's guidance as we strive to build tobacco-free communities grounded in faith, hope, love, and sound policy. Let us unite in both prayer and action, seeking God's guidance as we strive to build tobacco-free communities grounded in faith, hope, love, and sound policy.
Faith in Action: James 2:14-17 emphasizes the importance of faith expressed through action. Faith leaders can actively demonstrate their faith by engaging in tobacco prevention efforts, working alongside their congregations and communities to create healthier environments and promote abundant life.
Stewardship of the Body: Scripture teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Faith leaders have a responsibility to promote the well-being of their congregants, guiding them to honor and care for their bodies by abstaining from harmful substances like tobacco.
Healing and Restoration: Jesus ministered to the sick, offering healing and restoration to those suffering (Matthew 9:35). Tobacco use leads to illness and death, but faith leaders can emulate Christ's compassion by advocating for tobacco prevention policies and supporting cessation efforts to heal individuals and communities from America’s leading cause of preventable death.
Justice and Equity: Proverbs 31:8-9 calls us to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves" and "defend the rights of the poor and needy." Tobacco use disproportionately harms marginalized communities targeted by the tobacco industry. Faith leaders can uphold justice by advocating for policies that protect the vulnerable from tobacco-related harms.
Love for Others: Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). By promoting tobacco prevention policies, faith leaders demonstrate love and compassion for their neighbors, seeking to protect them from the physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of tobacco addiction.
Setting a Holy Example: 1 Timothy 4:12 encourages believers to set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. By promoting tobacco-free lifestyles and advocating for smoke-free environments, faith leaders exemplify the principles of purity and healthful living to their congregations and communities.
Honoring Life as Sacred: Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Tobacco use defiles the sacredness of life, but faith leaders can affirm the sanctity of our humanly existence by working to prevent tobacco-related suffering and death.
There are many ways for Faith leaders to weigh in and challenge media, lawmakers and community leaders to make youth tobacco prevention a priority at the federal, state and local level. Some activities you might engage in are: