Key Issues

American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following statement today on “The Healthier Lifestyles and Prevention America (HeLP America) Act,” introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA):

“Sen. Tom Harkin’s tireless efforts on behalf of prevention are greatly appreciated by the American Heart Association and we enthusiastically support the HeLP America Act.

Prevention is one of the strongest tools we have in the fight against heart disease and stroke.  Investing in programs that propel the use of prevention measures such as increased physical activity, improved nutrition and reduced tobacco use will help Americans adopt healthier habits, and ultimately drive down our nation’s rising health care costs. The HeLP America Act accomplishes this by expanding prevention efforts in schools, communities, and workplaces.

For example, provisions included in this legislation will help make physical education a priority for our school children, a goal we believe is a strong way to help attack our childhood obesity problem and develop well-educated and healthy students.  Other initiatives in the bill, such as a requirement for a science-based update to the Physical Activity Guidelines every 10 years, will also help Americans of all ages boost their levels of physical activity.

While the nation’s nutrition policy has advanced in the past few years, there is still work to be done. We are also glad to see many other positive nutrition provisions in the bill, including an expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, an initiative which helps low-income children have access to these foods, help them learn about healthy habits, and help them make informed nutrition choices.  The legislation also goes a long way to close existing loopholes on tobacco taxes and increase Medicaid coverage to help smokers break the chains of their addiction.

We look forward to working with Sen. Harkin and our partners to advocate for this legislation and improve the public health of all Americans. ”

Learn more about the HeLP America Act.

It’s time to welcome the 113^th Congress!  We all know the best welcomes are personal, so we’re asking You’re the Cure advocates to introduce themselves to their members of Congress by recording a video and uploading it to Facebook.

We’re calling it the “Hello, my name is ____” campaign.  We want your elected officials to know you and your heart or stroke story- and to remember it when they vote this year.  When you record your video, consider using this script (and try to keep your video to about 60 seconds!):

 “Hi my name is [your name] from [City, State].”

 “I am passionate about policy changes that can help improve cardiovascular health in this country because [tell your story].”

 “Now that I’ve shared my story with you, I have one question for you: Will you remember me when you vote this year?”

Watch an example from our National Grassroots Director, Clarissa Garcia:

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Once you’ve recorded your video on your phone, tablet, or camera, save it and upload it to Facebook. To upload your video to Facebook:

1. Scroll to the top of your Facebook homepage where your status box is.
2. Click Add Photos/Video.
3. Click Upload Photos/Video.
4. Select your video from the location you saved it to on your computer or mobile device.
5. Write a post for your video.  Make sure to ‘tag’ your Representative and Senators and our American Heart Association: You’re the Cure page!  We recommend using this caption:

Hello, @[Enter your lawmakers names starting with an “@” symbol to tag their accounts], my name is [your name], and I’m an @[American Heart Association: You’re the Cure] advocate. Here’s why I support heart-healthy and stroke-smart public policies. Will you remember me when you vote this year?

(Note: Use our Legislator Search tool to identify your Representative and Senators.  You’ll need to “Like” their Facebook pages in order to ‘tag’ them with your video.)

If you’re unable to upload a video, there’s another easy way to introduce yourself to your legislators. Simply share your story by sending a personalized email today!

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to let us know at advocacydc@heart.org. 

We can’t wait to see your videos. Thanks for being the cure!

As we get ready to welcome the 113^th Congress to Capitol Hill in January, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all of the activity that took place on key heart and stroke issues this year.  In a tough economic environment, You’re the Cure advocates, like you, helped play critical defense to protect funding and programs that support our shared mission of building healthier lives.

We’re also proud to report that over 34,000 new grassroots advocates joined You’re the Cure this year, making our unified voice that much stronger in our communities, our states, and in the nation’s capital.  And what a noise we made!  Advocates took over 350,000 actions this year, from sending emails and making phone calls, to attending events and meeting with lawmakers, and more.   

Thank you for your hard work to influence Congress in 2012.  We’re excited to make even more progress in 2013!

From the Washington Post, October 29th- A decline in the number of cases of myocardial infarction, or heart attack, in one Minnesota county appears linked to smoke-free workplace laws in that area, research published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine finds.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. looked at the number of heart attacks among residents of Olmsted County, Minn. that occurred 18 months before and after implementation of laws banning smoking in restaurants in 2002, and the 18 months before and after those laws were extended to include all workplaces, including bars, in 2007. They found that the incidence of heart attack declined by a third (33 percent) from the start of the study to the end (i.e., from the 18 months before the first laws to the 18 months after the second laws went into effect). 

Read Jennifer LaRue Huget’s full Washington Post article about this important study…

Washington, D.C., Aug. 24, 2012 — American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments on today’s ruling by the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit against the use of tobacco warning labels:

“With today’s decision, the judges have thrown out one of the best tools we have to force smokers to face the consequences of their choice, and stop the industry from addicting a new generation. The court has, in effect, insulted the intelligence of all Americans by implying we cannot distinguish the meaning of graphic tobacco warning labels.

As the Surgeon General reported recently, the decline in smoking is stalled, and more young Americans are using tobacco products. Each of the 1,200 Americans who die from tobacco-related diseases every day are being replaced by two smokers under the age of 26. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control estimated that 45.3 million adult Americans smoked cigarettes. In the U.S., about one-third of smoking-related deaths are linked to heart disease and stroke.

Graphic tobacco labels would help us stop this tragic trajectory. Research indicates that these vivid images are very effective in heightening awareness about the dangers of smoking and halting tobacco use.

Smoking kills. The gravity of that statement is often dismissed until we are confronted with the terrible effects of tobacco addiction. The American Heart Association sincerely hopes this decision is overturned on appeal, so we can move closer to making our nation 100 percent smoke free.”

Washington, D.C., Mar. 15, 2012 — American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments on the new National Tobacco Education Campaign, unveiled today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

“The CDC’s new tobacco education campaign could not come at a better time. The painfully real accounts of former smokers featured in these ads will focus public attention on the devastating health effects of tobacco use, encourage current smokers to quit and help strongly combat the tobacco industry’s efforts to foster a new generation of addicts.

About one-third of smoking-related deaths in the United States are linked to cardiovascular disease. The stories of two Americans included in this campaign, who suffered from a heart attack and a stroke as a result of smoking, are harrowing examples of how tobacco can ruin an individual’s health. The ads highlight a shocking but very realistic fate that could await some current smokers if they continue their tobacco addiction. As the ads emphasize, smoking contributes to 1 in 5 strokes, and your chances of having a heart attack increase every time you light up.

The Surgeon General’s report released last week points to strong evidence that tobacco-education media campaigns can help reduce the number of smokers in this country. The American Heart Association believes these graphic ads, coupled with vigorous tobacco control at the state level, will reach not only the adults who smoke, but also will break through to teens and discourage them from ever taking up this deadly habit.”

Visit the CDC website or click the video below to see these compelling ads for yourself!

Washington, D.C., Mar. 8, 2012 — American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments on the new report, “Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults,” released today by U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, M.D.:

“The Surgeon General has done her job. Now we must do ours. This insightful new report makes it clear that we cannot let our guard down for a minute when it comes to tobacco addiction. While many Americans may think tobacco use is fading away, the evidence in this report tells a dramatically different story.

Not only is the decline in smoking stalled, but more young Americans are using tobacco products peddled by an industry intent on addicting a new generation. As this report reveals, each of the 1,200 Americans who die from tobacco-related diseases every day are being replaced by two smokers under the age of 26. We know that this smoking can set teens and young adults on the road to early hardening of the arteries and coronary artery disease in adulthood.

Despite this evidence, our society’s vigilance against tobacco use has waned in recent years — even though we have the solutions that can end this epidemic once and for all. The Surgeon General’s report confirms that combined interventions — such as mass media campaigns, well-funded state prevention and cessation programs, increased tobacco taxes, and smoke-free laws — reduce tobacco use among youth and adults. The American Heart Association strongly supports all of these interventions.

States are the key battleground in this ongoing war against tobacco. Unfortunately, state tobacco prevention funding has been reduced by one-third in the past several years, and many tobacco tax and smoke-free law initiatives have faced uphill battles in state legislatures. How many more young Americans need to become addicted to tobacco and suffer from heart disease, stroke or other chronic diseases before the states take action?

The Surgeon General’s report is an urgent warning for our nation, and particularly for states that must renew their commitment to tobacco control in order to stop a new generation of young people from lighting their first cigarette.”

Washington, D.C., Feb. 29, 2012 — American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments on today’s ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon that the Food and Drug Administration’s tobacco warning labels are unconstitutional:

“Today’s district court ruling that the FDA’s tobacco warning labels violate the First Amendment is unconscionable.

In his decision, Judge Leon stated that tobacco warning labels fail to convey any factual information about the health consequences of smoking. Nothing could be further from the truth. These labels clearly depict the terrible effects of tobacco addiction. Additionally, research has shown that these images are very effective in reducing tobacco use.

The American Heart Association believes that the graphic depictions of smoking-related diseases on cigarette packages will drive home the message that tobacco use is an equal opportunity killer, affecting smokers and nonsmokers alike. Cigarette smoking causes about 443,000 premature deaths each year and about 49,000 of these deaths are due to secondhand smoke.

In the United States, about one-third of smoking-related deaths are linked to heart disease and stroke.

Tobacco warning labels play a vital role to help current smokers quit and keep children from becoming addicted. Without them there could be more deaths from tobacco addiction and more profits for the tobacco industry.

While Judge Leon’s ruling was not unexpected given his earlier decision to block graphic warning labels, we sincerely hope this decision will be overturned on appeal.”

The American Heart Association’s advocacy volunteers are called You’re the Cure advocates for a reason. On February 24^th, 70 outstanding volunteers brought their passion, stories, and expertise to the White House for the Community Leaders Briefing on Cardiovascular Health. This special event was an important opportunity for high level administration officials to hear from heart disease and stroke patients, caregivers, medical professionals, and community health leaders and discuss the role of public policy in building healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The most powerful part of the day was the town hall meeting with Jon Carson, White House Director of Public Engagement, as advocates spoke-up to share their stories, such as:

• Dr. Willie Lawrence, a cardiologist from Kansas, who described saving a woman’s life using hands-only CPR while dining out the night before the event. He stressed the need for a public trained in CPR and improved access to AEDs.
• Emery Miller, a teenage congenital heart defect survivor from Arizona, who talked about his upcoming fifth heart surgery and his efforts to inspire other youth in his community to not let challenges hold them back.
• Ruth Caruthers, a caregiver from West Virginia, who expressed the pain of losing her infant son, Corbin, to heart defects last year. In his honor, she is now leading an advocacy effort to get her state legislature to pass a bill that would require every newborn to be tested for heart defects.

Other event highlights included:

•  An East Wing tour of the White House.
• Listening sessions on the Million Hearts Initiative, the Affordable Care Act, National Institutes of Health research, and efforts to reduce health disparities.
• A “tweet-up” with advocates and Jon Carson.
• Roundtable discussions on clean air policy, childhood obesity and nutrition policy, and tobacco control policy.

The commitment of our volunteers shined throughout the event as they asked the tough questions and spoke about their local advocacy work. The American Heart Association looks forward to a continued dialogue with the administration as we work to advance heart-healthy and stroke-smart legislation and regulations.

Follow all of the action as it happened on Storify!

For more event pictures, visit www.flickr.com/amheartadvocacy.

You’re the Cure advocates and AHA volunteers have had an exciting day participating in the White House Community Leaders Briefing on Cardiovascular Health on February 24, 2012. During the town hall session led by Director of Public Engagement, Jon Carson, some very powerful stories were shared. Here are some highlights.

• Lisa Deck, a three-time stroke survivor in her 30s, shared her story and asked how survivors like her can help the administration spread the word about the Affordable Care Act.

• Dr. Willie Lawrence, a cardiologist practicing in Kansas City, KS shared his incredible experience of saving a woman while dining out in D.C. the night before the event. CPR saved the life of an otherwise healthy woman who collapsed in the restaurant.

• Emery Miller, 13 year old youth advocate from Phoenix, AZ, shared his story of being born with a congenital heart defect. Throughout his young life, Emery has had four open heart surgeries, and his fifth is scheduled not long after returning home from Washington, D.C.

• Ruth Caruthers shared her heart-breaking story having lost her son Corbin just four-months after birth due to multiple heart defects. Ruth has worked tirelessly as an advocate to support legislation in West Virginia that would require pulse oximetry screening for all newborns. This inexpensive test can detect heart defects and save lives. The legislation has already passed the House and now moves on to the Senate for consideration.

These are just a few of the stories shared at the town hall. Jon Carson closed the event by sharing that although several other similar briefings have been held the Cardiovascular Health session was the most impactful. Great work You’re the Cure advocates and AHA volunteers!

Friday, February 24th is the big day for the White House Community Leaders Briefing on Cardiovascular Health and we want you to be in on all of the action! The White House will be live streaming the event from 9:00am to 12:00pm EST and you can tune in to hear from top Administration officials about the legislation, regulations, and initiatives being pursued to help fight our nation’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers, heart disease and stroke. To watch this event live, visit www.whitehouse.gov/live.

“The American Heart Association and WomenHeart are key partners in our efforts to win the fight against heart disease and educate people about this critical public health challenge,” said Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Jon Carson. “We’re looking forward to having them here at the White House to discuss ways to take action against a disease that takes the lives of over half a million Americans every year.” Read the White House’s full press release about the event.

You can also follow updates and join in day’s discussion through Twitter and Facebook:

1) Follow the @AmHeartAdvocacy Twitter feed and share your own thoughts and comments using the #HeartAtTheWH hashtag. From 3:30-4:15, Jon Carson (@JonCarson44), Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, will host a Tweet-Up with AHA volunteer-advocates to answer questions, so be sure to join us!

2) Follow event highlights through posts, pictures, and videos on the You’re the Cure Facebook page. Comment, share, and post your own thoughts about this special event.

On February 24^th, 70 American Heart Association volunteers will be coming to Washington, DC to attend the White House Community Leaders Briefing on Cardiovascular Health. This special event brings Administration officials together with heart disease and stroke survivors and caregivers, medical professionals, researchers, and community health advocates.

In addition to sharing their own personal stories and professional expertise, attendees will have the opportunity to hear about legislation, regulations, and initiatives the Administration has supported and is implementing to help improve cardiovascular health. The range of topics includes:

• The Million Hearts initiative;
• Access to affordable, quality cardiovascular care;
• National Institutes of Health research;
• Efforts to reduce health disparities in women and minorities;
• Nutrition policy;
• Clean air policy;
• Promoting physical activity through policy and the built environment
• Tobacco control policy

You can be in the loop during this important event too! Check out the ways to engage with the American Heart Association, your fellow advocates, and the White House:

1. Watch the event LIVE! From 9:00 am-12:00 pm EST, the White House will be live streaming the event at www.whitehouse.gov/live. Tune in to hear from top administration officials about the legislation, regulations, and initiatives being pursued to help fight heart disease and stroke. White House Director of Public Engagement Jon Carson will take live questions during a Tweet-Up from 3:30-4:15 pm EST. Follow him at @JonCarson44 and use the hashtag #HeartAtTheWH to join the discussion!
2. Follow live event highlights on Twitter and Facebook! We’ll be posting updates, pictures, and videos throughout the day. Join us by sharing, re-tweeting, commenting, and posting. Don’t forget to use the event’s official hashtag- #HeartAtTheWH- to join in the conversation.
3. Help us deliver our message to the White House! You can ask questions about the heart disease and stroke issues above and share your story with the White House through social media. Post to the White House Facebook page or direct your tweets to @WhiteHouse.
4. Get the scoop from those who were there! Visit the You’re the Cure blog and the White House blog in the days following the event for event recaps and observations from your fellow advocates who attended.

When U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin visited North Carolina on January 27th, our You’re the Cure youth advocates were ready to talk prevention with “America’s Doctor”. The Surgeon General, who was in the state to promote the National Prevention Strategy, participated in a town hall meeting with local health directors and teen tobacco use prevention advocates to discuss “What Will It Take to Keep Our Kids Tobacco Free.”

After the town hall, our youth advocates joined Dr. Benjamin and other health advocates for a statewide teleconference about the importance of continuing tobacco control programs and enhancing obesity prevention programs. The call was hosted by the NC Alliance for Health, a statewide coalition the AHA is proud to be a part of.

Check out this video below from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that recaps 2011. In this video, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks about the Million Hearts Campaign, which the American Heart Association is a proud member. The Campaign aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years.

Click to see the video!

The planned partnership between the Orange Bowl and Canacho Cigars for three-years has been cancelled. This major reversal represents a big victory for public health advocates who believed that a tobacco company sponsoring a NCAA event would have sent a bad message to youth. Senators *** Durbin, Frank Lautenberg and Richard Blumenthal, as well as the AHA and other public health groups, sent letters to the Orange Bowl and the NCAA asking them to cancel their sponsorship.

Before the reversal, the Orange Bowl had planned on providing on-site cigar lounges and other events around the cigar company. In addition, the Company also had a sponsorship deal for the 2013 National Championship game.

This a huge victory for public health!