Tobacco Companies Should Prevent Child Labor in U.S. Tobacco Farming – National Consumers League

June 26, 2014

Contact: Reid Maki, (202) 207-2820, reidm@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – Over 50 US-based organizations called on leading tobacco companies to address hazardous child labor in US tobacco farming in a letter released today. The groups expressed alarm that children are risking acute nicotine poisoning and other health and safety hazards in US tobacco fields.

“Children in the US can’t legally buy cigarettes, but children working in tobacco fields are suffering acute nicotine poisoning,” said Sally Greenberg, co-chair of the Child Labor Coalition (CLC) and executive director of the National Consumers League. “Tobacco companies need to ensure that their products are not made with child labor.”

The organizations, representing millions of teachers, healthcare professionals, workers, farmworkers, and advocates concerned about the safety, education, and welfare of children, called on the chief executive officers of the top ten global tobacco companies and tobacco leaf merchants to adopt and implement policies that prohibit children under age 18 from hazardous work in tobacco farming, including direct contact with tobacco.

A recent report, “Tobacco’s Hidden Children: Hazardous Child Labor in United States Tobacco Farming,” by Human Rights Watch found that of 141 child tobacco workers interviewed in North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, three-quarters reported getting sick while working on US tobacco farms. Many of their symptoms—nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, and dizziness—are consistent with acute nicotine poisoning.

“Child tobacco workers also reported working long hours, often in extreme heat and without protective gear,” noted Dr. Lorretta Johnson, co-chair of the CLC and the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers. “Unfortunately, child labor is a common practice in the United States, and it’s legal. We stand with Human Rights Watch, Sen. Tom Harkin, the CLC and many others to call attention to the great dangers faced by children working on tobacco farms, and we urge the world’s largest tobacco companies to take measures to end hazardous child labor in tobacco farming.”

Under U.S. law, children as young as 12 can work for hire on any farm with their parent’s permission. Even younger children can work on small farms.

“Agriculture is already the most dangerous area of employment open to children in the US,” said Norma Flores López, the director of the Children in the Fields Campaign for the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs and the chair of the CLC’s domestic issues committee. “Tobacco farming is particularly hazardous because of nicotine exposure and toxic pesticides.  We worry about children developing cancer—and neurological and reproductive health problems—linked to the exposure of toxic pesticides. We also need to prevent injuries from working with machinery and dangerous tools, lifting heavy loads, and climbing to significant heights in curing barns.”

In addition to adopting effective child labor policies, the organizations also urged tobacco companies to:

  • include provisions prohibiting child labor in all contracts with growers and suppliers that child labor is prohibited;
  • implement both internal and external monitoring to ensure effective enforcement of child labor policies;
  • provide support to remediate child labor in tobacco, including educational, recreational, and vocational programs for children in areas where the companies source tobacco; and
  • establish and enforce policies that will ensure fair compensation for adult tobacco workers so that they receive a living wage.

The letter was addressed to the chief executive officers of Altria Group, Inc., British American Tobacco PLC, China National Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, Japan Tobacco Inc., Lorillard, Inc., Philip Morris International Inc., Reynolds American Inc., Alliance One International, Inc., and Universal Corporation.

The letter with full list of signers can be found here.

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About the Child Labor Coalition

The Child Labor Coalition represents consumers, labor unions, educators, human rights and labor rights groups, child advocacy groups, and religious and women’s groups. It was established in 1989, and is co-chaired by the National Consumers League and the American Federation of Teachers. Its mission is to protect working youth and to promote legislation, programs, and initiatives to end child labor exploitation in the United States and abroad. The CLC’s website and membership list can be found at www.stopchildlabor.org.

NCL Statement on Court Ruling on Sugary Drink Portion Sizing – National Consumers League

June 26, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC–The New York State Court of Appeals today upheld a lower court ruling that regulating the portion size of sugary drinks to 16 ounces was an overstep of Board of Health’s authority. The following statement can be attributed to National Consumers League Executive Director Sally Greenberg:

The National Consumers League is disappointed in this decision. The science shows that soda and other sweetened drinks are clearly linked with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. We heartily supported the regulation from the New York City Health Department and even traveled to New York City to testify in support. Reducing the consumption of empty calories, like those provided by sweetened drinks, should remain a priority for health departments across the country. We regret the court’s decision and look forward to the day when such health-promoting efforts by local, state, and federal governments aimed at reducing soda consumption, such as warning labels and taxes, is not stymied by the courts.

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About the National Consumers League 
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

The unit-price is right: advocates commend large retailers for agreeing to provide unit prices online – National Consumers League

June 18, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League,  benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL) applauds the outstanding work by New York’s attorney general, Eric Schneiderman to reach an agreement with six retailers—including Costco, CVS, and Walmart—to ensure that these retailers display unit prices of products listed on their websites. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia require unit pricing on in-store products. Unit pricing will now be available online to customers of the six retailers, regardless of which state they live in.

Unit pricing is a cornerstone of consumer protection, providing cost per pound, quart, liter, or another unit of weight or volume of a food package. With unit prices, consumers can compare the cost of food packaged in different sized containers or across different brands.

“This is a monumental advance for consumers, who can thank the New York Attorney General for striking this groundbreaking agreement with some of the nation’s biggest online retailers,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL. “Providing unit prices helps consumers compare prices between items quickly and easily. Particularly important for consumers on a budget, unit pricing gives them the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions.”

“We hope that other retailers follow the lead of Costco, CVS, and Walmart by providing transparent, clear pricing information for consumers, both on their websites and in their retail stores,” said Greenberg.

The six retailers include Costco, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Drugstore.com, and FreshDirect. Each will implement online unit pricing between the end of this year and March 2015.

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About the National Consumers League 
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

In a victory for consumer protection, the Supreme Court rules in favor of Pom Wonderful – National Consumers League

June 13, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League,  benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC — The National Consumers League applauds yesterday’s Supreme Court decision supporting the juice maker Pom Wonderful’s lawsuit against Coca Cola.  This is a huge victory for consumer protection.

“The Coca Cola juice product contained .5% of pomegranate and blueberry juice and is the epitome of deceptive advertising,” said the League’s executive director, Sally Greenberg. “Coca Cola tried to argue that the FDA laws preempt a private lawsuit against it. They lost the argument, and we are pleased that the makers of Pom Wonderful pressed their case against Minute Maid juice, which has outrageously labeled their product with pictures of pomegranate and blueberries despite the fact that very little of this juice is in the drink. This is false and deceptive advertising of the worst kind. Moreover, the Supreme Court preserved the Lanham Act’s provision for private lawsuits by competitors, a very important avenue for enforcing false and deceptive claims laws.”

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the unanimous decision for the court, saying that the Minute Maid juice product contained a “minuscule amount of pomegranate and blueberry juices.” More specifically, he said, it is made up of “99.4 percent apple and grape juices, 0.3 percent pomegranate juice, 0.2 percent blueberry juice and 0.1 percent raspberry juice.”

“The product’s front label,” he added, “also displays a vignette of blueberries, grapes, and raspberries in front of a halved pomegranate and a halved apple.”  Lower courts had dismissed Pom’s lawsuit, accepting Coca Cola’s argument that the FDA has exclusive enforcement authority. Instead, the Supreme Court found that FDA law could be harmonized with the Lanham Act, a false advertising statute that permits private lawsuits, and that they can be applied in a complimentary fashion.

Justice Kennedy was animated at the April oral argument on this case, speaking as a consumer who genuinely believed what was on the Minute Maid Juice label.

If “Coca-Cola stands behind this label as being fair to consumers,” Justice Kennedy told the company’s lawyer, “then I think you have a very difficult case to make. I think it’s relevant for us to ask whether people are cheated in buying this product.”

The lawyer, Kathleen M. Sullivan retorted, “We don’t think that consumers are quite as unintelligent as Pom must think they are,” adding, “They know when something is a flavored blend of five juices and the non-predominant juices are just a flavor.”

Justice Kennedy frowned. “Don’t make me feel bad,” he said, “because I thought that this was pomegranate juice.”

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About the National Consumers League 
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL launches all-new nclnet.org – National Consumers League

June 9, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League,  benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—The nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, the National Consumers League (NCL), today announced the launch of its newly redesigned website, nclnet.org. The new site will give consumers and workers a more interactive, easier-to-navigate, and more user-friendly experience.

“This redesign will make visiting the site for information, sharing stories, and learning about the latest scams and policies affecting consumers far easier,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director. “The new site incorporates feedback from our constituents and allies—and we are excited to bring these new features and resources to consumers and workers.”

The site offers streamlined navigation of NCL’s advocacy issues, as well as better access to its programs including LifeSmarts, Fraud.org, the Child Labor Coalition, and Script Your Future. The new site also features tools for consumers and workers to participate in the League’s advocacy efforts via petitions, letters to policymakers, and shareable content.

The new home page features a better overview of the organization’s 115-year-old mission and showcases more of the day-to-day work of staff, including the newest press releases, From the Expert blog posts, events, and other announcements.

“We welcome visitors – new and returning!” said Greenberg.

For more information about the National Consumers League and its programs, visit the new website at nclnet.org.

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About the National Consumers League 
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL disappointed in Congress school lunch nutrition standards debate – National Consumers League

May 29, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League,  benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, D.C.—Today the House Appropriations Committee voted to weaken nutrition standards required by the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.The waiver exempts schools that claim to be facing economic challenges from complying with reduced sodium and increased whole grain requirements.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has warned that the proposed waiver is likely to become permanent should it be included in the final 2015 spending bill for the Agriculture Department.  

The National Consumers League, long time advocates for children’s health and nutrition, opposes this ill-conceived proposal.  “Now is not the time to undermine improved nutrition standards for children in school.Playing politics with the future of our nation’s health is wrong. We need to provide students, especially those that are the most dependent on school-provided meals, with wholesome, healthy foods,”NCL’s Executive Director, Sally Greenberg, stated.

As First Lady Michelle Obama points out in her New York Times Op-Ed today, one in three children in America today is overweight or obese and one in three will likely develop diabetes in her or his lifetime. The 2010 Act was a great leap forward.  For the first time, our nation committed to improving standards for what foods could be served in schools.Ninety percent of schools report they are meeting the new standards. As a result, kids are getting more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthy foods.

In addition, the bill addresses the need for new lunchroom equipment, cafeteria staff training and nutrition education for students. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be overweight or obese into adulthood, increasing their risk for a myriad of health issues not limited to cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL expresses grave concern over fate of kidnapped Nigerian girls – National Consumers League

May 14, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer organization with a history of opposing the exploitation of children, urges Nigeria and the world community to secure the return of the 276 missing school girls, kidnapped by Boko Haram, an Islamic rebel group in Nigeria April 14-15. “Boko Haram” translated means “Western education is sin” and the group subscribes to the theory that girls should not be educated. “This is an international human rights crisis of the utmost urgency,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL’s executive director and co-chair of the Child Labor Coalition (CLC).

Earlier this month, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau threatened to sell the girls as slaves for as little as $12 each. According to Amnesty International, Boko Haram militants massacred more than 200 in Nigeria earlier this month. The mass kidnapping was the culmination of years of terror attacks.

“As the co-chair and co-founder of 25-year-old of CLC, NCL knows only too well the dangers these girls face,” noted Reid Maki, NCL’s director of child labor advocacy. “Around the world, thousands of girls are taken by armed groups and are subjected to being trafficked or enslaved as sex workers and domestic servants. The longer these girls remain under the control of Boko Haram, the greater the risk.”

Recently, Nigeria said it had deployed two army divisions to hunt for the girls. Several nations including the United States, Britain, Israel, and France have offered to help or send experts.

Boko Haram maintains that it will not release the girls until its militant detainees are released. Nigerian officials are reluctant to do so for many reasons, including the fear that it will lead to more kidnappings in the future.

“We must collectively keep up the greatest pressure on Nigeria and the international community to do everything possible to bring these girls back,” said Maki. “More than a million people have tweeted #BringBackOurGirls. More than 900,000 have signed an online petition urging the return of the girls. These may be simple gestures, but collectively they are exerting pressure to do everything possible to bring the girls back.”

“We applaud President Obama and the First Lady for speaking out on this issue,” said NCL’s Greenberg.

“Around the world, more than 65 million girls are not in school,” noted the First Lady.“Education is truly a girl’s best chance for a bright future, not just for herself but for her family and her nation.”

“The Nigerian girls are my sisters,” said Malala Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban assassination attempt after she dared to go to school. The Malala Fund, which raises money for girls’ education initiatives around the world has launched a Nigerian girls education campaign to support Nigerian organizations which are working to promote girls’ schooling around the country.

The Nigerian government has also committed an additional $10 million.

“This tragedy is a painful reminder that girls face many obstacles to their education and much work needs to be done to protect them and their access to schools,” said Maki.

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL statement on Cosi – National Consumers League

May 14, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League,  benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League and Cosi recognize the importance of a strong focus on nutritional content in restaurant menu offerings. In that vein, NCL is pleased to announce Così’s support for NCL’s nutrition awareness campaign. Così has agreed to continue its commitment to consumers and nutrition awareness and is now providing additional information on its website about the total multi grain content in its flat bread. To further demonstrate its commitment to our community, Così will also help the City’s needy by making donations of food to the Capital Area Food Bank. NCL thanks Così for working with our organization and its support of NCL’s mission.

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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National medication adherence campaign honors student leaders in multi-profession challenge – National Consumers League

May 12, 2014

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC — Today, the National Consumers League (NCL) and its partners announced the winners of the third annual Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge for health profession students. This month-long competition engaged students and faculty across health care disciplines in developing creative ideas for raising awareness about a critical public health issue: medication adherence. This year’s awardees are: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy, and University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Pharmacy.

The 2014 Medication Adherence Team Challenge is part of the national Script Your Future public awareness campaign coordinated by NCL. The campaign includes more than 135 public and private stakeholder organizations, including Challenge sponsors—the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation, the American Medical Association (AMA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

“This was the second year we challenged students to work in collaborative teams of future health professionals who interact with patients—the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and others,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “This more comprehensive approach will ultimately result in patients hearing from multiple voices encouraging them to take their medication as directed.”

Research shows that nearly three out of four Americans don’t take their medications as directed. This may cause devastating results, particularly for people with chronic conditions. Poor medication adherence has been recognized by national health advocacy leaders as a public health priority; it results in more than one-third of medicine-related hospitalizations and almost 125,000 U.S. deaths each year. Improved medication adherence leads to better health outcomes and reduced total healthcare costs.

Student teams from pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and many other health professions worked side by side on campuses and in local communities using innovative solutions to reach thousands of consumers to raise awareness using Script Your Future materials. This year, students also submitted entries in the categories of “Health Disparities Outreach” and “Creative Inter-Professional Team Event.” Coordinators also established, new this year, the award for “Effective Communication and Media Outreach.”

“The Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge has been an innovative method for our future healthcare professionals to engage with their local communities,” said Dr. Lucinda L. Maine, Executive Vice President and CEO at AACP. “The levels of communication and types of events held in these communities provide essential information and strategies for patients to improve their medication adherence and ultimately their health outcomes.”

More than 2,200 future health care professionals held 300 events in 26 states and the District of Columbia, counseling more than 9,300 patients and reaching more than 6 million consumers nationwide.

“It is vital for patients to take their medication as directed in order to achieve optimal health outcomes,” said AMA President Ardis D. Hoven, M.D. “Educating patients through community outreach helps improve the conversations happening in doctors’ offices across the country and helps patients avoid adverse drug reactions and unnecessary hospitalizations. The Script Your Future challenge presents an excellent opportunity for health care professionals-in-training to improve public health.”

“The involvement of students and faculty in the effort to boost medication adherence is incredibly important,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger. “The Medication Adherence Team Challenge establishes this issue as a top priority for the next generation of health professionals, and inspires them to advance this goal within their own communities. The winners are showing the tremendous power that healthcare professionals can have on advancing patient care through medication adherence. We hope that is a lesson they will carry with them throughout their careers and that will inspire others to do the same.”

“NCPA is proud to co-sponsor the Script Your Future team challenge, a contest that recognizes the next generation of health care professionals’ efforts to drive greater medication adherence,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA. “According to NEHI up to $290 billion a year is wasted on the improper use of medication and a comprehensive survey of adherence commissioned by NCPA – Medication Adherence in America: A National Report Card – found Americans only getting a ‘C+’ for their efforts. Script Your Future could very well be the spark that ignites the next wave of adherence driving innovation and all of the honorees should be congratulated.”

 “Pharmacists have a unique opportunity, at the medication dispensing stage, to help patients understand the value of their prescription medications, to help alleviate confusion, and to underline the need for adherence, making a real difference in patients’ lives. We are excited to be involved in this program and what it means for the future of America’s adherence,” said APhA Executive Vice President and CEO Thomas E. Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, ScD (Hon), FAPhA.

“Given nursing’s strong focus on health promotion and patient advocacy, AACN is committed to working with our colleagues in pharmacy, medicine, and other disciplines to underscore the health benefits linked to proper medication adherence among students, clinicians, and the patients we serve,” said Dr. Geraldine “Polly” Bednash, CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

The recognized schools’ campaigns, selected among nearly 50 applications, and 109 participating educational institutions are listed below. In addition, the following schools were named Finalists under the National Award category: California Northstate, College of Pharmacy; Chicago State University College of Pharmacy; Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy; Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy; University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy; and the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.

National Challenge Award: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Pharmacy (LECOM)

Throughout February, LECOM School of Pharmacy partnered with dentists, nurses, physicians, other health professions, and community organizations to counsel nearly 2,000 patients about proper medication adherence in the communities of Erie, PA and Bradenton, FL, where the school campuses are located. LECOM held a variety of events – totaling 47 – that incorporated the theme of living a healthy life through medication adherence. Students reached out to high school and elementary school students at health fairs, partnered with senior centers to host health screenings along with a registered nurse and worked alongside a prescription drug take-back program to educate consumers about proper medication use. LECOM also focused on educating other health care professionals by teaching classes to nursing and pharmacy technician students. The LECOM team created a unique Public Service Announcement (PSA), which was placed in movie theaters, online, and on a roadside billboard, and generated more than 4 million media impressions. LECOM also worked with the local governments of Erie and Manatee Counties to have proclamations issued on the importance of medication adherence.

National Challenge Award: St. Louis College of Pharmacy

St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) partnered with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (WUSM) and the Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing to create an inter-professional team of more than 140 student-volunteers from pharmacy, medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing. The team held at least one event for each day during February, creating 28 partnerships and reaching close to 8,500 consumers during the month of February. The STLCOP team efforts were driven by the slogan “Let’s Talk, St. Louis!” to encourage conversation and useful dialogue with health care professionals. Each health profession discipline in the team shared their expertise with patients during events as well as with each other through daily tips disseminated to all team members. This inter-professional team conducted outreach in numerous languages and worked in community pharmacies, sports centers, health centers and local faith communities to raise awareness about medication adherence and offer free health screening services. The team’s efforts culminated in a proclamation by the Mayor of St. Louis declaring February 28, 2014 “Script Your Future Medication Adherence Day.”

National Target Market Challenge Award: Touro University California College of Pharmacy

Touro University Colleges of Pharmacy, Osteopathic Medicine and Public Health capitalized on last year’s efforts, and increased their consumer outreach by 71 percent, interacting with nearly 2,700 patients, through partnerships with local community organizations at community events. The Touro University team held a large outreach event at the local San Francisco Ferry station to talk to commuters about medication adherence. The team also emphasized outreach to underserved populations by distributing campaign materials in Vietnamese, held health screenings at local women’s and men’s homeless shelters, and worked with the student run clinic to conduct medication reviews and physical examinations. During the month, the team was able to create partnerships with other clinics and pharmacies to distribute materials.

Health Disparities, Under-represented Community Outreach Award: University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Pharmacy

The Inter-professional Health Council at the University of Wisconsin-Madison worked in its community to reach individuals with low incomes or without health insurance. The team conducted most activities at free medical and pharmacy clinics, and at local food pantries. The team provided critical information about the importance of taking charge of one’s health and taking medication as prescribed during the earlier medical visits. The team directly counseled 200 patients and distributed campaign materials that were used during consultations. Through the team’s participation in the Challenge, lasting partnerships have been developed and will continue throughout the year, including monitoring medication adherence levels among clinic patients.

Communication and Media Outreach Award: Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy

Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) College of Pharmacy and Medicine students and faculty anchored much of their activities around a proclamation from the Governor of Ohio, with support from Ohio Senator John Eklund and Representative Kathleen Clyde, declaring February 15 to be “Remember to Take Your Medicines Day”. The Governor’s proclamation was incorporated into the team’s media and communication efforts, reaching thousands of consumers through newspaper articles, radio spots, online articles and social media during the month. The team was also quoted in major newspaper articles about adherence month activities and developed a PSA featured on NEOMED websites.

Creative Inter-professional Team Event Award: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Pharmacy

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy took a creative approach this year to reach out to health professionals, particularly nurses, about the tools and resources they could use to promote medication adherence with their patients. Student pharmacists and doctors taught at evening RN and BSN programs, where nurses with varying experience levels learned about adherence and how to use interventions to foster open communication with patients. The team plans to work with other similar programs in the future to collaborate on ways all members of the health care team can be supported to improve adherence.

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Script Your Future, launched in 2011, is a three-year national public awareness campaign about medication adherence coordinated by the National Consumers League (NCL), a private, non-profit membership organization founded in 1899. NCL’s mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information about the Script Your Future campaign, visit www.ScriptYourFuture.org. For more information on NCL, please visit www.nclnet.org.

New Hampshire defeats Massachusetts to take 2014 National LifeSmarts Championship title – National Consumers League

April 29, 2014 

Contact: Carol McKay, (724) 799-5392, carolm@nclnet.org

Orlando, FL—The student team from New Hampshire, Mascoma Valley Regional High School, coached by Shawn Joyce, was crowned national LifeSmarts champions in Orlando on Tuesday, April 29. In the final match against the second-place team from Milton High School of Massachusetts, the teens from New Hampshire outplayed their opponents in an exciting end to the 4-day competition.

Teams from Jacksonville, Florida, and Barrington, Rhode Island placed third.

“We are so proud of these students from New Hampshire, who represented their state program with class and pride,” said LifeSmarts Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “They played hard and demonstrated their consumer smarts throughout the four-day event. They are true LifeSmarts champions.”

LifeSmarts is a program run by the Washington, DC-based National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization. It competitively tests high school students’ knowledge of consumer awareness, with subjects including personal finance, health and safety, consumer rights and responsibility, technology, and the environment. LifeSmarts is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in partnership programs with student leadership programs FBLA and FCCLA.

Teens from each of the 34 state champion teams represented at nationals competed as individuals, and the top five scorers received $500 scholarships from NCL. This year’s winners were:

  • Environment: Amber Habib, PA
  • Personal Finance: Decklan Cerza, PA
  • Health and Safety: Alexander Garant, MI
  • Consumer Rights and Responsibilities: Matthew Lamontagne, RI
  • Technology: David Burns, FL

Cerza, from Pennsylvania’s Dallas High School, was named the 2014 Student of the Year. Gayle Murdock, from Friona High School in Texas, was named LifeSmarts Coach of the Year. Long-time State Coordinator Merliee Thoenen earned the Coordinator of the Year honor.

“NCL’s LifeSmarts program is allowing us to rear a generation of consumer-savvy teenagers who often outsmart their parents on issues related to avoiding fraud, credit and debt, and complicated healthcare decisions,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. In the 20 years that LifeSmarts has been educating high school and middle school teens on consumer issues, it has grown dramatically, with more than 3 million consumer questions answered at www.lifesmarts.org in the online competition during the 2013-2014 20th anniversary program year.

For team photos, event schedules, grid standings, and more, log on to www.facebook.com/LifeSmarts

All winners at the national LifeSmarts Competition received valuable prizes donated by sponsors to the National Consumers League, including scholarships, savings bonds, gift cards, and more. To learn more about the program, contact NCL’s Lisa Hertzberg at 202-835-3323.

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About LifeSmarts and the National Consumers League

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org , or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323. The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.