Undercover Mission Changes SF's Smoking Rules

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ― "Most of the adults were surprised this was going on in San Francisco," says Carol McGruder, exposing what she calls big tobacco's manipulation. "Everything was geared to be sexy and exciting."

Carol went undercover to a party introducing "Camel Number 9" two years ago.

Although tobacco companies may not admit it, she says the pretty packs of free cigarettes, fashion jewelry, hip music, manicures, even a bus for smokers, appear to have one purpose: getting young people hooked.

"There's a certain percentage of kids who will try it, and out of that certain percentage there's a certain number that will get addicted and customers for this deadly industry," Carol explains.

Her undercover work led to a San Francisco ordinance passed last December.

She says, "That prohibited the tobacco industry from giving away free tobacco products -- free cigarettes -- and stopped smoking in taxicabs and cars for hire."

Carol is a partner with Polaris research and development firm. She launched her own anti-

tobacco campaign in 1994, two years after her aunt, a heavy smoker, died of emphysema.

"She was 58 at the time that she died and was a dynamic woman," Carol remembers. "Once I started to study how the tobacco industry works, how they buy off black leadership and elected officials, it became a passion for me."

Statistics show one in five African Americans is a smoker. Carol educates community groups from America to Africa to resist big tobacco's marketing and sponsorship, like the free cigarettes at a recent award show.

"They had a booth backstage apparently, and managed to get pictures of people trying this out," Carol says. "They're not realizing they're selling this image to people that it's cool and it's okay."

Tobacco control researchers Phillip Gardiner and Valerie Yerger praise Carol for giving African Americans a wake up call.

"One of the roles that Carol's been doing, and doing very well, is to remind and educate people that tobacco is a number one killer of African Americans," Dr. Yerger explains.

Dr. Gardiner adds, "Carol is probably one of the most energetic, dedicated black women for saving black lives that I know."

Next, Carol will lead a group to take the tobacco control message to state lawmakers.

"I think about my aunt, and I keep going!"

For educating the African American community about the dangers of smoking and tobacco industry marketing, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Carol McGruder.

By Sharon Chin

Related Link:

* San Francisco African American Tobacco-Free Project

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