Articles by Pramod Sukumaran

Are Low Wages Impacting Latino’s Ability to Afford Housing?

August 23, 2019

Father And Daughter Playing Indoors In Home Made Den

When it comes to paying the bills, housing costs usually make up the largest portion of an individual or family's budget. Worse, too many Americans spend more than financial experts recommend—over 30% of their monthly budget—on housing. In 2017, 36.9 million experienced this problem. This issue places "cost burdens" on those individuals, make it hard for them to afford other necessities, such as transportation, buy healthy food, and build wealth. This is a problem for minority groups especially, especially Latinos who lack access to cost-effective options throughout the country. Affordable housing access should be considered a human right, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley said in a statement in the National Low Income Housing Coalition's (NLIHC) recent report, "Out of ...

Tell FDA: Require Health Warnings on Cigarette Packages

August 19, 2019

FDA Proposes New Required Health Warnings For Cigarette Packages

Many smokers will use tobacco products for years in spite of the known detrimental health impacts. On Aug. 16, 2019, FDA announced a rule proposal that aims to make a visual representation of those impacts to those buying cigarettes — health warning labels on every package. These labels will use graphic images to convey relevant information about the negative health consequences of smoking. "With these new proposed cigarette health warnings, we have an enormous public health opportunity to fulfill our statutory mandate and increase the public’s understanding of the full scope of serious negative health consequences of cigarette smoking," Dr. Ned Sharpless, Acting FDA Commissioner, said in a statement. Initially, hundreds of people, including over 275 Salud America! network ...

Are Vapes and E-Cigs Causing Seizures in Kids, Young Adults?

August 9, 2019

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will investigate 127 reports of people suffering seizures and other neurological symptoms after using e-cigarettes. CDC reported 26 deaths on vaping-related lung illness and on Oct. 11, 2019, a17-year-old boy from the Bronx died of vaping-related illness, becoming the first teen fatality. Later, CDC produced a report suggesting that the outbreak of lung injury is associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. As of Nov. 27, 2019, the CDC announced 47 deaths and 2,290 illnesses and the American Medical Association called for an immediate ban on all electronic cigarettes and vaping devices. The FDA said these reported cases occurred between 2010 and 2019, and, in addition to seizures, some people reported fainting or ...

Latinos, Minorities Continue to Face Mortgage Loan Discrimination

July 26, 2019

Fifty years after the federal Fair Housing Act banned racial discrimination in lending, Latinos and other minorities continue to be routinely denied mortgage loans at rates far higher than their white counterparts. Worse, research shows this disparity can lead minorities to apply for high-cost mortgages. That research draws on 2016 data, which is among the most recent, available evidence, according to The Hill. "An analysis of data released by the Federal Financial Institution’s Examination Council released by Clever Real Estate Hispanic home buyers are 78% more likely to use high-cost mortgages for home purchases, putting them at greater risk of foreclosure," John Bowden, a Hill reporter writes. "Just 10% of white applicants were denied mortgages that year." What does the Data ...

How California’s Tobacco Laws Are Actually Reducing Lung Cancer Deaths

July 19, 2019

quit smoking cigarette california law lung cancer

Lung cancer deaths are a whopping 28% lower in California than the rest of the nation. This is likely due to the state's early adoption of tobacco control programs, which are associated with a "major reduction in cigarette smoking" among people younger than 35, according to a recent study by UC San Diego. What California laws are working and why? How can you mimic them in your area? Find out in ChangeLab Solutions's new guide book, "Tobacco Laws Affecting California." The book explains existing California laws related to tobacco use, sales, and marketing, and new efforts like San Francisco's ban on e-cigs. "(The decline in smoking in California) can only be attributed to the success of tobacco control in this state which has been so effective in convincing young people not to ...

Salud America! Network Speaks Out Against HUD’s Anti-Immigrant Rule!

July 17, 2019

More than 30,000 people and groups submitted public comments to oppose the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plan to cut off federal housing aid and evict "mixed-status" immigrant families. That is the most comments HUD ever received on a plan. The prior record was 1,000 comments. Several groups led the response. National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) led a Keep Families Together campaign. Salud America!'s letter campaign was signed by 3,382 of its network members and filed as a comment! Many comments denounced HUD's plan as a "ruthless" attempt to break up immigrant families. "It's unbelievably cruel that we have come to this, that the whole family suffers because one or maybe more are not U.S. citizens," ...

#SaludTues Tweetchat 7/23: Using Technology to Quit Smoking

July 16, 2019

Quit smoking smoke-free policy for indoor air secondhand smoke exposure

The development of e-cigarette and vaping products has been on the rise among youth smokers. Young adults between ages 18 to 21 are most at risk to become habitual smokers. Longer duration of smoking is associated with increased risk for lung cancer, lung cancer death, and coronary heart disease. Worse, smoking is an addictive, tough opponent to beat. How can we promote quitting and smoke-free environments? Let’s #SaludTues on Tuesday, July, 23rd, 2019, to tweet about the latest research and beneficial strategies and programs that use the latest technology which helps to quit smoking WHAT: #SaludTues: Using Technology to Quit Smoking TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, July 23, 2019 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: ...

Can Churches Help With the Affordable Housing Crisis?

July 12, 2019

Many U.S. churches are taking dedicated action to assist those in need of affordable housing by building developments on their properties. "There's so much land owned by houses of worship anywhere you go in the country," David Bowers of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit focused on housing solutions, said in a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Churches and religious institutions are among the country’s largest landowners. Many of them have additional unused land or adjacent sites that are suitable for development. The current lack of affordable housing in America has substantial implications for many Latinos and dramatically impacts their quality of life. Religious Institutions' Role Places of worship usually offer a variety of amenities that make them ideal ...

Atlanta’s “Giant Leap” Housing Plan to Assist Low-Income Families

July 3, 2019

It's clear that the country is going through a housing crisis, which is impacting Latinos and all Americans. In many communities, housing costs have outpaced local incomes — many cannot afford to live in major cities. It is a problem facing many local governments, including Atlanta (4.6% Latino). In 2017, that city was the third fastest-growing metropolitan region in the U.S. Over the past 19 years, Atlanta’s population has increased by 17%, or more than 486,000 people, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As our population grows, many of our long-term residents are experiencing challenges. The average rent in Atlanta is nearly $1,400 a month for a one-bedroom, according to Rent Café. However, the U.S. Census Bureau shows that over 20% of residents are making ...

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Pramod Sukumaran

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