In this documentary-style field episode, we follow Michelle during a full day at the Georgia State Capitol as she participates in a House Study Committee on the Costs & Effects of Smoking hearing focused on youth vaping. Students, advocates and bipartisan lawmakers offer striking testimony about youth vaping, the state’s unusually low tobacco tax, and the consequences for Georgia’s healthcare system. Michelle also speaks with public health experts, peer educators, and veteran legislators to unpack the political and economic barriers to reform. This episode offers viewers an unfiltered look at policymaking in action and the urgent fight to protect Georgia teens from addiction.
Notes: This episode features a number of legislators, journalists, and stakeholders involved in various aspects of the political process. You can learn more about them below.
Study Committee July 17th Agenda: bit.ly/July17thAgenda
Study Committee Home Page: bit.ly/Studycommitteehomepage
Study Committee Hearing Presentations:
American Lung Association: bit.ly/AmericanLungAssociationPresentation
Children’s Healthcare/Emory: bit.ly/ChildrenshealthcarePresentation
Georgia Cancer Society: bit.ly/GAcancersocietyPresentation
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids: bit.ly/Campaignfortobaccofreekidspresentation
Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari: bit.ly/BakhtiariPresentation
Representative Ron Stephens: Georgia State House of Representatives, HD 164 Bio: bit.ly/ronstephens
Representative Stephens has served in the Georgia State House for 27 years. He is the chairman of the House Economic Development & Tourism Committee and also serves on the Appropriations, Creative Arts & Entertainment, Rules, Urban Affairs and Ways & Means committees. Rep. Stephens has also served over 46 years as a pharmacist and was named on the House Study Committee on the Costs & Effects of Smoking because of his vast experience on the topic, including being the lead sponsor of bills to raise the state tobacco tax.
Representative Sharon Cooper: Georgia State House of Representatives, HD 45
Bio: bit.ly/sharoncooper
Representative Cooper has served in the Georgia State House for 27 years. Rep. Cooper chairs the Public and Community Health Committee, as well as this House Study Committee on the Costs & Effects of Smoking. Rep. Cooper has written two books on psychiatric nursing and continues to be one of the foremost healthcare experts in the legislature.
Dr. Mary Ellen Fain: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Bio: Dr. Fain is a pediatric pulmonology fellow at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Liliana Bakhtiari: Atlanta City Council, District 5
Bio: bit.ly/lilianabakhtiari
Liliana Bakhtiari is a lifelong Atlantan and Atlanta’s first nonbinary councilmember and Georgia’s first out queer Muslim elected to office. Councilmember Bakhtiari was first elected to office in 2022, and has led on legislation to ban vape shops near schools in the city of Atlanta.
Suhaas Bonkur: Student, Georgia Tech
Bio: Suhas is from Cumming, Georgia and is a 4th year student at Georgia Tech studying biomedical engineering. He plans to attend medical school and is interested in both clinical care and public health policy as tandem ways to build a healthier community.
Claudia Flores Rodas – Director, Southern Region, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
Bio: Claudia Flores Rodas is the Southern Region Director of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. She has 20-years of professional experience in political and legislative matters, including with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the American Heart Association. She advocates in several southern states to pass strong tobacco laws such as smoke-free policies, raising the tobacco tax, advocating for state program funding, raising the sale age of tobacco products to 21 and restrictions to the sale of flavored tobacco products
Danna Thompson: American Lung Association
Bio: Danna Thompson is the Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association. She has over twenty years of experience in advocacy, government relations, and health policy working with diverse stakeholders and decision-makers at all levels.
Matt Johnson: Reporter, WSB-TV
Bio: bit.ly/mattjohnsonwsbtv
Matt Johnson is the Gwinnett County Bureau Chief for Channel 2 Action News. He joined Channel 2 Action News in June 2015 as a general assignment reporter. Previously, he was a reporter in Arkansas and California.
Representative Debbie Buckner: Georgia House of Representatives, HD 137
Bio: bit.ly/debbiebuckner
Representative Debbie Buckner has served in the Georgia State House for 23 years. Rep. Buckner currently serves as Secretary of the Rural Development committee. She also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Natural Resources & Environment, Retirement, State Properties and Ways & Means committees, as well as the House Study Committee on the Costs & Effects of Smoking. She also currently serves as vice chair of the Rural Caucus.
