American Lung Association in Minnesota

The mission of the American Lung Association of Minnesota is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health as well as provide advocacy, research, education, and programs to promote healthy air, healthy people, and healthy lungs.

The key focus areas of the American Lung Association are outdoor and indoor air quality, asthma management, smoking prevention and cessation.

 

Contact Information


The American Lung Association of Minnesota
490 Concordia Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55103-2441

Telephone: (651) 227-8014

Toll-free: (800) LUNG-USA  (586-4872)

Fax: (651) 227-5459
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web site: www.alamn.org

About Lung Disease

Our lungs work well despite the daily onslaught of pollution, smoke, and germs. 
Some common conditions include:

  • Asthma: A disease of the respiratory system, the lungs, and the system of air tubes that lead to them. It is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes the tiny air passageways in the lungs (bronchioles) to become narrowed when they react to something in the environment. 
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): It includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

 

Facts and Figures

  • Lung disease is now the third leading cause of death.
  • Tobacco use in Minnesota kills 6,400 Minnesotans each year and costs the state's economy at least $1.3 billion a year in health care costs and lost income. 
  • An estimated 97,000 Minnesota youth are projected to die prematurely from smoking.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency lists poor indoor air quality as the fourth largest environmental threat to our country.
  • There are an estimated 40 million individuals in the United States who are affected by allergies.
  • Asthma now costs us about $12.7 billion a year for health care. 
  • Asthma accounts for three million lost school days each year.

Resources for Individuals and Caretakers

The American Lung Association of Minnesota offers a wide variety of resources for persons with lung disease and their caretakers. Those resources include: 

 

  • Educational materials: Informational kits, brochures, helpful documents, workbooks, and videos are available on topics including:
    - Healthy indoor air - indoor air quality, building science, product selection, climate-
       specific building criteria for new construction.
    - Outdoor air.
    - Lung disease - brochures on emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis,
       COPD and tuberculosis; videos on emphysema, COPD, eating well with
       pulmonary disease and tuberculosis.
    - Asthma - information on asthma triggers and treatments geared towards adults,
       teens, children, families, and educators.
    - ALA Family Guide to Asthma and Allergies -a how-to resource written by leading
       experts, this guide shows families how to manage asthma and allergies and lead to
       an active, healthy life.
    - Smoking -videos on why and how to kick the smoking habit for teens and adults.
  •  Training programs on healthy indoor air.
  • Health House Program
  • Freedom from Smoking Program is an eight-session adult smoking cessation clinic to provide support for smokers trying to kick their smoking addiction.
  • Advocacy for controlling emissions of toxic air pollutants.
  • Education forums:
    - Breathe Easier Update: Speakers on topics related to adults with lung disease.
    - COPD Update: Speakers on topics related to adults with chronic obstructive
       pulmonary disease.
  • Monthly support groups where adults with chronic respiratory illness can meet with others who share the same challenges.
    - Huffers and Puffers Support Group.
    - Respiratory Health Club.  
  • Bimonthly publication: The Airlines includes educational information, support group activities, and news for adults living with chronic lung disease.
  • Monthly e-newsletter.
  • Camps
    - Camp Superkids -provides week-long program of camp activities supervised by
       skilled clinicians for kids with asthma of different ages, races, and religions.
    - We-No-Wheeze Camps -three camp locations statewide where kids with asthma
       can share three days of recreation, fun and learning supervised by asthma experts.
    - Call Center (800) 586-4872 offers answers to any questions about lung health.

 

Caregiver Resources

  • Educational materials, such as informational kits, brochures, helpful documents, workbooks, and videos, are available on topics including:
    - Healthy indoor air ? indoor air quality, building science, product selection, climate-
       specific building criteria for new construction.
    - Outdoor air.
    - Lung disease- brochures on emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis,
      COPD, and tuberculosis; as well as videos on emphysema, COPD, eating well with
       pulmonary disease and tuberculosis.
    - Asthma -information on asthma triggers and treatments geared towards adults,
       teens, children, families, and educators.
    - ALA Family Guide to Asthma and Allergies -a how-to resource written by leading
       experts, this guide shows families how to manage asthma and allergies and lead to
       an active, healthy life.
    - Smoking - videos on why and how to kick the smoking habit for teens and adults.
  • Call Center (800) 586-4872 offers answers to any questions about lung health.
  • Monthly e-newsletter

Resources for Employers and Communities

The American Lung Association of Minnesota offers the following resources for employers and the community at large:

 

Employer Resources

  • Educational Information including informational kits, brochures, videos, and workbooks are available for indoor air quality.
  • Health fair participation with staff, exhibit, and materials provided to educate participants on how to live smoke-free.
  • "No smoking" wall poster for offices.
  • Speakers available on smoking prevention and cessation issues.
  • Training for construction employers training for builders and HVAC employees in an effort to increase the quality of indoor air.

 

Community Resources

  • Educational Information including informational kits, brochures, videos, and workbooks are available for indoor air quality, outdoor air, asthma, smoking, lung disease, and traditional and alternative fuels.
  • Advocacy for controlling emissions of toxic air pollutants.
  • Twin Cities Clean Cities Program: Presented in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, the program supports increases alternative fuel vehicle usage and construction of fuel sites as well as providing public education on alternative fuels.
  • Clean Air Choices is an educational campaign with industry and government partners to raise awareness of cleaner fuels and vehicles now available to the driving public (Clean air fuels include better traditional fuels and new alternatives to gasoline and diesel. The alliance includes industry and government partners.).
  • Twin Cities Gasoline Report: A biannual publication ranking quality of major fuels.
  • Speakers available on smoking prevention and cessation issues.
  • Monthly e-newsletter. 
  • Training for construction employers including builders and HVAC employees in an effort to increase the quality of indoor air.
  • Minnesota Asthma Coalition provides a forum for individuals and groups throughout Minnesota to examine the various problems of asthma in a systematic way.