EDGE on the Net

Doug was gracious enough to talk with me recently about his involvement with The American Legacy Foundation, which promotes ’stop smoking’ campaigns across the country to the GLBT community and pregnant women and new mothers, among others. Doug was asked by The American Legacy Foundation to present an award on March 12th to those whose outstanding efforts aided "Stop Smoking" campaigns through their selfless, tireless efforts.


His own struggle with smoking started at a young age, continuing throughout his adult life, until just a short time before The American Legacy Foundation contacted him. It was an opportune time, he told me; just the validation he needed to stop smoking, and has been smoke-free ever since. His background in working behind the scenes at various broadcast stations gave him the insight to see how tobacco companies have targeted the homosexual and black communities. Now he spends his time and energy combating those images that big tobacco companies show to reap huge profits.


One such marketing campaign that Doug is involved in, with The American Legacy Foundation, is a project called "Project SCUM" by the tobacco companies. Described by www.americanlegacy.org, "www.projectscum.org is a unique Web site, which presents one such document showing how a major tobacco company planned on boosting sales of its cigarettes in the mid-90s by targeting a new consumer market: gays and homeless people. They called their plan "Project Sub Culture Urban Marketing;" also known as "Project SCUM.""


By the age of 21, Doug knew he wanted to stop smoking. He began to realize that smoking was an emotional crutch. During that time, he tried prescription medication to stop smoking, but they were not successful; welbutrin, he said, made him depressed and the patches and gum did nothing for him. He was successful in his effort to quit smoking, and utilized ’self-talk’ and self-help strategies that have been proven to help overcome addictions, as well as and his own mother’s successful battle to quit smoking after 60 years. His suffering through withdrawal symptoms of quitting ’cold-turkey’ remains a constant reminder of the hold cigarettes have on people.


We talked about his work on "Noah’s Arc", how he enjoys the show and his character, Chance. Although "Noah’s Arc" isn’t on the LOGO’s line-up, he did say the show is turning to film.


Oh, and guys, Doug is single and dating. Talk about passion!