Tobacco Education Program

The Tobacco Education Program conducts a community health education program to prevent and reduce tobacco use under four broad program areas:

• countering pro-tobacco influences in the community
• reducing exposure to secondhand smoke
• reducing availability of tobacco products to minors
• promoting availability of smoking cessation services

Specific projects include:

Tobacco Advertising in Stores: Over the last three years, youth from a variety of organizations have educated merchants about the need to post STAKE Act age-of-sale warning stickers. Merchant awareness and compliance has risen to almost 100% in the areas targeted by the youth. With STAKE Act work as a background, youth have expanded the merchant education project to address tobacco advertising in the stores. The Tobacco Education Program (TEP) provides training on countering pro-tobacco influences and works with youth to educate merchants on the need to fight the tobacco industry's influence, and encourage them to make at least one change in the way they advertise and market tobacco products in their store. Changes may include removing all tobacco advertising below three feet; removing tobacco advertising that misuses Native American imagery; removing candy look alike products; removing displays and/or promotional items; and/or removing ads on windows and doors.

Self-service Displays of Tobacco Products: A second merchant education project focuses on reducing youth access to tobacco products by educating store owners about the new law prohibiting the sale of all tobacco products through self-service displays. Youth educate merchants on the importance of keeping tobacco out of the hands of minors by putting all tobacco products and paraphernalia behind the counter or in locked displays. In conjunction with the education of the merchants, youth conduct presentations to local community groups, to educate them on youth access issues, asking them to become the "eyes, ears, and voices" of the community and encourage merchants to follow the tobacco sales laws.

Smoke-free Outdoor Dining: The Sonoma County Smoke-Free Outdoor Dining project is a campaign to increase smoke-free outdoor dining opportunities in Sonoma County. It is designed to identify and highlight restaurants and other dining establishments that are completely smoke-free and to encourage others to join them in adopting similar smoke-free outdoor dining policies.

Quit Smoking Services: The Tobacco Education Project collaborates with quit smoking service providers to offer referral information on local programs. Tobacco cessation services are made available to low-income smokers through scholarships to eligible participants. Low-income smokers who wish to quit can contact the Northern California Center for Well-Being at 575-6043 to determine the level of funds available and register for classes. The new Smoke-free Babies project offers smoking cessation support to women who are pregnant or have a child up to one year of age.

Tobacco Funding for Schools: This project provides technical assistance to Sonoma County school districts to increase their capacity to apply for and receive tobacco education funds from the state. In coordination with the Sonoma County Office of Education, school district administrators are educated on the issues around tobacco use by students and provided assistance in writing grants to receive the funds.

Community Partners

American Lung Association, Santa Rosa

Drug Abuse Alternatives Center, Santa Rosa

Valley of the Moon Teen Center, Boyes Hot Springs

Health and Education Communication Consultants, Berkeley

Sonoma County Office of Education, Santa Rosa

Information and Resources

Tips for Parents: Talk to your kids about not smoking (pdf)
Source: Sonoma County Department of Health Services.

Legislative Mandate for Tobacco Control - Proposition 99
Source: California Department of Public Health.

Adult Smoking Prevalence
Source: California Department of Public Health.

Youth Smoking Prevalence
Source: California Department of Public Health.

18-24 Year Olds Smoking Prevalence
Source: California Department of Public Health.