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UNDO TOBACCO NEAR YOU
undo tobacco near you by rejecting tobacco in your home and your community, and by speaking out in other areas that touch your life.
UNDO TOBACCO IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN
UNDO MANIPULATIVE TOBACCO MARKETING
UNDO SMOKING IN MOVIES
UNDO SECOND HAND SMOKE EXPOSURE
UNDO YOUR ADDICTION
UNDO TOBACCO IN YOUR COMMUNITY
The tobacco industry's influence is everywhere, yet most of us have become so accustomed to its presence that we barely notice the subtle ways that tobacco infiltrates our daily lives and has become embedded in our culture. Tobacco's presence is in the movies, sports, stores, gas stations, newspapers, magazines, bars and on the Internet. Sadly, our lives are saturated with images of tobacco. Think about how this affects those trying to quit, or the impressionable eyes of those too young to fully understand the long-term consequences of tobacco use.
There are many ways to help UNDO tobacco in your life, a child's life or in your community.
More than 80 percent of all smokers began their road to addiction before they turned 18 and were legally allowed to purchase tobacco products. Keeping tobacco out of the hands of minors is an important measure to help prevent them from embarking on a lifelong addiction.
How to undo this
Don't give or buy tobacco for anyone under the age of 18. It's illegal, and you can be fined.
For more than 100 years, it has been illegal in California to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18. If you see a tobacco retailer selling tobacco to a minor, call 1-800-5-ASK-4-ID and report it.
Make sure your community has strong local policies to prevent children from obtaining tobacco, and demand enforcement. Support effective local tobacco retailer licensing.
RETAILERS
The next time you visit a gas station, convenience store or other type of retailer that sells cigarettes or tobacco products, take note of all the tobacco brand advertising you see including the display cases, posters, clocks and signage.
How to undo this
UNDO or limit your, or your children's, exposure to tobacco by patronizing establishments that do not display mass quantities of in-your-face tobacco advertising.
Voice your opinion to managers and owners, either in writing or in person. Suggest they limit the amount of tobacco advertising in and near their stores, and demand that they remove tobacco advertising within children's view, including away from the candy displays and any place three feet or below.
Ask managers and owners to place all tobacco products, including chew and cigars, behind the counter and away from children's hands and eyes.
If you see child-oriented products, such as holiday decorations or novelty items, positioned above or near cigarette display cases (a regular occurrence at many grocery stores), talk to the manager or owner and explain how this draws a child's attention right to the tobacco products. It's likely that the manager or owner has never even thought about it before.
If you see candy cigarettes, bubble gum cigars or other tobacco look-a-like items being sold, explain to the manager or owner how these products may influence children's behavior and may send the message that smoking is fun.
MAGAZINE/NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING
Tobacco companies spend millions of dollars every year to advertise their products in newspapers and magazines. They use images of attractive young adults who look healthy, independent and adventurous.
How to undo this
UNDO your exposure to tobacco advertising by tearing out all the tobacco ads before you read your favorite magazines, or before your children read them. Ask your family doctors, dentists, and schools to do the same.
Pay close attention to what your children, particularly teenagers, are exposed to when reading popular publications.
If your favorite magazine or newspaper contains tobacco advertisements, write the publisher a letter to voice your opinion and express concern about the impact of advertising a product that is addictive and deadly.
In addition, many popular women's magazines discuss health issues faced by women today, such as breast, skin and ovarian cancers and obesity, often providing educational and preventative information. These publications seldom, if ever, discuss lung cancer, which kills more women than breast, ovarian and cervical cancer combined.
Submit letters to the editor and voice your concern that the issue of smoking and related health concerns are not getting fair and appropriate editorial coverage. Ask them to protect their customers by refusing to promote tobacco ads in their publications.
TOBACCO INDUSTRY EVENT SPONSORSHIPS
Tobacco companies sponsor national and local events under their corporate or brand names. Many tobacco sponsorships involve sports and activities popular with families such as rodeos, fairs, and racing, exposing children to heavy amounts of tobacco company images. In addition, many of these events may be televised, giving the tobacco company television airtime.
How to undo this
Be aware of what your children are exposed to when they attend sporting or community events, and avoid those that include tobacco companies.
Steer clear of booths or tents where tobacco products are promoted.
Be mindful of tobacco company sponsorships your children may see during a televised sporting event.
When you notice a tobacco-sponsored event in your community, write your local newspaper to express your concern and raise public awareness.
TOBACCO-SPONSORED BAR NIGHTS
In recent years, tobacco companies have sponsored special "bar nights" to promote their products, to provide free samples and giveaways, and to obtain names and addresses for their direct-mail marketing efforts. Bar napkins, coasters and other promotional materials are printed with the tobacco companies' logos.
How to undo this
UNDO tobacco by patronizing only those bars that do not hold tobacco-sponsored "bar nights."
If you visit a bar with tobacco-industry promotional materials, samples or giveaways, tell the manager or owner why you disagree with such practices.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
Tobacco companies often support specific communities and populations with financial contributions to gain access, influence and respectability.
If you are aware of a tobacco company's charitable contribution in your community, write the organization accepting the contribution to inform them of your concern. Tell them to look beyond the money and consider the real reason the tobacco industry is courting them.
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to let them know how the tobacco industry is trying to buy credibility and a better reputation by infiltrating your community, while its products continue to cause life-threatening diseases and destroy lives.
Movies are one of the most powerful vehicles for glamorizing and promoting smoking, especially to youth. In a recent study, teenagers were divided into 4 groups according to their exposure to movie smoking; those teenagers in the group with the highest exposure were three times more likely to try smoking. Teens whose favorite stars smoke in movies were 16 times more likely to have positive attitudes toward smoking.
Tobacco's screen time in PG-13 movies and videos has increased 50 percent since the tobacco industry agreed to the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement that barred marketing tobacco to youth. In 2002 alone smoking was found in 68.5% of all youth rated (G, PG, PG-13) movies.
How to undo this
You have the control to limit your exposure, or a child's exposure, to smoking in movies and there are excellent resources to help. For a list of smoking content in current films, visit www.scenesmoking.org.
Smoking in public is not just a nuisance, it's a health danger due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Nearly 53,000 innocent nonsmokers die every year from exposure to secondhand smoke in the U.S., and many more suffer unnecessarily. Children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke and many develop asthma, bronchitis, ear infections, and other illnesses. Recent research proves that secondhand smoke negatively impacts nonsmokers within minutes of exposure.
How to undo this
If you're a smoker, don't smoke around others, especially children. Make sure the policies of pre-schools, schools, and other places where your children spend time provide complete protection from secondhand smoke.
If someone in a crowded public place is smoking, move away from the smoke, or if appropriate, politely ask him or her to put it out or smoke somewhere else.
If one of your friends or acquaintances continues to smoke in front of you, send them one of this site's e-cards to deliver a powerful secondhand smoke message.
Advocate for stronger no smoking laws in your community, so you and your family can work and play anywhere without breathing someone else's smoke.
It often takes a smoker several attempts before quitting successfully as cigarettes are highly addictive. While the road to becoming a nonsmoker is challenging, there are rewards. Many of the negative health effects caused by smoking can be reduced within days of quitting.
How to undo this
Research shows that developing a plan before attempting to quit dramatically increases your chance of success. If you need help, the California Smokers' Helpline is available to provide free and confidential counseling. Call them at 1-800-NO-BUTTS.
Many communities in California and throughout the United States have tried to reduce tobacco use, and limit tobacco marketing and sales. UNDO tobacco in your community. Below are just a few examples of successful policies that have been passed in communities throughout California.
Tobacco Retailer Licensing
Self Service Display Bans
Storefront Sign Ordinances
Land Use/Zoning Laws
Tobacco-free Doorways
Tobacco-free Outdoor Areas
Tobacco-free Indoor Areas
Prohibiting Tobacco Sponsorship of Events
Increasing Enforcement of Tobacco Control Laws
Private Enforcement of Tobacco Control Laws
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