Project SMART (Sponsorship Mission: Avoid Reliance on Tobacco) Money was developed in 1998 as a statewide campaign committed to eliminating tobacco company sponsorship of California's diverse events and organizations. Approximately 40 public health and tobacco education organizations have teamed to initiate the Project. At the heart of the campaign is the Project SMART Money Workgroup, made up of community partners with expertise in the sponsorship arena, who assist in networking and mentoring smaller groups with specific sponsorship topic focus areas such as rodeos, bar nights, fairs, community events and festivals, and corporate giving. These community partners communicate and collaborate through topic-specific teleconferences and through a special, limited access website. During the course of Project SMART Money, the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) between the state attorneys general and the tobacco industry was signed. One of the challenges has been to adapt to this twist. Currently, the project works with the State Attorney General's Office to monitor whether tobacco companies are complying with the sponsorship terms of the MSA. A special "kit," entitled "Tobacco Industry Watch, Post-Settlement," has been developed to assist local programs in collecting evidence of tobacco sponsorship of community events in order to assist the Attorney General's Office in this effort. This systematic approach to data collection and analysis enables the Project to "spot check" for MSA violations by the tobacco industry as well as provide teaching events and encouragement of active participation by local programs and coalitions.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: 1) Identify at least 4 loopholes found in the Master Settlement Agreement with regard to sponsorship 2) Describe the procedure used in California to monitor local events for tobacco sponsorship, and the relationship with the Attorney General's office that enables action to take place 3) Articulate the observational procedure and various techniques for event observation. 4) Assess the feasibility of implementing a similar observational process within their own area
Keywords: Tobacco Settlement, Tobacco Industry
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Department of Health Services, Tobacco Control Section
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.