Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114545

Julie Knost, MSW, Tobacco Use Prevention Program, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, 3838 N. Central Ave., Suite 1600, Phoenix, AZ 85012, 602-372-8401, julieweissbuch@mail.maricopa.gov

Tobacco use is the single largest cause of premature mortality in this country, representing 1 in every 5 U.S. deaths each year. Since the Master Settlement Agreement forbade tobacco advertising to youth under the age of 18, tobacco companies have invested 70% of advertising and marketing dollars towards 18-24 year olds. In Arizona, college aged adults have a high prevalence of tobacco use (18.7%) and use for this group is growing at a faster rate than any other. Only 27.8% of college students report receiving information on tobacco use prevention on their campus. With over 15 colleges and universities in the metropolitan Phoenix area, Maricopa County Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MACTUPP) has begun developing an innovative program specifically geared for this population. Utilizing a capacity building strategy, students from all the public and private colleges and universities will be brought together to form a College Tobacco Coalition. Borrowing strategies from community development theory, Coalition members will be developing goals, objectives and strategies specifically addressing the diverse needs of young adults in the various campus settings. As a comprehensive tobacco control program, MACTUPP will provide the Coalition with resources to promote the message of tobacco control, not only to their campuses, but also to Maricopa County as a whole. The results of this idea will be shared including the development of the Coalition and current projects.

Learning Objectives: