Evolution of Tobacco Waste Campaign from Local to Statewide Efforts

Tobacco waste in the form of cigarette butts can be found in environments such as storm drains, waterways, beaches, rivers, streets, and both rural and urban neighborhoods. The problem is quickly gaining the attention of diverse communities and organizations that have vested health and/or financial interest in reducing the negative impact of tobacco waste on their environment. Amongst tobacco control advocates, cigarette litter pick-up events have historically been utilized as an intervention tool to help educate about the effectiveness of tobacco control related policies such as smoke-free parks and recreational areas, college campuses and beaches. In 2009, San Francisco approved a cigarette mitigation fee of 20 cents to be added to each pack of cigarettes sold in the city to help offset the city's cost to clean up cigarette litter. The California Tobacco Control Program recognized the potential for widespread interest and collaboration on this issue and developed a campaign that included elements such as a tobacco waste reduction toolkit/ trainings, media in the form of a television ad and online video, evaluation measures pre and post media flights, and a summit meeting comprised of a wide array of leaders and experts in areas such as fire, parks, ocean, water, storm drain, health disparities, parks and recreation, and tobacco control, to think about additional strategies to reduce tobacco waste in the environment and potential points of collaboration and intersection. This presentation will discuss the development of these efforts and lessons learned thus far.