2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

326399
San Francisco's Comprehensive Tobacco Permit Reduction Ordinance: A Health Equity Issue


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Patricia Barahona, MEd, YLI, Youth Leadership Institute, San Francisco, CA
Susana Hennessey Lavery, MPH, Community Health Equity and Promotion Branch, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
In January of 2015, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors heard and unanimously adopted an ordinance to reduce the over concentration of tobacco permits in areas with more youth, people of color and low-income people. High tobacco permit density is linked to higher smoking rates and related disease and death. Over 35 speakers, most of them youth, provided testimony. This multiyear health equity effort is a result of a the Youth Leadership Institute’s youth advocacy and leadership project funded by and coordinated with CHEP Tobacco Free Project staff who provide technical assistance and by using the Community Action Model. It places a cap on new permits in high density areas, provides for no new permits to bars and restaurants, within 500 feet of a school or another permit, and provides for a one time permit for small independent stores. Finally, this effort was a collaboration with the Grocers Association who support the measure and provided supportive testimony at the hearing. This effort was a part of a comprehensive citywide healthy retail effort that is taking shape in San Francisco and can be used as a model across the country. Lastly, this policy success models the power of youth adult partnerships in policy advocacy efforts.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Explain how a social justice lens can enhance tobacco research and policy advocacy. Describe how limiting tobacco permits by population can directly promote public health by addressing disparities in health outcomes for communities of color and low-income residents. List ways to promote more youth and neighborhood involvement in local tobacco policy work. Share the elements of the comprehensive tobacco permit density reduction ordinance.

Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been overseeing our tobacco density policy campaign for the past two years and have successfully supported staff in the implementation of our tobacco density ordinance. In addition, I have worked in partnership with staff, youth, merchants, public health officials, and government leaders to successfully pass this tobacco density ordinance.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4364.0: Tobacco policy, advocacy, and point-of-sale issues