Tobacco Prevention Program

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The recent popularity of electronic cigarettes has created a resurgence for the tobacco industry, particularly among youth and young adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), e-cigarette use among high school students increased ten-fold from 2011 to 2015 (1.5% in 2011 and 16% in 2015), and nine-fold among middle school students (0.6% in 2011 and 5.3% in 2015) . Additionally, the CDC identified a link between exposure to e-cigarette advertisements and the use of e-cigarettes amongst this younger population . To combat this issue, the Placer County Tobacco Prevention Program (PCTPP) partners with local media companies and dedicates a portion of its funding to support anti-tobacco/vaping media messaging. Through funds provided by the California Department of Public Health California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP), the PCTPP launched a multi-pronged media campaign using movie theater advertisements, television commercials, gas station toppers/fillboards, and billboard advertising to target Placer’s youth. The first month of the media release created over 1,000,000 total impressions. The campaign uses the mere-exposure effect phenomenon, a theory stating people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. The more familiar youth can become with the dangers of electronic cigarettes, the more likely they are to refuse the product and understand its harmful effects. Because the tobacco industry uses media to attract the younger generation, equivalent use of media messages to oppose the tobacco industry’s tactics can greatly reduce youth use of such products.