Learning Objectives: XXXX
Abstract: After four years of community work, the Contra Costa County (CA) Board of Supervisors and 17 of the county's cities adopted a Tobacco Free Youth Ordinance (TFYO). The ordinance banned self-service displays, sale, distribution, or promotion of tobacco gear and outdoor tobacco advertising within 1600 feet of schools and public playgrounds. At the very beginning of the campaign, the Tobacco Prevention Project (TPP) and members of the community Tobacco Prevention Coalition understood that passage of the ordinance would require an intensive, youth-driven community education and advocacy campaign. A Youth Mobilization Project-renamed TIGHT (Tobacco Industry Gets Hammered by Teens) by the youth- was created to provide a vehicle for youth involvement.
Choosing a participatory model that gives young people a meaningful voice in the efforts to change community norms regarding tobacco has created interesting challenges for a health department-based project. This case study will describe the development of TIGHT and how young people became the core of the campaign to rollout the TFYO to all 18 incorporated cities in the county. Lessons learned about engaging youth in tobacco policy work in meaningful ways utilizing youth development principles will also be discussed.
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