Problem/Objective: Young adults are at risk for exposure to tobacco industry promotion through sponsorship at music concert events, where tobacco use norms and attitudes are established as part of the “cool” or “hip” music industry. Most recent data indicate that the industry spends more than $184 million per year in Washington to market their products via discounts, give-aways and other promotional activities.

Methods: This is year three of the WA State Department of Health's partnership with House of Blues Northwest/Live Nation, under the name of TobaccoSmokesYou.com. Goals were to: (1) Replace the tobacco industry sponsorship at concerts where traditionally featured tobacco marketing and distributed products were the norm; and (2) Educate younger adults who make up the great majority of the concert attendees, about the harmful effects of tobacco and SHS, as well as the resources available to help them quit.

Results: This year's partnership covered almost 80% of all concerts statewide, including most high profile, large state concert venues, plus main sponsorship of the 7th annual Memorial Day weekend Sasquatch! Music Festival, one of the top music events in the nation with 55,000+ attendees. The current “Cold Turkey” cessation campaign messaging was integrated into the signage and handouts to further prompt smokers to the TSY.com Web site to secure information on how to make a plan to quit smoking. Campaign mediums included radio, TV, print, on-line and non-traditional presence.

Conclusions: One affordable way to counteract tobacco industry spending efforts is to replace tobacco sponsorship with pro-health, anti-tobacco messaging sponsorship.