The California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) is one of the longest-running comprehensive tobacco programs in the US. It combines a statewide media campaign with state and community interventions to influence social norm change.
The program’s social norm change strategy is based on three core beliefs. These beliefs guide the infrastructure, policy priorities, media messages and evaluation measures.
Tobacco Use
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. It can lead to cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Smoking is also harmful to non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke. It can cause coughing, phlegm, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Tobacco smoke also can damage a person’s teeth, gums and throat.
In addition, it can decrease blood flow to the arms and legs, making it harder for the body to heal cuts and ulcers. It can also damage the eyes and reproductive organs of women.
This is why many doctors will not perform surgery on someone who smokes. It can also increase the risk of having a child with premature birth, low birth weight or other health problems.
California has the most extensive tobacco control program globally and has made great strides in reducing smoking. This includes a tobacco tax, statewide smoke-free laws and policies, and an aggressive campaign to help smokers quit.
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke is the toxic mixture of the smoke produced by the burning tip of a cigarette and the smoke exhaled by a smoker. It is one of the leading causes of death in smokers and non-smokers.
It is made up of over 4000 known chemicals, most of which are harmful and many of them cancer-causing. It irritates the airways as soon as you are exposed to it and has immediate, damaging effects on your heart and blood vessels.
Smoke is also linked to severe and life-threatening respiratory diseases, including asthma and bronchitis. In addition, it can lead to heart disease and lung cancer.
In addition, smoking is a significant environmental problem, with cigarette butts and other tobacco debris affecting animals and plants. This is why it is so vital to have tobacco-free homes, schools and workplaces.
Children’s lungs are still developing, so they are more sensitive to the health impacts of secondhand smoke than adults. This is especially true for young children, who spend much of their time indoors.
Secondhand smoke is linked to several diseases in children and adolescents, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, lung cancer and sudden infant death syndrome. It is also linked to congenital disabilities, including low birth weight and preterm delivery.
Health Disparities
Health disparities exist because of genetics, access to care and social determinants that affect the quality of life. Communities that understand and respond to inequalities improve their communities’ individual and population health.
For example, Black and Latino people have significantly lower life expectancies than whites. They also have higher rates of chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
In the United States, these racial and ethnic differences in mortality are driven by socioeconomic factors that impact a person’s ability to obtain healthcare and preventive care. These factors include discrimination, lack of insurance and poor public health systems.
When these issues are addressed, they can decrease the number of unnecessary healthcare expenditures. In North Carolina, a study estimated that reducing health disparities could save the state $225 million yearly.
The California Tobacco Control Program addresses health disparities and ensures everyone access affordable health care. The CA Tobacco Control Program is a comprehensive approach that addresses the entire lifecycle of tobacco use, from youth to adults.
AMA’s Health Disparities Office works to eliminate racial and ethnic healthcare disparities through policy development.
Research
Research plays an essential role in advancing knowledge about the impact of tobacco on human health, and research findings are vital to implementing effective public health programs. A growing body of research is investigating tobacco use, its social consequences and its relationship to various health conditions, including cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) began negotiating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as part of the global effort to curb smoking. This treaty requires all countries to develop comprehensive tobacco control policies and practices. The WHO also endorsed a Global Action Plan for Tobacco Control Research34 that identified several research themes of significant importance to the future of tobacco control:
- Country readiness
- The dissemination and application of research results
- The assessment of the effectiveness of public health programs
For example, a recent study of the CA Tobacco Control Program found that it significantly reduced the smoking rate among Californians. The program significantly increased tobacco excise taxes, leading to a rapid smoking rate decline. In addition, the state’s program increased quitting rates. This reduction in smoking was associated with fewer cigarette-attributable medical expenditures and lower death rates due to cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. It also saved Californians $51.4 billion they would have otherwise spent on cigarettes.