Goal 1 – Prevent Youth Initiation of Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Almost 90% of all smokers become addicted before they turn 18. If students get through high school without starting, the likelihood that they will never smoke drastically increases. Because of this, the Orange County Tobacco-Free Partnership is currently working towards the implementation of 3 policies that support our goal to prevent youth initiation of tobacco use.

• Policy to Restrict the Sale of Candy Flavored Tobacco Products not Covered by FDA
• Policy Prohibiting/Limiting Tobacco Industry Advertising - Retail Outlets
• Policy to Implement Comprehensive Tobacco Control Model Policies in K-12 Schools

Goal 2 – Eliminate Secondhand Smoke Exposure

For years, it has been widely known that secondhand smoke exposure can be deadly. This fact was reiterated in the 2010 Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease that "there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. Any exposure to tobacco smoke – even an occasional cigarette or exposure to secondhand smoke – is harmful." The Orange County Tobacco-Free Partnership is working towards the implementation of a policy that will help us get closer to our goal to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.

• Policy to Create Tobacco-Free Multi-Unit Dwellings (Apartments)

Goal 3 – Promote Cessation from Tobacco Use

According to a recent study done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 15 million people try to quit using tobacco every day. Quitting is never easy, but there are many free resources available to the residents of Orange County. If residents want help with quitting, it is our job to make sure that they know what resources are available and how to access them. Therefore, our third goal is to promote cessation from tobacco use.

• Policy which increases the number of employers that offer access to cessation services to their employees.