Despite all of the successful efforts to limit outdoor billboard advertising, cigarette advertising is still abundant within convenience stores, liquor stores and other small retail establishments. The proliferation of ads tends to be more visible in poorer urban neighborhoods. Recognizing this problem, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles County, funded by the California Department of Health Services Tobacco Control Section, implemented “The 3 Feet and Below Campaign” an innovative grassroots program to influence merchants to limit the ads in their stores. The program involved the recruitment and training of parent volunteers. Parents from local elementary schools were trained to survey the stores and collect data on the number of ads observed at each store. The program targeted the Hollywood, Silverlake, and Pico Union region of Los Angeles. Merchants in the area are very diverse supported by the fact that the storeowners and staff spoke over 20 different languages. The intervention involved the distribution of an educational packet as well as in person store visits. Through this process parents were empowered to organize around a problem that was visible within their neighborhood. Using a rigorous randomized control group design, the results found that the campaign was successful in reducing the number of tobacco ads observed below three feet. This presentation will discuss the unique aspects of the campaign; offer suggestions on how to involve parent groups in community based interventions, and describe the relevant impacts of the program.
Learning Objectives: 1. During session, participants will be able to identify new strategies to recruit parent volunteers. 2. Participants will be able to recognize effective outreach strategies to local merchants. 3. Participants will be able to identify effective models for implementing participatory evaluation
Keywords: Tobacco Control, Community Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.