City Launches 3-Year Anti-Tobacco, Anti-Menthol Awareness Campaign Aimed at African American and Latino Communities

Pasadena City officials said they will launch a three-year anti-tobacco and anti-menthol products public awareness campaign on Wednesday that will feature “very eye-catching billboard-style displays,” educational materials and social media outreach aimed at reducing tobacco-related ethnic and racial health disparities in Northwest Pasadena.

A statement from the City Manager’s office said the Pasadena Public Health Department is combating “the disproportionately high use of mentholated cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and flavored tobacco products by Hispanic/Latinos and African-Americans.”

Local American Cancer Society officials will be also be in attendance during the press conference, which is being held a day before the Society’s annual Great American Smokeout.

Not part of the Smokeout, which seeks to help existing smokers quit, the Pasadena campaign is geared towards educating young people about the dangers of starting the habit.

City Public Information Officer William Boyer said the campaign became possible because of a $1.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded to the Public Health Department.

Recent data from the California Department of Public Health show the number of Hispanics or Latinos and African-Americans smoking menthol or flavored cigarettes is disproportionately high compared to other demographic sectors.

“We began working on the ad campaign … earlier this year,” Boyer said.

Funded by the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Program, Pasadena’s English and Spanish language media campaign will use bus shelter displays, bus interior ads, social media strategies and point-of-sale ads at tobacco retailers.

“The CDC is very excited about what we’ve been able to develop,” Boyer said. “Depending upon the success that we have, they may take this and develop it into a nationwide campaign.”