Taken together, these components help to prevent tobacco use initiation, promote quitting, eliminate secondhand and thirdhand exposure, and reduce tobacco-related disparities.
Since the beginning of its tobacco prevention program, California has employed a comprehensive approach that includes all of the components described above. This approach includes the implementation of education programs as required in the enabling legislation for Prop 99—both for school-age youth and for adults in the general population. But many of its interventions go beyond education. A good example of this is the program’s focus on policy change. Tobacco-related research often produces findings that identify gaps in the public health protections afforded by policy. Education and advocacy help to increase awareness of these gaps and galvanize public support to address them through policy, usually on the local level initially, but often later on the statewide level. This has resulted in numerous improvements to the policy landscape across California.5 For example, the focus on policy has resulted in smokefree childcare facilities, restaurants, bars, other workplaces, public transport, playgrounds, parks, beaches, other outdoor public places, multi-unit housing, and cars when minors are present. It has resulted in tobacco-free schools, colleges, and public buildings. Because of policy changes, vaping products are regulated as tobacco products, tobacco retail license fees and state excise taxes have been increased, the minimum age to purchase tobacco has been raised to 21, and retail sales of flavored tobacco products have been banned. Certain local jurisdictions have set minimum prices for tobacco products, banned pharmacy sales of tobacco, and even banned the sale of tobacco altogether. Policy gains such as these counter pro-tobacco influences, reduce access to tobacco, reduce secondhand and thirdhand exposure, and promote cessation. They help illustrate why it is so important to adopt a comprehensive approach to reducing tobacco use rather than a more narrow approach employing education alone.
Members of Asian/Pacific Islander Partners and Advocates Countering Tobacco (API PACT) at a Livingston city council meeting to support tobacco restrictions, joined by members of Jakara Movement Livingston Youth.
Source: Asian/Pacific Islander Partners and Advocates Countering Tobacco.
Download California’s Comprehensive Approach to Tobacco Prevention (PDF).
Download the full 2025–2026 TEROC Plan (PDF, 4.9 MB).