Title: Rodeos and Research: Non-Traditional Tobacco Issues on Campus
1Rodeos and Research Non-Traditional Tobacco
Issues on Campus
- 5th National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco
- September 22, 2009
- Madison, WI
2California Youth Advocacy Network
- The California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) is
dedicated to the support of youth and young adult
tobacco control advocacy throughout California.
By providing young people and agencies with the
tangible tools for action, CYAN strives to
mobilize a powerful statewide movement for
tobacco control. CYAN offers the following to
the tobacco prevention field - Technical Assistance
- Trainings
- Statewide Advocacy and Policy Campaigns
- Educational Materials and Publications
- Opportunities for networking
3The Beginning of the ProblemThe MSA
- Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) signed in 1998
- Prohibits tobacco marketing for which the primary
purpose is to initiate, maintain, or increase
youth (under 18) smoking - Prohibits distribution of free samples of tobacco
products on public property except in Adult Only
Facilities
4After the MSA
- Bitter Sweet Problem Without the legal ability
to advertise to those under 18 years old, the
tobacco industry shifted their advertising
tactics to the youngest legal targets -
- 18 24 year old
- Our natural response and solution Work with
colleges and universities to adopt smoke-free
policies for campus buildings, residential halls,
and campus grounds
5Smoke-Free Policy Campaigns All campaigns have
to start somewhere
- Following the signing of the MSA, tobacco control
advocates were funded to address young adult
smoking. - Obvious place to start was college campuses.
- Colleges and universities are filled with young
adults. - Offer active audience.
- Numerous public health partners on campus.
- Majority of prevention efforts focused on making
indoor and outdoor areas of college campuses
smoke-free.
6While we were working on Smoke-Free . . . .
Tobacco companies were working on developing
campus relationships
- Tobacco Control Advocates
- Focus HEALTH
- Health equates to smoke-free campuses
- Smoke-free campuses clean air both indoors and
outdoors
- Tobacco Industry
- Focus
- Big Profits come from tobacco sales, investments,
name and brand recognition - Recognition comes from sponsorship, university
support through contributions and funding
research - Positive relationships with universities
improved corporate image
7Tobacco on Campus
- Tobacco use
- Cigarettes
- Smokeless / Spit / Spitless
- Hookah
- Sampling
- Events
- Greek
- Area bars
- Tobacco sales
- Bookstore
- Campus stores
- Student Co-ops
- Private companies
- Hospitality Funds
- Auxiliary Organizations
8Tobacco Companies on Campus
- Career Fairs
- Philip Morris / Altria
- Sponsorship
- Athletics
- Organizations
- Advertising / Marketing
- Campus publications
- Signage
- Portfolio
- Individual campus
- System
- Art Shows
- Music, dance, theatrical performances
- Research grants
- Graduate students
- Faculty
- Donations/Contributions
- Individual schools or programs within a
university
9The Problem
- Tobacco companies provide financial support to
colleges and universities through a number of
different channels. - Tobacco companies sponsor events, activities, and
organizations on campus to promote their products
and the perceived corporate responsibilities.
10How tobacco companies benefit from relationships
with colleges and universities
- Improved image
- Legitimate partner
- Extensive exposure to different populations
- Target Population(s)
- Product exposure
11Funding of Academic Research
12Tobacco Industry Funding of Academic Research
- Whats Happening
- Tobacco industry directly funds research at
colleges and universities throughout the US and
world - Previously funded through the Philip Morris
External Research Program (PMERP) - Provides funding opportunities to graduate
students and faculty at prestigious universities - Many of the grants are given to scientists who
are not looking specifically at tobacco, thus
rewarding the tobacco industry with credibility - Tobacco companies are able to take the reputation
and impartiality of the scientist and the
research to promote their own agenda (e.g.,
Secondhand Smoke study at the University of
California, Los Angeles) - The industry received a major public relation
'plus' when monies were given to Harvard Medical
School. RICO Trial Findings of Fact
13Problematic Research
- Academic research has shown that projects funded
by the tobacco industry tend to favor the
industry and unfavorable results are suppressed - Malone, R., Bero, L. (2003). Chasing the
dollar why scientists should decline tobacco
industry funding. Journal Epidemiol Community
Health, 57, 546-548. - Industry documents reveal tobacco companies
conducted an extensive campaign to produce
scientific research and influence public opinion
on health consequences associated with secondhand
smoke exposure - Muggli, M., Forster, J., Hurt, R., Repace, J.
(2001). The smoke you dont see uncovering
tobacco industry scientific strategies aimed
against environmental tobacco smoke policies. Am
J Public Health, 91, 1419 1423.
14Tobacco Racketeers
- U.S.A. et al. v. Philip Morris Inc., et al., the
District of Columbia District Court Judge, Gladys
Kessler, found on August 17, 2006, that - Cigarette makers were involved in a lengthy (50
years), unlawful conspiracy to deceive the
American public about the health effects of
smoking and environmental tobacco smoke, the
addictiveness of nicotine, the health benefits
from low tar, light cigarettes, and their
manipulation of the design and composition of
cigarettes in order to sustain nicotine
addiction. - They devised and coordinated both national and
international strategy they directed scientists
as to what research they should and should not
undertake they vetted scientific research papers
and reports as well as public relations materials
to ensure that the interests of the Enterprise
would be protected they identified friendly
scientific witnesses, subsidized them with grants
from the Center for Tobacco Research and the
Center for Indoor Air Research, paid them
enormous fees, and often hid the relationship
between those witnesses and the industry.
15Tobacco Racketeers
- The Conspiracy Continues
- Even at the time of trial Defendants continued to
participate in the Center for Cooperation in
Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco
(CORESTA), a nonprofit making association with
objectives to enhance the scientific cooperation
for research on tobacco perceived as unique and
very valuable because it enjoys the perception
of being objective, technical and independent. - DC Court of Appeals Decision, May 22, 2009
16Why Decline Tobacco Industry Grants
- The tobacco industry has been found to suppress
research. - Academic units and some universities have taken a
stand to distance themselves from tobacco
funding. - Tobacco companies are different.
- The tobacco industry has used its funding of
academic research to damage and manipulate the
research process itself. - Tobacco industry funding diminishes the
credibility of any research it funds. - Academic freedom protects the right of faculty
and students to pursue knowledge and publish
their work freely in order to advance societys
knowledge about public matters, no matter how
controversial. The tobacco industry stands
foursquare against these principles.
17Arguments For Tobacco Funding
- Academic Freedom
- Slippery Slope
- Lack of funding for research
- Ethics who is to say PM is any better than a
number of other companies - Tobacco companies have changed their ways ideal
- Lack of education on tobacco issues beyond health
- Apathy towards tobacco issues
- Need for good research
- An objective scientist doesnt conduct biased
research - The thinking that NIH only funds research that
promotes the governments agenda
18The University of California Dilemma
- 2004 - University Committee on Research Policy
(UCORP) Report limiting external and internal
strings attached to research - External strings outside companies,
organizations, etc. that put limitations on
funding and research - Internal strings faculty units that put
limitations on an individual faculty members
funding - President Dynes adopted systemwide policy
prohibiting campuses and academic units from
adopting research funding policies - 2005 Academic Council and Academic Assembly
adopt resolution that gives policy making
authority to Regents
19The University of California Dilemma
- Debate continued at system level for 2 years
- Leading Regents proposed a policy to decline
tobacco industry money the President and faculty
Senate leadership strongly opposed this proposal. - In September 2007, the Regents adopted a
resolution requiring - A Regental statement to researchers expressing
concern over tobacco industry funding - Campus scientific peer review and Chancellor
approval of proposals prior to submission to the
tobacco industry - Annual report to the Regents of tobacco funded
grants.
20Tobacco Industry Funding Continues
- Virginia Commonwealth University (2006 grant)
- University scientists are studying how to
identify early warning signs of pulmonary disease
and how to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus drained
into rivers from processing tobacco leaves - Research believed to help Philip Morris develop
new reduced risk product which is why there is a
great need for secrecy - Contract prohibits researcher from publishing
results of study or publishing without the
approval of Philip Morris - University officials must decline to comment on
contract if asked by a third party - All patent and intellectual property rights go to
Philip Morris
21Tobacco Industry Funding Continues
- UCLA (2006 grant)
- Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center
- Largest tobacco-funded project at the University
of California - The contract was negotiated between UCLA and the
Philip Morris Youth Smoking Prevention and
Corporate Responsibility Office - The grant appears similar to past industry
special projects that did not go through a
formal peer review process
22UCLA ASCC
- 6 million contract for 3 years
- The Center is modeled after the Duke Center for
Nicotine and Smoking Cessation Research
(financially supported by Philip Morris) - Research focused on 14 21 year olds
- Project initiated by the Philip Morris Youth
Prevention Office - The grant has three projects all designed to
learn more about how youth get addicted and stay
addicted to tobacco. - A stepped approach to adolescent smoking
cessation treatment (human subjects) - Neural systems and risk for adolescent smoking
(human subjects) - Adolescent primate-focused research (animal
subjects)
23Why We Are Concerned
- The Center gives Philip Morris direct access to
understanding the addiction process in youth - Such information could be very useful in
designing more addictive cigarettes - It is unlikely that Philip Morris could conduct
brain scans on youth in their own research center
without facing political and/or legal
consequences - There is no transparency with the grant,
therefore, we know very little about the research
24Duke University
- Seeking paid expert consultants to evaluate the
QuitAssist website - Two year project given to the Director of the
Duke Center for Nicotine and Smoking Cessation
Research (Center funded by Philip Morris) - Consultants will not be associated with grant
- Your name would not be associated in any way
with your commentary, and you would not be
mentioned in any way in any correspondence or
reports of findings from the study. Once you
have been paid, your name would be removed from
our records.
25USSTC Funding
- Researchers from USSTC
- There is one scientific fact that smokers and
smokeless tobacco users in the Corps should
learn smokeless tobacco use is 98 percent safer
than smoking. - Letter to the Editor, Marine Corps Times, January
2009 - You characterized Camel dissolvables as
"...still addictive and risky like cigarettes..."
This is patently untrue. Scientific research has
established that smokeless tobacco products are
at least 98 safer than smoking. You have
repeated the misinformation from government
agencies and by anti-tobacco extremists about the
relative safety of smokeless products. - Letter to the Editor, Oregon Live, December 2008
26College Rodeos
27What is a Collegiate Rodeo?
- A NIRA-sanctioned event
- NIRA National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
- Club sport (NOT a NCAA sport)
- College event
- Community event
- Family event
- Students compete in events like bull riding,
steer wrestling, and team roping
28NIRA
- Governing body for college rodeos
- Promotes intercollegiate rodeo on a national
scale by bringing national recognition as an
organized and standard collegiate sport and to
promote interest, understanding, and
appreciation, and vigilance over Western life and
culture. - NIRA is divided into 11 regions with over 135
colleges and universities having a recognized
rodeo organization on their campus. - www.collegerodeo.com
29Organizational Structure of College Rodeos
- National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA)
- 11 regions throughout the U.S.
- All colleges in a region host rodeos throughout
the year. - In June, all collegiate rodeo teams in America
compete at the Collegiate National Finals Rodeo
(CNFR) held in Casper, Wyoming.
30U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Sponsorship of Collegiate
Rodeos
- In 1974, USSTC became the first sponsor of
college rodeo - USSTC sponsorship of rodeo gives the company
- Brand name recognition
- The ability to associate their deadly product
with healthy athletes - In return, collegiate rodeo athletes are awarded
a total of 200,000 per year in scholarships
31USSTC NIRA Sponsorship Agreement
- General sponsorship agreement written into NIRA
handbook - USSTC required form for all regional rodeos
- Used to alert USSTC to time, location, etc. of
event - Distributes free smokeless products at events
- In CA, sampling of products is not an issue if
the rodeo is held on public grounds - However, sampling presents a problem on private
CA grounds and in other states
32Sponsorship/Scholarship
- In a college setting, scholarship and sponsorship
are two separate things - USSTC has engaged in a sponsorship program by
requiring advertisements at collegiate rodeos in
order for athletes to be eligible for scholarship
money - However, if USSTC allows a school to take down
USSTC signs and still provides the scholarship
money, the university views it as a scholarship
program
33Scholarship Money
- Awards are dependent on athletes performance at
the CNFR - Amount varies from year to year
- In CA, the USSTC check undergoes the same process
as other financial aid - 100 of the money goes to the student
34Collegiate National Finals Rodeo
- Until 1998, the CNFR was held at Montana State
University (MSU) - In 1998, MSU asked USSTC not to distribute
products at the CNFR - MSU was promptly dropped as the site of the CNFR,
breaking a 25 year tradition of hosting the
biggest collegiate rodeo event! - CNFR is now held in Casper, WY
35Californias College Rodeos
- 7 colleges have rodeos
- 3 California State Universities
- 4-year public institutions
- 4 Community Colleges
- 2-year public institutions
- All advocacy efforts began locally
- Majority of work done at CSU Fresno and Cal Poly
San Luis Obispo
36Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo
- Cal Poly is a public 4-year institution in
Central California - Campus of 18,000 students
- Local advocacy project funded through Buck
Tobacco - Objectives
- Work with Dept. of Agriculture to reject USSTC
funding - Eliminate USSTC ads at college rodeo
- Advocate for the adoption of a campus-wide
sponsorship or advertising policy.
37Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo
- Objectives 1 2
- Initial focus on the Rodeo Coach and the
Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture - Asked to remove USSTC banners from the rodeo
grounds during rodeos - Coach and Associate Dean voluntarily agreed to
take the signs down - Would not end relationship with USSTC until
alternative scholarship funds were available
38Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo
- Objective 3
- Students and community advocates worked with
administration for two years to get a formal
policy prohibiting tobacco advertising and
sponsorship - Policy adopted in June 2005
- In the interest of promoting a safe and healthy
environment for members of the University and
wider community, the University prohibits
advertising of tobacco products at all Cal Poly
events.
39Key Points
- Advocates worked with campus to find alternative
funding but no middle ground could be found - Project offered 20,000 endowment
- Campus wanted 1 million endowment
- Campus was not willing to address
sponsorshipsjust advertising and marketing - In the end, Cal Poly took down the signs and
USSTC continued to awarded the students
scholarship money, even though Cal Poly violated
the NIRA agreement
40Statewide Advocacy Efforts
- Statewide advocacy project funded through the
Regional Tobacco-Free Rodeo Project - Objectives
- Work with Cal Poly SLO and Cal Poly Pomona to
enforce existing policies - Advocate for the adoption of a systemwide
sponsorship policy at CSU - Work with Feather River College to adopt a policy
eliminating tobacco advertising, marketing, and
sponsorship
41Statewide Advocacy Efforts
- Began working with the CSU Board of Trustees in
2004 to adopt a comprehensive sponsorship policy
for the entire CSU system (23 campuses) - Gained support from the CSSA the statewide CSU
student association - 2007 CSU Board of Trustees and the Chancellors
Office adopted a systemwide policy prohibiting
tobacco industry sponsorship. - The policy is a verbal policy.
- 2008 CSU system leaders comment they are
continuing to actively enforce the policy and
monitor industry presence on campus
42Statewide Advocacy Efforts
- Campaign Activities
- Meetings with decision makers (local and
statewide) - Hired local students
- Building partnerships
- Hosting campus events
- Attending local rodeos
- Media campaign
- Documented problem
- Made issue bigger than rodeos
43(No Transcript)
44The South Dakota State Experience
- South Dakota passed a similar advertising policy
but were denied scholarship money - Adopted in 2004 Publicity (including but not
limited to fliers, advertisements, commercials,
or any other promotional material.) can NOT have
any of the following Any promotion of alcohol,
tobacco, or other drugs. - SDSU now has a Steers for State program to raise
replacement money for scholarships - www.sdsurodeo.org
45For more information . . .
- Contact
- Kim Homer Vagadori, MPH
- CYAN
- (916) 339-3424 x22
- kim_at_cyanonline.org
- Resources Available
- Rodeo Publication
- Final Reports
- Advertisements
- Organizing Guide
- Websites
- www.cyanonline.org
- www.researchintegrityproject.org
- www.academic-integrity.com