ANDREA DEMING ADULT COORDINATOR Utah Phoenix Alliance

Youth Rising from the Ashes of those Who Died Uneducated No we are not from Phoenix AZ Youth from all over the state fighting against Big Tobacco Meet monthly and participate in at least 1-3 events

Youth Working on Policy Policy should affect the state Policy should be against the tobacco industry Policy becomes a tool for youth to educate about Big Tobacco’s Manipulations and the dangers of tobacco Quantitative goal in mind Past initiatives include:  FDA regulation, Smoke-free Bars and Clubs, Tobacco on Hollywood.

How do we create a policy against smokeless tobacco companies to offset the rise of smokeless tobacco use and battle low awareness of the harmful effects?

National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Every college and university with a rodeo program must be a member of National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) NIRA awards scholarships to top athletes Colleges are required to display NIRA sponsors banners and advertisements at all rodeos As the general manager of the College Finals said, “U.S. Tobacco is the oldest and best friend college rodeo ever had.”

The Problem SECTION 7 COMMERCIAL SPONSORSHIP AND MEDIA RIGHTS As a condition of membership in NIRA, each member school and each contestant, coach, contractor or participant, subject to the NIRA, Constitution, By-Laws and Rodeo Rules, must agree to honor NIRA national sponsorship contracts and provide certain minimum signage and media exposure to sponsors as required by those contracts.

The Solution R 01.9 NIRA NATIONAL SPONSORS TO EXHIBIT PRODUCTS AT NIRA RODEOS Unless prohibited by law or school policy the school(s)/region sponsoring the rodeo must allow the NIRA national sponsors to exhibit and sample their products. The sponsoring school(s) will be ineligible to receive team points and sponsorship money for the year in question if this rule is not followed.

Did you know that many of Utah’s colleges and universities accept money or advertise for US Smokeless Tobacco? These colleges and universities include: Southern Utah University, Weber State University, Dixie State College, Salt Lake Community College, Utah State University, Utah Valley State University and Utah State University Uintah Basin. Every college or university with a rodeo program is part of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) whose major sponsor is US Smokeless Tobacco (UST). As part of this sponsorship, UST pays out scholarship money to athletes that win at the local, regional, and national levels. In return colleges and universities display UST banners and advertisements at rodeos. If a school has a policy against accepting tobacco sponsorships and advertising, the NIRA does not require these programs to promote the UST sponsorship. However, many of these programs continue to promote smokeless tobacco. Most of these schools may never even see scholarship money in return unless they have a winning program. As bans on smoking increase, smokeless tobacco companies continue to promote their products as a safer alternative to smoking and market their products more aggressively to youth and adults. By signing this petition you are asking each of these universities and colleges to take a stand against the tobacco industry by not accepting tobacco money and not allowing US Smokeless Tobacco to advertise their products at rodeos in an effort to protect Utah youth.

Bring Youth to the Table

The Road to 5,000 Signatures Sponsorships at large events/concerts Youth infiltrating their school Local partners Youth produce radio ad

The Barriers Colleges and Universities are more invested in their students than young teenagers. Local partners pushed non-comprehensive tobacco policies in hope to get them passed. Smaller school did not want to pass sponsorship policy until larger, more powerful universities did. Finding new sponsors to provide replacement scholarship money. Became time consuming to work from the bottom up. ie: students->coaches->administration->presidents

The Victories Collected over 5,500 signature to support our petition! Dixie College has a full comprehensive tobacco policy! High acceptance among Utahans! Created relationships with college student groups to keep pushing for tobacco policies! Colleges not receiving scholarships are eager to change policy once larger schools do!

What’s New? The tobacco industry has been strenuously testing new products throughout the U.S. catching attention and gaining acceptance These new products are advertised as “harm reduction” Products can be used discreetly and packaged in candy like tins that attract youth High nicotine content making them highly addictive

Our New Initiative

It’s All About the Packaging Gain 2,500 surveys by Jan 2010 Write to our legislators regarding the Big Tobacco’s manipulation and the dangers of these products Review retail outlets for tobacco company’s advertisement Promote survey findings

New Products Survey

Andrea Deming (801)