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New op-ed in SD Union Tribune: Treat Cigarette Butts as Toxic Waste, Not Trash

2027 Community Storytelling Showcase

What is the Community Storytelling Showcase?

The Policy Research Center is launching its first-ever Community Storytelling Showcase at the 4th Annual Research Symposium in San Diego on May 28, 2027. The Showcase invites community members of all ages to share how commercial tobacco has affected them and their local environment.

This free, gallery-style exhibition will be open for Symposium attendees to view in person, with submissions also available online for virtual attendees. We invite you to submit your own work, or to attend and experience the stories of others. After the Symposium, all entries will be available for viewing on our website. They may also be shared on social media.

Applications are now open. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and notifications of acceptance will be sent  on a rolling basis. Please review the guidelines below before applying. Applicants under 18 should check in with a parent, guardian, or youth group leader before submitting.

If accepted, your completed work (or a photo of it) must be submitted to tobacco.center@sdsu.edu by January 31, 2027.

Download Flyer

What Kinds of Work Can Be Submitted?

Community members and organizations may use any medium to tell their story, including but not limited to:

Photography

Social Media Posts

Short-Form Video

Letters to the Editor

Visual Art

Essay

Short Story

Interviews

Some Examples…

A local environmental organization submits a short video documenting a tobacco product waste cleanup they hosted.

A college student submits a comic strip tracing a cigarette butt’s journey from production to environmental pollutant.

A community member writes a short story about how tobacco smoke intrusion in their apartment affected their health.

A group of high school students submits posters and social media posts raising awareness about how tobacco product waste has affected local wildlife.

Participation Guidelines

  1. Submitting an application does not guarantee your piece will be selected, but we look forward to seeing your work.
  2. Applicants under 18 should check in with a parent, guardian, or youth group leader before applying.
  3. All work should be family-friendly, as participants and attendees of all ages will be present.
  4. To give attendees adequate time to engage with each submission, written and video pieces should stay within a reasonable length. For example, short-form videos should be 3–5 minutes. Essays, articles, and short stories should be a maximum length of 2 pages, single-spaced.
  5. Physical submissions (e.g., visual art, sculpture) should not incorporate cigarette butts or other tobacco product waste, as these materials contain hazardous substances requiring gloves and other PPE to handle safely.

If you have a finished work that you believe may not meet the above submission guidelines, please contact us at tobacco.center@sdsu.edu to discuss.

Submit an Application

Need Assistance?

If you need technical or financial assistance completing your project, or have questions about the Showcase, please email tobacco.center@sdsu.edu to discuss your options.

Attending the 4th Annual Symposium

The 4th Annual Symposium on Tobacco and the Environment is a free event that will be held in San Diego, California, on May 28, 2027. Time and location details are to be announced.

Registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendees. Please check back for registration details as the event approaches.

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