We host a number of training opportunities regarding policy advocacy for tobacco prevention. These include roundtable discussions with other advocates, working groups for community organizations, trainings specifically for parents, and webinars targeting specific stakeholders.
Trainings
Policy Roundtables
The Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center holds regularly scheduled roundtable policy discussions for tobacco control advocates. At these informal events, participants will be able to connect and exchange ideas with colleagues from other organizations who are working on policy throughout California and the US, and consider how information about thirdhand smoke might be used to enhance discussions with policymakers and the general public. These roundtables will focus on a variety of policy topics, such as multiunit housing. tobacco retail licensing, school/campus policies, outdoor places, workplaces, and community education.
Community Workshops
We hold quarterly tobacco policy workshops to prepare our Community Partner Workgroup members to participate in the development, implementation, and dissemination of tobacco policy-related research projects in and around San Diego County. Members of the Community Partners Workgroup are representatives of community organizations and interested community members working to promote tobacco prevention across San Diego County.
The workgroup participates in quarterly workshops with the Community Advisory Board and Policy Research Center to discuss tobacco policy-related topics, Rapid Response Projects, and ways to share tobacco policy information with communities throughout San Diego County.
Interested in learning more about becoming a member of our Community Partner Workgroup? Click here.
Upcoming Workshop Topics
April 9, 2025, 1:30-3:00
SAY San Diego, 4775 Viewridge Ave, San Diego, CA 92123
Past Workshop Topics
January 22, 2025, 1:30-3:00
SAY San Diego, 4775 Viewridge Ave, San Diego, CA 92123
Youth Symposium
This event is open to all high school students interested in learning about and addressing the impact of commercial tobacco on both outdoor and indoor environments. Youth will collect commercial tobacco product waste on San Diego State University’s campus and create reports using our tobacco product waste tracking smartphone app.
May 3, 2025, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
San Diego State University Campus
Parent Academy: Commercial Tobacco Policies
The Parent Academy is an in-person, eight session program dedicated to educating parents about the diverse impacts that commercial tobacco has on communities, schools, and children. Hosted by experts from the San Diego State University Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment, these sessions provide parents with in-depth knowledge and insights into how tobacco affects public health and the environment. Participants will have the chance to ask questions, discuss concerns, and engage with experts. They will enhance their understanding and ability to advocate for change in their local communities and help foster a healthier, tobacco-free environment for everyone.
Spring 2025
Stakeholder Trainings
Webinars
This webinar (recorded March 30, 2022) explores legal strategies for protecting the public from persistent toxic tobacco smoke.
This webinar (recorded October 15, 2020) explains why it is so difficult to remove thirdhand smoke once it has become established and will focus on successful strategies to prevent thirdhand smoke in multiunit housing.
This webinar (recorded April 15, 2019) presents an overview of thirdhand smoke and a discussion of implications for the patient encounter and for the environment of care, with an emphasis on the pediatric patient population. The Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California designates this archived activity for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Approval expired April 15, 2020. E-mail contact@thirdhandsmoke.org for more information.
Online Course
Whether you are an experienced physician, dentist, nurse, nurse practitioner, radiologist, medical specialist, or physician assistant, or in training for one of these professions, this course is for you. As professionals committed to the well-being of patients and their families, it is crucial to stay informed about the effects of exposure to secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke.
While most healthcare professionals understand and educate their patients about the risks of smoking, less attention is often given to the exposure of nonsmokers to the toxic chemicals in secondhand and thirdhand smoke. In this course, participants will learn about the toxic constituents, the sources and exposure pathways, and recognize known and suspected health effects of secondhand and thirdhand smoke. Participants will also learn about factors that increase exposure risks and behavior changes that can lead to smoke-free home environments for patients and their families.
To begin the course, please complete the registration form and pre-test questions. You will need to provide your name and email to register for Canvas if you don’t already have a Free for Teachers Canvas account. The course will take approximately 60 minutes to complete and does not need to be completed at one sitting. At the end of course, you will be asked to complete a course evaluation and an option to download a certificate of completion.