Tobacco Control Program 

The overall goal of the Tobacco Control Program of the Monterey County Health Department is to reduce tobacco use and influence social norms towards a tobacco-free Monterey County.

Strategies for 2010-2013 include:

• Community Housing Improvement and Systems Planning Agency (CHISPA), Mid-Peninsula Housing, and/or South County Housing will adopt a policy designating at least 50% of the contiguous units (including balconies and patios) and designated common outdoor areas, such as swimming pool areas and entrances as smoke-free;
• two jurisdictions in Monterey County will adopt a tobacco retail licensing policy that requires all tobacco retailers to obtain a license to sell tobacco products which will include sufficient fees to conduct compliance checks of retailers at least once per year;
• and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Monterey County will recruit and maintain at least 10 new non-traditional partners and revise the coalition’s Operating Procedures and provide trainings on coalition development (e.g. media advocacy, health disparities and coalition functioning) to increase the coalition's capacity to work on anti-tobacco initiatives.