“Tobacco Cessation Policy – Research in Action” (1 unit, SPH 198) is being offered online in Spring 2025.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US. Over half of current smokers report that they want to quit. However, nicotine is addictive and quitting smoking is difficult, usually requiring multiple attempts. In addition, the tobacco industry continually develops new products, such as vapes, which are especially appealing to young people. Policies can make it easier for people to quit by decreasing access to tobacco products or increasing access to cessation medications and counseling.

This class reviews the entire policy-making process, including generating evidence for the policy, how a policy moves through the system to become adopted, policy implementation and dissemination, and policy evaluation. The course focuses on tobacco cessation policy in California and discusses relevant state laws. Students complete a final project with a written brief or video presentation on a policy topic for adoption or implementation. 

Instructors: Melanie Dove, Elisa Tong, Erik Tseregounis