Big Tobacco Hurts California Workers

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Big Tobacco Hurts California Workers

Labor Unions have a history of fighting to improve the health and safety of employees.1, 2 Organized labor was critical in passing the law creating smoke-free workplaces in California. Today, however, new products and targeted campaigns by Big Tobacco threaten workers. Join us as we continue the fight against the tobacco industry.

Learn More and Get Involved!

Stand together with other working people against Big Tobacco. We will share your information ONLY with your local community’s tobacco control prevention program. They will notify you about opportunities for getting involved; it’s up to you how much you want to engage!

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What’s at Risk?

Secondhand Exposure

Secondhand Exposure

One in eight adults is still exposed to secondhand vape at work, and secondhand smoke from cigarettes still causes the death of more than 4,000 Californians each year.3

Many working families hurt

Many Working Families Hurt

Big Tobacco targets California’s African American, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, Tribal and rural communities, resulting in higher rates of tobacco-related disease.4

Tobacco-Related costs

Increased Expenses

Each year tobacco-related diseases cost the hard-working people of California about $3.5 billion in taxes.5

“It’s time for California’s workers to flex our muscles against Big Tobacco.”

– Jernetta Backus
Respiratory Therapist at Washington Hospital, Fremont, California and member SEIU-UHW (California Labor Federation article about Prop. 56. https://calaborfed.org/

  1. Malinowski, B., Minkler, M. & Stock, L. Labor unions: a public health institution. Am. J. Public Health 105, 261–271 (2015). [↩]
  2. Pan, J., Barbeau, E. M., Levenstein, C. & Balbach, E. D. Smoke-free airlines and the role of organized labor: a case study. Am. J. Public Health 95, 398–404 (2005). https://playbook.heart.org/collaborate-with-unions/ [↩]
  3. Ocean Conservatory. Building a Clean Swell. 2018 Report. https://tobaccofreeca.com/secondhand-smoke/ca-first-to-make-most-workplaces-smoke-free/ [↩]
  4. California, State of. “Tracking COVID-19 in California.” Coronavirus COVID-19 Response, covid19.ca.gov/state-dashboard/ [↩]
  5. https://www.trdrp.org/files/cost-smoking-ca-final-report.pdf [↩]