Mobilizing for policy: Using community-based participatory research to impose minimum packaging requirements on small cigars

The Problem: Cigarette sales have declined in the United States over the past decade; however, small cigar sales have been rapidly increasing. In most urban areas, small cigars are inexpensive and are sold as singles without health warnings. Purpose of Article: This paper describes a community- academic-practice partnership's (CAPP) efforts to decrease small cigar use in young adults living in Baltimore, Maryland, through legislative strategies. Key Points: Survey data among young adults not in school indicated that 20% of individuals reported current small cigar use, often in combination with cigarettes. The community- academic partnership engaged the community in discussion about small cigar use in the fall of 2007. In collaboration with partners, bills were submitted to the legislative bodies for the city and state to impose minimum packaging requirements on small cigars. Conclusion: Collaborative partnerships between communitybased organizations, public health agencies, and academic institutions can lead to policy initiatives with the potential to improve public health.