Buck Tobacco Press Release
What is the official role for CT with the Buck Tobacco Sponsorship campaign?
Cowboy Ted acts as a spokesperson for the California Buck Tobacco Sponsorship campaign, a project of the Public Health Institute, and advises Buck Tobacco projects and their partners about how to bring cowboys, rodeo queens and others who participate in rodeos into the effort to restrict tobacco sponsorship of rodeos. He also makes appearances at local Buck Tobacco projects' booths at rodeos and other events. More information about Buck Tobacco is available at www.bucktobacco.org.
What is the goal of Buck Tobacco's partnership with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids on the national grassroots email campaign?
The Buck Tobacco Sponsorship project recently partnered with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (TFK) to develop a grassroots email campaign to ask the PRCA to drop the national USSTC sponsorship. In March and April 2004, TFK sent email alerts to its grassroots database of over 300,000 subscribers. The alert included a brief description of the problem of tobacco sponsorship of rodeos and urged readers to take action by emailing a letter to PRCA Commissioner Steven Hatchell.
When did you invite CT to become involved with Buck Tobacco?
We first met Cowboy Ted when the local Buck Tobacco project in Poway, California found him on the internet in May, 2003. CT sent the Poway Buck Tobacco a letter of support and helped them develop and record a radio ad. In September 2003, he visited California during the Poway Rodeo, making appearances at local schools on behalf of Buck Tobacco and attracting people to the Buck Tobacco booth at the rodeo with his popular "roping buddy."
What unique qualifications does CT bring to your group?
Cowboy Ted has worked to address tobacco and other health issues for many years, using his experience as a rodeo competitor and his master's degree in education to reach out to children through public speaking and by publishing children's books on healthy lifestyles. He has excellent skills and experience working with the media and is well-connected, trusted and respected in rodeo. [Ted - I expect you'll want to edit and expand this.]
How do you expect him to help in your efforts?
In his role as Buck Tobacco spokesperson, I hope that Cowboy Ted will continue to help us raise awareness about keeping rodeos safe and healthy for children and families. I would also like to keep working with him to find ways for Buck Tobacco to connect with people inside rodeo who are concerned about tobacco.
Who are some of the other participants?
Buck Tobacco Sponsorship is a project of the Public Health Institute, which is based in Oakland, California. There are five local Buck Tobacco projects in the California counties of Monterey, Stanislaus, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara. The local projects are supported by social marketing materials developed by Public Media Center, and media advocacy materials and training developed by the Berkeley Media Studies Group.
Since its inception, Buck Tobacco has collaborated with other experts on tobacco control and sponsorship issues, including the California Department of Health Services Tobacco Control Section, the California Attorney General's Office, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium (TTAC).
What is your title and role with this project?
I'm the director of the Buck Tobacco Sponsorship project. I coordinate statewide project activities by providing technical assistance, maintaining a website (www.bucktobacco.org), organizing regular conference calls and meetings, and overseeing the Buck Tobacco media campaign. I also do outreach and coalition development with the purpose of providing sustainability for the project's efforts after our funding cycle ends.
What are the short term and long term goals of your program?
Buck Tobacco's overall long-term goal is to restrict tobacco sponsorship of rodeos. To accomplish that, short-term goals being pursued by Buck Tobacco's local projects in California include developing relationships with rodeo leaders, building community awareness and involvement, getting incremental policies passed at local rodeos (such as tobacco-free grandstands), and convincing local business leaders (such as bar owners) to adopt tobacco-free policies.