Campaign Against Transnational Tobacco

In 2001, with sponsorship from the California Department of Public Health, the Council for Responsible Public Investment led a coalition of groups that won tobacco divestment from the University of California system. Since then, CRPI has focused on the California State University system.

In January 2005, the Humboldt State University Foundation (HSU Advancement Foundation) announced a decision to divest the foundation of tobacco holdings. In 2004, San Francisco State University and Sacramento State University recently made similar announcements to divest their tobacco holdings as a result of CRPI’s Campaign Against Transnational Tobacco.

The campaign was designed to catalyze norm change. The Campaign Against Transnational Tobacco is upending the practice of having university dollars invested in the tobacco industry. The tobacco industry targets students with its deadly product – and universities have no business investing public dollars in companies with such nefarious public health consequences.

Policy Initiation

The idea to target universities with divestment campaigns was born of the success of the South African Apartheid divestment campaigns. The board of the Council for Responsible Public Investment (CRPI) presented the idea to California’s Department of Public Health.

The key to the Campaign is to demonstrate to students that fighting the tobacco industry is a social justice issue, and not simply a health mandate.

Public Health Agency Roles

Though a competitive grant process, California’s health department solicited grants to create norm change. The collaboration between the Health Department and CRPI is changing the way public dollars are invested in California. In addition to targeting University monies, California’s Health Department has also funded CRPI to work with pension funds to ensure public retirement dollars are not used to benefit corporate tobacco.

Major Partners

In addition to the California Department of Public Health, CRPI works with student groups to create a grassroots “social justice” coalition in order to fight tobacco divestment.

Official Support

State Treasurer Phil Angelides has been supportive of the efforts.

Results from the Policy

CRPI is closely tracking whether public institutions make good on their pledges to divest from tobacco holdings. Policy adoption is the first quantifiable step, which HSU has taken.

Lessons Learned

The campaign took three years. Perseverance won the day. Ironically, the campus was chosen as a target because it was thought that it would prove a quick victory. Constant grassroots organizing, with experienced organizers, proved the secret weapon that resulted in policy change.

Submitted By

Glynn Washington

Executive Director

Council for Responsible Public Investment

405 14th Street, #209

Oakland, CA 94612

510.208.0400

510.663.3792 FAX

gwashington@publicinvestment.org