A $1.2 million grant from the University of California Office of the President will allow Fresno State students to conduct research on tobacco and nicotine-related control issues facing the Latino community.

There’s a high rate of tobacco use within the Central Valley and research shows that Latinos are disproportionately at risk for the use of tobacco products, said Dr. Rosa Toro, a psychology professor at Fresno State and the principal investigator of the project.

Through the Bulldogs Involved in Tobacco Endgame Research, or BITER program, a handful of Fresno State students will undergo tobacco control and advocacy training. They will work on community-based research projects that will be used to convey the importance of the tobacco endgame, or the initiatives geared toward ending the commercial tobacco epidemic, especially for those in the Latinx community.

“When you think about the health risks associated with tobacco use then it becomes a public health issue and concern particularly with underserved communities,” Toro said. “Our students have an opportunity to engage in research and to be involved in applied research experiences. This really allows them to see themselves as an agent of change in their community.”

The four-year grant program is a partnership between Fresno State, the Latino Coordinating Center, and the University of California Merced’s Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center. Currently in year two, the first cohort of two graduate and three undergraduate students will begin training and working this year.

Students Will be Paid While Learning

The goal is to build the next wave of tobacco control experts and advocates that are invested in making a change in their community, Toro said. The program is open to students from all majors and must have at least one year remaining as a student at the start of the program.

Students, who are paid through the program, will enroll in a research methods class with Toro where they will learn about the history of tobacco use and more. Concurrently, they will work with the Latino Coordinating Center on projects that include:

• Looking at community resources that are available to help with tobacco cessation usage.
• Looking at exposure to second- and third-hand smoke in multiple housing units with Latino children, youth and families.
• Looking at young adult perceptions of tobacco use, vaping, nicotine and cannabis.

The program exists under the Center for Access to Science for All at Fresno State, where it provides a supportive environment and resources for students interested in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and targeted health professions.