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About

Commune is a movement of artists, designers, musicians, and people that take a stand against tobacco corporations and their presence in the scene.

We have rejected big corporations for a long time, like Big Music that hinders creative freedom and Big Fashion that runs sweatshops. Our stand against Big Tobacco is even more important, since the industry contributes to things like world hunger, deforestation, and neo conservative policies.

Even worse, the tobacco industry’s pervasive marketing in the art and music scene has manufactured an image that people like us smoke. So now young people that look up to us believe that smoking is more important than creativity, music and self-expression to fit in. We’re out to change this distorted image of the scene.

Commune supports the local and thriving talent in San Diego and San Francisco and every month teams up with a local band, DJ, designer and artist at Commune Wednesdays. By celebrating local and educating people about the things Big Tobacco does or contributes to that they may not otherwise support, we hope to shift the creative scene image from one that smokes to one that focuses more on creativity, music and art.

Thanks to all of the bands, DJs, artists, designers, and boutiques that have made Commune Wednesdays a success. If you would like to be part of Commune Wednesdays and take a stand against Big Tobacco, contact Jenny at info@jointhecommune.com

See Who Has Worked with Commune

MIKE DELGADO (Moving Units)

THE MILKCRATES (DJ Mike & Angie)

Sir Gilles McHennison

Baby Clydesdale Organic Sriracha

Drew Andrews and The Spectral Cities

Mikeydead

Keith Stone

DJ Luis the Beast

Brendan B and The Breaks

Lucy Duarte

Oliver Rae and The Love Stitch

Edison Manufacturing Co.

Jesse Lamonaca and The Dime Novels

My Darling Nikki Love

Unstandard Deviations

Natalia Benson Jewelry

Copper Junction Jewelry

The Muslims (The Soft Pack)

The Facts

We’re not going to lecture anyone about black lungs, smoker’s coughs, or diseases that you can’t pronounce and we can’t spell. Everyone has already heard all that.

We’re not going to berate smokers, and we are not at all against smokers. We’re the Commune, we love you no matter what. We just want to present the facts, cause the tobacco industry harms more than just the person who lights up at a bar. Big tobacco’s practices harm the environment, contribute to corruption and, worst of all, target our scene. You may not realize it, but big tobacco spends a healthy chunk of change attempting to create a scene where people have to smoke to fit in. No joke.

Our goal is simple; we believe the money we spend on tobacco supports horrible things that we otherwise would never support. And that the industry’s presence in our scene makes young people think they need to start smoking to fit in. For these reasons, we believe the scene would be better smokefree and ask you to help us. Join the Commune and support a smokefree scene.

On January 27, 2003 Philip Morris (PM) officially completed the change of its corporate name to “Altria Group.”
Reynolds American is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. It is also the parent company of Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, the makers of Natural American Spirits.
Animal testing has been used by the tobacco industry to find ways to make their products more addictive (effective), not safer for humans. In one study, beagles were forced to breathe in toxic chemicals via tracheostomies and 28 of them died from lung cancer.
R.J. REYNOLDS (MAKER OF CAMELS) DOES RESEARCH WITH MICE AND RABBITS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING. RESEARCH CONCLUDED SMOKING CAUSES CANCER AND EMPHYSEMA. INSTEAD OF FURTHER RESEARCH, THE COMPANY DESTROYED THE RESEARCH, FIRED THE SCIENTISTS, AND TORE DOWN THE BUILDING.
The tobacco industry uses its revenues to test tobacco products on dogs, rabbits, mice and monkeys. In one study in 2008, monkeys were killed to examine the effect of nicotine on their brains. When smoking stops, the animal testing stops too.
The tobacco industry has conducted experiments on animals for decades. In some experiments, beagles we strapped down and fitted with facemasks, which forced them to inhale smoke from lit cigarettes. This research led to discoveries on how to make cigarettes more addictive to humans
4.5 Trillion cigarette butts are thrown on the ground or in bodies of water each year. There are 7 billion people in the world. That means that every person in the world would need to pick up 642 cigarette butts a year in order to rid the earth of cigarette litter.
Big Tobacco labels their cigarettes with things like light, ultra-light and low-tar even though they can be as deadly and addictive as regular cigarettes.
As long ago as 1969, a tobacco company executive agreed to “avoid advertising directed to young people.” Yet 10 years later, they supplied their products to be featured in The Muppet Movie and in 1994 said “Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I’m saying.”
Smoking causes $96.7 billion worth of health care expenditures each year in the U.S. A big chunk of that is paid with the taxes that you pay.
Cigarette smoke contains about 7,000 different chemicals with at least 60 cancer-causing substance. It also includes chemicals that are found in human sweat, pee, rocket fuel, mothballs, pesticides, formaldehyde, and household cleaners.
Up to 5.7lbs of wood is used to make one pack of cigarettes. Through this process, the tobacco industry causes 494,000 acres of deforestation EVERY YEAR. This doesn’t even include the paper or packaging.
When asked why none of the company’s executives smoked, an RJ Reynolds representative responded. “We don’t smoke this shit. We only sell it. We reserve the right to smoke for the young, the poor, the black, and the stupid.”
A tobacco company once gave $125,000 worth of food to a charity, according to an estimate by The Wall Street Journal. Then, they spent well over $21 million telling people about it
More than 60% of tobacco-growing land is located in low-income countries where tobacco is cultivated as a cash crop for export.10-20 million people could be fed if all tobacco crops were replaced with food crops.
In 1994, the CEOs from 7 major tobacco companies testified before Congress, under oath, that they believe nicotine is NOT addictive.
In 1996, Charles Harper, R. J. Reynolds Chairman said, “If children don’t like to be in a smoky room, they’ll leave.” When asked by a shareholder about infants, who can’t leave a smoky room, Harper stated, “At some point they begin to crawl.”
In 1997, a Big Tobacco executive once said, under oath, that he believed Gummy Bears were addictive like cigarettes.
When asked why none of the company’s executives smoked, an RJ Reynolds representative responded. “We don’t smoke this shit. We only sell it. We reserve the right to smoke for the young, the poor, the black, and the stupid.”
A tobacco company once gave $125,000 worth of food to a charity, according to an estimate by The Wall Street Journal. Then, they spent well over $21 million telling people about it.
In 1985, one tobacco vice president wondered, in reference to smoking-related deaths, if we should ban sleep since according to him the majority of people die in their sleep.
In 1997, a Big Tobacco executive said, under oath, that he believed Gummy Bears were addictive like cigarettes.
Tobacco companies’ products kill 36,000 people every month. That’s more lives than there are public garbage cans in NYC.
Big Tobacco labels their cigarettes with things like light, ultra-light and low-tar even though they can be as deadly and addictive as regular cigarettes.
As long ago as 1969, a tobacco company executive agreed to “avoid advertising directed to young people.” Yet 10 years later, they supplied their products to be featured in The Muppet Movie and in 1994 said “Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I’m saying.”
According to the New York Times, in 1998, one tobacco executive said, “Nobody knows what you’d turn to if you didn’t smoke. Maybe you’d beat your wife.”
As late as 1999, tobacco companies placed in-store advertising signage at a child’s eye level.
In 1978, one tobacco executive said that “unhappiness causes cancer.”
A tobacco executive said that smoking is only as addictive as “sugar and salt and Internet access.”
Since 1987, Big Tobacco has increased their spending on advertising and promotions every year, reaching $250.8 million in 2005.
Smoking causes $96.7 billion worth of health care expenditures each year in the U.S. A big chunk of that is paid with that taxes that you pay.
Big tobacco tests its products on animals. Industry documents show they drug animals such as cats, guinea pigs, dogs and apes with crack as part of the experiments.
Altria (Parent Company of Phillip Morris) is the third largest political contributor in the U.S. Over $35 million was spent on political campaigns and candidates over the last decade. Big Tobacco gives millions dollars a year to neo-conservative political candidates.
The Tobacco Industry produces more than 2 billion kilograms of manufacturing waste annually.

See All

Limited Edition Artist Posters

Quit Groups

quit-group-header

It’s no secret that Commune is against Big Tobacco, and although we aren’t anti-smoker we’re certainly not opposed to the idea of helping people quit smoking if they want to.

Quitting smoking means less money in Big Tobacco’s corrupt pockets and it’s one of the healthiest things you can do. But we also understand that quitting is not easy, typically it’s not that fun either, so Commune decided to create a fun, safe and unconventional way for people, who are interested, to quit.

15 Locals meet up for 10 weeks in hopes to decrease their smoking rates and eventually quit. Smoking rates are measured using a smokerlyzer, a device that measures the carbon monoxide levels in their lungs. Each week when a participant decreases their smoking rate they will receive a cash incentive. At certain intervals, smoking is also measured using a saliva test strip. A local smoking counselor is also available at some weekly meetings to answer any questions the participants have.

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Featured Local

Kevin Brown

Martha Gillespie

Brianna Classic

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Photo Divider 1

About

Commune is a movement of artists, designers, musicians, and people that take a stand against tobacco corporations and their presence in the scene.

See Who Has Worked with Commune

Photo Divider 2

The Facts

On January 27, 2003 Philip Morris (PM) officially completed the change of its corporate name to “Altria Group.”

Reynolds American is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. It is also the parent company of Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, the makers of Natural American Spirits.

Animal testing has been used by the tobacco industry to find ways to make their products more addictive (effective), not safer for humans. In one study, beagles were forced to breathe in toxic chemicals via tracheostomies and 28 of them died from lung cancer.

R.J. REYNOLDS (MAKER OF CAMELS) DOES RESEARCH WITH MICE AND RABBITS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING. RESEARCH CONCLUDED SMOKING CAUSES CANCER AND EMPHYSEMA. INSTEAD OF FURTHER RESEARCH, THE COMPANY DESTROYED THE RESEARCH, FIRED THE SCIENTISTS, AND TORE DOWN THE BUILDING.

The tobacco industry uses its revenues to test tobacco products on dogs, rabbits, mice and monkeys. In one study in 2008, monkeys were killed to examine the effect of nicotine on their brains. When smoking stops, the animal testing stops too.

The tobacco industry has conducted experiments on animals for decades. In some experiments, beagles we strapped down and fitted with facemasks, which forced them to inhale smoke from lit cigarettes. This research led to discoveries on how to make cigarettes more addictive to humans

4.5 Trillion cigarette butts are thrown on the ground or in bodies of water each year. There are 7 billion people in the world. That means that every person in the world would need to pick up 642 cigarette butts a year in order to rid the earth of cigarette litter.

Big Tobacco labels their cigarettes with things like light, ultra-light and low-tar even though they can be as deadly and addictive as regular cigarettes.

Smoking causes $96.7 billion worth of health care expenditures each year in the U.S. A big chunk of that is paid with the taxes that you pay.

Cigarette smoke contains about 7,000 different chemicals with at least 60 cancer-causing substance. It also includes chemicals that are found in human sweat, pee, rocket fuel, mothballs, pesticides, formaldehyde, and household cleaners.

Up to 5.7lbs of wood is used to make one pack of cigarettes. Through this process, the tobacco industry causes 494,000 acres of deforestation EVERY YEAR. This doesn’t even include the paper or packaging.

When asked why none of the company’s executives smoked, an RJ Reynolds representative responded. “We don’t smoke this shit. We only sell it. We reserve the right to smoke for the young, the poor, the black, and the stupid.”

A tobacco company once gave $125,000 worth of food to a charity, according to an estimate by The Wall Street Journal. Then, they spent well over $21 million telling people about it

More than 60% of tobacco-growing land is located in low-income countries where tobacco is cultivated as a cash crop for export.10-20 million people could be fed if all tobacco crops were replaced with food crops.

In 1994, the CEOs from 7 major tobacco companies testified before Congress, under oath, that they believe nicotine is NOT addictive.

In 1996, Charles Harper, R. J. Reynolds Chairman said, “If children don’t like to be in a smoky room, they’ll leave.” When asked by a shareholder about infants, who can’t leave a smoky room, Harper stated, “At some point they begin to crawl.”

In 1997, a Big Tobacco executive once said, under oath, that he believed Gummy Bears were addictive like cigarettes.

When asked why none of the company’s executives smoked, an RJ Reynolds representative responded. “We don’t smoke this shit. We only sell it. We reserve the right to smoke for the young, the poor, the black, and the stupid.”

A tobacco company once gave $125,000 worth of food to a charity, according to an estimate by The Wall Street Journal. Then, they spent well over $21 million telling people about it.

In 1985, one tobacco vice president wondered, in reference to smoking-related deaths, if we should ban sleep since according to him the majority of people die in their sleep.

In 1997, a Big Tobacco executive said, under oath, that he believed Gummy Bears were addictive like cigarettes.

Tobacco companies’ products kill 36,000 people every month. That’s more lives than there are public garbage cans in NYC.

Big Tobacco labels their cigarettes with things like light, ultra-light and low-tar even though they can be as deadly and addictive as regular cigarettes.

According to the New York Times, in 1998, one tobacco executive said, “Nobody knows what you’d turn to if you didn’t smoke. Maybe you’d beat your wife.”

As late as 1999, tobacco companies placed in-store advertising signage at a child’s eye level.

In 1978, one tobacco executive said that “unhappiness causes cancer.”

A tobacco executive said that smoking is only as addictive as “sugar and salt and Internet access.”

Since 1987, Big Tobacco has increased their spending on advertising and promotions every year, reaching $250.8 million in 2005.

Smoking causes $96.7 billion worth of health care expenditures each year in the U.S. A big chunk of that is paid with that taxes that you pay.

Big tobacco tests its products on animals. Industry documents show they drug animals such as cats, guinea pigs, dogs and apes with crack as part of the experiments.

Altria (Parent Company of Phillip Morris) is the third largest political contributor in the U.S. Over $35 million was spent on political campaigns and candidates over the last decade. Big Tobacco gives millions dollars a year to neo-conservative political candidates.

The Tobacco Industry produces more than 2 billion kilograms of manufacturing waste annually.

Photo Divider 3

Limited Edition Artist Posters

Design by Zach Allott

Design by Ashleigh Walker

Design by SQWblz

Design By Krissy Fernandez

Design By Joshua Philippe

Design By Nate Bergeron

Design By Jackson Tupper

Design By Jack Moore

Design By Wylie Robinson

Design By Andrew McGranahan

Design by Farrell Lynn

Design By Ben Banks

Deisgn By Ben Banks

Design By Ubin Li

Design By Pablo Stanley

Design By Josh Lees

Design By Nick Sirotich

Design By Andrew McGranahan

Design By Colour Vision

Design By Oh Nori

Design By Bradford Lynn

Design by Brian Zager

Design By Roy G. Biv

Design by Jordan Deherrera

Design by Nate Bergeron

Design by Yonder

Design by Tocayo

Design by Sarah Scully

Design by Robin Eisenburg

Design by Nick McPherson

Design by Nate Bergeron

Design by Mikey Dead

Design by Marcus Price

Design by Luis Alvarez

Design by Lizeth Santos

Design by Kevin Bonner

Design by Kevin Bonner

Design by Kenny King

Design by Josh Edgerton