What do legislative staff think about tobacco control issues?

Audience:

The people most likely to benefit from this presentation are those who are involved with educating policy makers and advocating for tobacco control policies, including personnel at government agencies, non-profit advocacy groups, or other community partners involved in policy work.  Researchers can also apply key points to design their studies to be most relevant to policy makers. 

Key Points:

Legislative staff provided valuable insights into how communication and advocacy strategies can be improved.  One barrier to passage of tobacco control policies is the political disagreement over the role of government in encouraging people to make healthy choices.  When communicating with policy makers, it is important to emphasize both the health and economic impacts of tobacco use and possible policy solutions.  The general media is a key source of information for policy makers’ staffs, so it is critical to monitor the media and leverage opportunities to advance the policy agenda.  These data come from a telephone survey of Oregon legislative staff on tobacco issues.  All 90 legislative offices were contacted, and the survey response rate was 64%.

Educational Experience:

The presentation will summarize the results of a survey of legislative staff and provide actionable recommendations on how to better communicate with policy makers and their staffs.  Audience members will also understand the study’s methodology so they can conduct similar research in their states.

Benefits:

Improving tobacco control advocacy efforts will increase the likelihood of passing effective policies to reduce the burden of tobacco at the local, state, and national levels.