Taking and Winning The Fight for Smoke-Free Air Outdoors

Audience:

• Public Health staff, especially those with little experience working on outdoor air issues.
• Advocates who need to effectively communicate with policy makers and other key audiences.
• Communications professionals who need to effectively frame messages for the media.

Key Points:

The same key messages that have helped to protect nonsmokers indoors do not work when applied to outdoor public settings.

While there is solid data on the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke exposure, it has been challenging for researchers to isolate impact specific to outdoor areas such as parks, beaches and dining patios. Point source monitoring has helped dispel the notion that tobacco smoke dissipates and is rendered harmless outdoors.

New partnerships must be established with nontraditional partners to effectively mobilize the community around outdoor areas issues.

With smoke-free indoor air becoming the established norm in more cities, states and countries, there has been a push by tobacco interests to claim outdoor areas as de facto smoking areas. It is essential to demonstrate broad community support for tobacco-free policies outdoors by engaging relevant groups such as environmentalists, businesses and youth.

Educational Experience:

The audience will be provided with a theoretical model and a range of case examples that demonstrate how to apply this model to tobacco-free outdoor efforts in their respective communities 

Benefits:

Audience members who may have been successful in educating or advocating on tobacco-free indoor issues will learn how to adjust their strategies and tactics to be equally effective in taking that message outdoors.