Tobacco free policies promote a safe and healthy environment for everyone who lives, works, or visits. As a town or organization, you want to protect people from exposure, create healthier communities and create social norms where the public expects tobacco free environments.
Dangers Of Tobacco Use
- It is estimated that only 15% of cigarette smoke gets inhaled by the smoker. The remaining 85% lingers in the air for everyone to breath.
- Studies are now showing that “third-hand smoke” (tobacco residue from cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products that linger in the air) is extremely dangerous. In Connecticut 400 nonsmokers die each year due to exposure to tobacco smoke.
- According to the Connecticut Dept. of Public Health’s office of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control, model policies and ordinances do not include exemptions for any type of tobacco products, person or event.
- Tobacco free policies reduce tobacco litter. Cigarette butts and tobacco-related items make up 38% of all litter, creating costly clean up. With tobacco free policies clean-up costs decrease.
- Prohibiting ALL tobacco products reduces the likelihood of youth and young adults getting addicted to tobacco products by encouraging healthy social norms!
With funding from the CT Department of Public Health, EHHD has been able to contribute to several communities’ efforts to go tobacco free. As a result, EHHD has created toolkits to assist other communities. These toolkits include:
- Tobacco Free Parks
- Smoke Free Housing
We Are Helping Workplaces Go Tobacco Free!
The Goal
Tobacco free campuses (workplaces) promote a safe and healthy environment for everyone who works on or visits any of a town’s/organization’s campuses. As a town or organization, you want to protect people from exposure, create healthier communities and create social norms where the public expects tobacco free environments.
- Tobacco free policies help establish the community norm that tobacco use is not a safe behavior for young people or adults
- Evidence has shown that the use of smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, snuff and snus, also create adverse health effects and can result in oral cancer, increased risk of heart attack, and contribute to cardiovascular disease
- It is estimated that only 15% of cigarette smoke gets inhaled by the smoker. The remaining 85% lingers in the air for everyone to breath.
- Studies are now showing that “third-hand smoke” (tobacco residue from cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products that linger in the air) is extremely dangerous. In Connecticut 400 nonsmokers die each year due to exposure to tobacco smoke.
- According to the Connecticut Dept. of Public Health’s office of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control, model policies and ordinances do not include exemptions for any type of tobacco products, person or event.
- Tobacco-free policies reduce tobacco litter. Cigarette butts and tobacco-related items make up 38% of all litter, creating costly clean up. With tobacco free policies, clean-up costs decrease.
Prohibiting All tobacco products helps reduce the susceptibility of youth and young adults getting addicted to tobacco products by encouraging healthy social norms. Prevention is critical. If young people don’t start using tobacco by age 26, they likely will never start.
Check out some cessation services
With funding from the CT Department of Public Health, EHHD has been able to contribute to several communities’ efforts to go tobacco free. As a result, EHHD has created toolkits to assist other communities. These toolkits include:
On June 1, 2016, the Town of Mansfield adopted a Tobacco Free Campus policy.If you would like to learn about ways to adopt a Tobacco Free Campus policy in your town or organization, please contact us!
On June 1, 2016, the Town of Mansfield adopted a Tobacco Free Campus policy.If you would like to learn about ways to adopt a Tobacco Free Campus policy in your town or organization, please contact us!
| Step 1: Write Your Policy | Convene or assign to an existing task force or special committee the responsibility of researching and drafting a policy for your town/organization. This group should consist of representatives from various sectors of your organization/town to ensure diverse perspectives and needs are taken into account. | |||
| Tips for Convening a Task Force or Committee: Community Toolbox (Weblink) | ||||
| Sample Text: The Town of Mansfield Tobacco Free Campus Policy (Weblink) | ||||
| Sample Text: American Cancer Society (Weblink) | ||||
| Step 2: Inform Your Employees/The Public | Host informational sessions, brown bag lunches, and staff meetings to inform relevant parties about the new policy. Be sure to include information about he “kick-off” date to give time for everyone to adjust to the change in policy and to have questions answered. | |||
| Sample PowerPoint Presentation: Town of Mansfield (PDF) | ||||
| Sample Text:Press Release for Apartment Buildings (Word) | ||||
| Sample Text: Downloadable Press Release Template From Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (Word) | ||||
| Step 3: Implement Your Policy | On the designated date, kick-off the new policy. Host a community event, post your new signage, and be sure you get the word out! | |||
| Sample Notification Cards: Downloadable Notification Card (Word) | ||||
| Sample Flyer: EHHD Notification Flyer for Mansfield (PDF) | ||||
| Sample Signage: CT Department of Public Health Sample Signage (Weblink) | ||||
| Step 4: Provide Smoking Cessation Services for Your Staff | Research shows that nearly 80% of adults who smoke are interested in quitting. This new policy may have been the push they needed to commit to quit! Offer up opportunities for interested individuals to access to smoking cessation resources. | |||
| For a comprehensive list of smoking cessation resources, visit EHHD’s Smoking Cessation Page! | ||||
| Other Useful Links and Resources: | Ct Department of Public Health: Smoking Free Workplace American Lung Association of Minnesota: Making your Worksite Tobacco-Free Center for Disease Control:a downloadable pdf, Make Your Business Smoke Free Toolkit | |||