Playing Tobacco Free: Helping Your Community Adopt a Tobacco-Free Policy for its Parks,

Playgrounds, and Athletic Facilities

Brittany McFadden

Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation program,

Association for NonSmokers—Minnesota

Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation Overview

Minnesota-based statewide program of the Association for Nonsmokers—Minnesota

Funded by MN Dept. of Health to provide training, technical assistance, and materials to local MDH grantees and other advocates working on tobacco-free park and recreation policy initiatives in Minnesota

Evidence Supporting Our Recommendations

The Surgeon General’s Report (1994) and CDC recommend that communities adopt smoke-free policies as a strategy to prevent youth smoking

Park Policies Lay the Foundation for Future Local Policy Work Build relationships with policy makers Engage community members in policy discussions Build momentum for worksite/public places

ordinances Change community norms

Min

nesota

Cit

ies w

ith

Tob

acco-F

ree P

ark

P

olicie

sJa

nu

ary

20

03

Min

nesota

Cit

ies w

ith

Tob

acco-F

ree P

ark

P

olicie

sFe

bru

ary

200

4

Min

nesota

Cit

ies w

ith

Tob

acco-F

ree P

ark

P

olicie

sJu

ne 2

006

Tw

in C

itie

s M

etr

o C

itie

s

wit

h

Tob

acco-F

ree P

ark

P

olicie

sJu

ne 2

006

TFYR Successes

81 city & 2 county policies since 2001 2 cities have included their golf courses

Created a domino effect Signs are becoming recognizable from

city to city More cities are considering policies Unique niche of policy work

Why are communities working on park

policies?• Help change social norms about tobacco

use

• Ensure that participants and spectators are not exposed to secondhand smoke

• Promote positive role modeling

• Involve youth and community members in advocacy

• Reduce harmful cigarette litter

Minnesotans support tobacco-free park

policies Tobacco-Free Park & Recreation Study carried

out by the University of Minnesota in summer of 2004 Survey mailed to 2,400 adults from metro and

greater MN 1,500 surveys returned

Results: 70% of Minnesota adults support tobacco-free

park and recreation areas 66% of golfers support these policies 73% of families with children support these

policies

Minnesota park directors’ observations after implementing

policies: 88% reported no change in park usage

(no loss of park users) 71% reported less smoking in parks 58% reported cleaner park areas

U of MN Tobacco-Free Park & Recreation Study

Communities without policies have enforcement concerns

Of the MN Park Directors surveyed: 73% concerned about whether there

should be penalties 90% concerned about enforcement 49% concerned with lack public of

interest

U of MN Tobacco-Free Park & Recreation Study

Enforcement concerns are unfounded where policies are in place

Of the MN Park Directors surveyed: 26% reported compliance issues 24% reported staff concerns about

enforcement 39% reported difficulty monitoring

areas covered by the policy

U of MN Tobacco-Free Park & Recreation Study

How are these policies enforced?

Similar to other park policies, such as alcohol and litter policies, primary enforcement is with signs.

Most communities do not ask their police to actively patrol the parks. Instead, they rely on peer enforcement among park users.

Community awareness through policy manuals, newsletters, and local media.

Reminders at coaches’ or parents’ meetings, or signed statements from teams, participants, coaches, and parents.

Each department’s requirements vary – but some departments ask violators to leave the park area for the remainder of the event.

Policy Initiative Process

TFYR’s Policy Advocacy Handbook

• Developed in 2002

• Focuses on park policies

• Available online:

www.ansrmn.org/TFYR03Resources.htm

Involving Youth Advocates

Hands-on project that usually gets positive results

Youth are natural advocates since they are the regular park users

Youth gain experience in local government and public speaking

Opportunity to gain volunteer hours/improve college applications

Five Major Steps for Success

1. Assess your community2. Create your policy request3. Build support for your policy4. Plan your presentation5. Thank & Promote!

Mobilize Your Coalition(Steps 1-2)

Assess your group’s readiness

Attend TFYR’s policy initiative training Youth training packet

Assess the Community

(Steps 3-6)

Determine who makes the decisions

Inventory the community’s recreational facilities

Gauge community support

Develop your policy request

Build Policy Support

(Steps 7-10) Ask community members to support your

policy request Brochures Sample letters of support & petitions TFYR portable display

Collect cigarette litter as evidence

Capitalize on media advocacy

Find a champion from the Park & Rec staff

Hold informal discussions with policy makers

Assist with Policy Adoption

(Steps 11-16) Get on the agenda of Park Board or City

Council meeting Plan your presentation & prepare speakers

TFYR powerpoint Policy Maker’s Guide

Present policy request and evidence Assist in policy development Continue building support Attend remaining public hearings

Life after Policy Adoption

(Steps 17-18)

Assist with policy implementation Tobacco-free park signs Policy publicity packet Thank you postcards

Look for opportunities to promote the tobacco-free message

Sample Media Coverage

Sample Media Coverage

Sample Media Coverage

Educational Ads

Educational Ads

TFYR Publicity Materials

Signs Ads News releases Display Postcards Banners Pledges Posters

“Thank You” Postcard

TFYR Policy Resources

PowerPoint/overhead presentation for board and city council meetings

Policy Maker’s Guide to Tobacco-Free Policies for Recreational Facilities

Model policy for city-owned recreational facilities

Metal signs for Minnesota cities

Contact Information

Tobacco-Free Youth RecreationBrittany McFadden

Association for Nonsmokers-MN2395 University Ave West, Suite 310

St. Paul, MN 55114-1512(651) 646-3005; bhm@ansrmn.org

www.ansrmn.org