Tobacco-Free Parks in Minnesota:

A Success StoryBrittany McFadden, Tobacco-Free Youth

Recreation

Christina Thill, Minnesota Department of Health

2005 National Conference on Tobacco or Health

Chicago, Illinois

May 6, 2005

Objectives

• Learn successful strategies for adopting tobacco-free policies for park and recreational areas

• Gain a better understanding of the steps taken in 62 Minnesota communities that led to the adoption of tobacco-free park policies

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

• MDH supports locally driven efforts to create tobacco-free environments and change community norms

• These are important strategies for decreasing youth smoking rates

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

ordinances• Change community norms

Overview• MDH awarded a Statewide grant to the

Association for Nonsmokers—Minnesota for Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation (TFYR) to work with youth recreation organizations to adopt policies restricting tobacco use

TFYR Overview• Currently, MDH funds TFYR to provide

technical assistance and materials to MDH grantees and other advocates working on tobacco-free park and recreation policy initiatives in Minnesota

• TFYR develops and maintains partnerships with statewide recreation organizations to build support for outdoor tobacco-free environments

Minnesota: A State for Recreation

• There are 72 state parks and several National Parks

• 8.5 million visitors a year• 12,000 lakes • One boat for every six residents• Over 450 golf courses• 15,000 miles of snowmobile trails

TFYR’s Initial Focus(2000-2002)

• Original grant funding focused on youth prevention (2000 – 2003)

• Created prevention materials such as pledges, posters, and fact sheets

• Policy activities focused on teams, clubs, and individual sports associations

• Collected sample city park policies from around the nation

• A few city park systems adopted policies that covered youth events or activities

TFYR’s Initial Focus

(2002-2003)• In late 2002, developed “Playing

Tobacco Free” policy advocacy handbook for tobacco control advocates

• First nearly all-inclusive city park policy was New Brighton in May 2003; Plymouth’s became the standard in October 2003.

TFYR’s Current Focus

(2004-2005)

• Policy activities focus on making entire city park systems tobacco free

• Current focus on technical assistance

TFYR’s Technical Assistance Role

• Minnesota experts on tobacco-free park policies

• MDH grantees, local community health agencies, and youth groups are working on tobacco-free park policies in their communities

• TFYR mobilizes grantees if TFYR is approached by a city; otherwise the grantee selects the city with TFYR’s assistance

TFYR’s Technical Assistance Role

• Trains grantees; then assists the grantee in training their coalition

• After training, provides regular advice and assistance via email, phone, meetings

• Attends policy makers’ meetings to provide support and answer difficult questions

• Assists with publicity ideas, media calls, etc.• Provides up to 100 metal tobacco-free signs

per community• Creates all other necessary materials for

policy initiatives

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

Implications of Tobacco Use

at Recreational Activities• People can be exposed to secondhand smoke

levels that can be as high as those found indoors

• Often a nuisance and safety concern Risk of infants/toddlers ingesting cigarette butts Significant litter burden

• Since recreational activities become places where young people develop attitudes and make lifestyle choices, adults involved in these activities are role models in the eyes of youth and influence youth by the example they set Tobacco use is promoted to youth as acceptable when

it is used by these role models in any recreational setting

Cigarette Litter: A Key Concern

• Discarded cigarettes:– Pollute the land and water– Risk of ingestion by toddlers, pets, fish, and birds– Diminishes beauty of parks and beaches– Require add’l expenses to clean up

• Cigarettes were #1 source of litter on MN beaches during the 2003 Coastal Cleanup – 5,960 cigarettes– 50% of total items collected (34% = int’l avg.)– www.coastalcleanup.org

• City officials interested in reducing park 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

Types of Policy Initiatives

• School grounds/recreational facilities• City- or county-owned outdoor

recreational areas– Parks, playgrounds, athletic fields,

beaches, etc.– Some MN policies cover only youth events– Recent MN trend is toward “all property”

policies for city- and county-owned park areas

TFYR’s Policy Advocacy Handbook

• Developed in 2002

• Focuses on park policies

• Available online:

www.ansrmn.org/TFYR03Resources.htm

Mobilize Your Partnership

(Steps 1-2)

• Assess your group’s readiness

• Attend TFYR’s policy initiative training– Youth training packet

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

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 butts 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

TFYR Publicity Materials

• Signs• Ads• Display• Postcards• Banners• Pledges• Posters

TFYR Successes

• 62 policies in five years!• Created a domino effect • Signs are becoming recognizable

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

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Current Policy Trends

• Twice as many greater MN cities have policies, but greater % of metro policies are stronger

• Most MN policies cover all or nearly all park property – Two metro cities have included golf

courses– Beaches, athletic fields, trails,

playgrounds, etc.

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

Lessons Learned:Statewide Perspective

• Justifying outdoor policy work is difficult• Need more research on the effects of

secondhand smoke outdoors• Evaluation is key (U of MN survey)• Lack support from some statewide

partners• Lack of policy advocacy knowledge at the

local level• Continued funding is always a concern

Lessons Learned from Local Advocates

• Community organizing is hard work!• Community coalition members are essential• Gather support before getting on agenda• Community politics play an important role • Find a champion inside City Hall• Know how the policy makers will vote• Entire process can take from 3 to 12 months• Policies do not always pass easily, but you can

make a difference through tobacco-free parks

Playing Tobacco Free in Anoka County

• Current local MDH grantee• Locally driven effort to create

tobacco-free environments to reduce youth tobacco use.

Anoka County Demographics

• 4th most populated county in Minnesota • Located in the northern part of the Twin

Cities metro area• From 1990 to 2000, Anoka County grew

almost twice as fast as the rest of Minnesota

• Home to the National Sports Center

Focus on Tobacco-free Environments

• Survey data of Anoka County 6th graders indicate that youth perceive that most adults use tobacco products.

• 53% of 6th grade respondents indicated that they believe “most or almost all adults use tobacco products” (Anoka County CHES, 2001, 2002)

53

44

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All Schools

How Many Adults Smoke Cigarettes or Use Chewing Tobacco?

Most/ Almost AllA Few/SomeNone

Focus on Tobacco-free Environments

• Smoking by youth and adults and secondhand smoke were identified as major community health problems, according to Anoka County’s community assessment

Community Organizing Efforts

• County divided into five regions

• Key Partners were identified in each region to lead efforts

• Funding allocated to regions

• TFYR provided technical expertise in coordination with Anoka County Community Health Department

Community Organizing Efforts

• Key Partners include community-based organizations that are:

• Willing to reinforce the message that youth tobacco use is unhealthy and secondhand smoke is harmful

• Willing to bring together community partners, including individuals and organizations, to advocate for tobacco-free park policies

• Initiative supports Key Partners with technical assistance and resources in each community’s efforts to advocate for and implement city tobacco-free park policies

• Key Partner meetings held quarterly to provide training and networking

Youth Involvement

• Training• Effective

messengers• Cigarette litter

collections• Letters of support• Energy

Advocacy ResourcesProvides Consistent Key Messages

Individual Policy Efforts

•Coon Rapids•Anoka•Ramsey•Andover

First Steps

• Work with Key Partner to identify and recruit other coalition members– Coon Rapids Youth Soccer Assn– Andover Anoka Ramsey Youth First– Ramsey Police Department– Andover Area Lacrosse Assn

• Coalition develops policy request• Youth collect cigarette litter• Attempt to discuss idea with park director• Collect letters of support

Policy Adoption Process

• Community presentations to policy makers– Park Boards– City Council workshops– City Council meetings

• Stay informed as to agenda and meeting changes

• Prepare speakers ahead of time and practice prior to the meeting

• How far are you willing to compromise your policy request?

• Policy States:“The City of Ramsey does not allow the use of tobacco products on city-owned parkland, park facilities, open space or joint city/school district properties except within the confines of a vehicle in a designated parking area.”

Example Policy

Playing Tobacco Free In Anoka County

• In nine months, four communities adopted tobacco-free park policies

• 170 individuals and organizations from across Anoka County became involved in tobacco-free advocacy efforts

• Youth have made positive changes in their communities through leadership on coalitions

• Unique media campaign has been utilized by local coalitions to educate the community and promote tobacco-free policies

Publicizing the Policy is Critical!

Utilizing the TFYR Policy Publicity Packet:

• Post signs• Media outlets

• Paid media• Earned media

• City publicity plans• City newsletters and program brochures• Coaches and parents’ meetings• Notification cards or bookmarks

• Table display at community venues• Sports program

Customized Ads

Customized Ads

Thank You Postcard

Contact Information• Brittany McFadden

Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation

(651) 646-3005bhm@ansrmn.org

• Christina ThillMinnesota Department of Health,Tobacco Prevention and Control Office

(651) 281-9801christina.thill@health.state.mn.us