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Abstract #153654

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Adenike Bitto, MD, DrPH, CHES, ESU, P.O Box 155, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, 570 801-1044, adenike.2doc@gmail.com, Jacquelyn A. Hakim, MS, MPH, Director, Monroe County Vector Control, 38 North 7th Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360, Patricia Graham, PhD, Academic Enrichment and Learning, East Stroudsburg University, 200 Prospect Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, Robert Moses, Director, Residence Life & Housing, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 200 Prospect Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, Hamilton Banks, Community Activist, P.O. Box 543, Shawnee On Delaware, PA 18356, Wayne Bolt, Assistant General Manager, Fernwood Hotel & Resort, P. O. Box 447, Bushkill, PA 18324, Eugenia R. Craig, President, African American Network, PO Box 821, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, Helen Willis, RN, President, Lehigh Valley Sickle Cell Support Group, Inc., P.O. Box 1711, Allentown, PA 18105-1, Robert Hillman, Chairman of the Unity Coalition of Pocono & Vice President, NAACP of Monroe County, 46 East First Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, Solibe and Uchenna Ufondu, MD, & MD, Pocono Adult & Pediatric Medical Group, 302 East Brown Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, and Amanda and Yolanda Rutkowski, Concerned Community Members, PO Box 155, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.

The 2006 Surgeon General's Report on the Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke concluded that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Increasingly, community surveys show widespread support for no smoking in public places and many states have 100% no smoking laws. However, there is need for continued policy advocation in states with limited or no legislation. Of critical importance is outreach to special populations made vulnerable by competing exposures. This local community partnership group continues its advocacy to engender more support for a smokefree environment, by using a multi-faceted outreach approach. While some residents took the EPA smoke free pledge – not to smoke in their homes or cars to protect others; other program participants got referrals for help with quitting. Furthermore, given that a picture is worth a thousand words, collaborators have used drama/skits to convey and persuade audiences on salient points/benefits of smokefree air. Active participants included community, elementary school/college students, legislators, county/community leaders, and public health personnel. During Martin Luther King Day Celebrations, 275 program participants were reached with PSAs on smokefree air, cost of smoking, help to quit; and a 21-point I-Have-A-Dream smokefree bulletin was shared with certain participants. Regional attendees included opinion leaders, gatekeepers and mass media, whose input is critical in the impetus for smokefree air. Although smokefree protection for workers is increasing, those in food preparation/service occupations are significantly less protected than others! Thus, an ongoing initiative targets both smokefree and other hospitality and service industry settings.

Learning Objectives:

• List five recommendations from the 2006 Surgeon General’s Report on the Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke.
• Articulate a procedure for continued policy advocation in states with limited or no 100% smoke free laws.
• Describe a protection plan for vulnerable populations with regard to environmental health and justice/public policy and community rights to health and wellness, namely smoke free air.

Keywords: Surgeon General's Report, Smoking

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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