The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #47475

Sherri D. Watson Hyde and Madeleine Solomon, MPH. SE Regional, American Medical Association, SmokeLess States National Tobacco Policy Initiative, 434 Lake Shore Drive, Lake Mary, FL 32746

Are you looking to boost your tobacco control advocacy efforts? Do your efforts lack the potency and drive needed to push tobacco policy change in your state, or local communities? Need a BONA FIDE tobacco control policy success? The American Medical Association’s SmokeLess States National Tobacco Policy Initiative may have the strategies and techniques that you might be seeking.

The American Medical Association’s SmokeLess States National Tobacco Policy Initiative is a Robert Johnson Foundation program to enhance state-based policy-driven tobacco control efforts. Coalitions funded under the Initiative are skilled in coalition development, public education, prevention, and policy development. Currently, the Initiative funds 45 coalitions that are prompting tobacco policy changes state and local advocacy-driven activities.

Though public awareness has been key to keeping tobacco control in the ‘public eye’, it has not spurred policymaking bodies into adopting significant changes in many states. Many SmokeLess State grantees have explored innovative, high impact advocacy strategies that have yielded some effective and sustainable tobacco control protections. “The Evolution of Effective Coalitions: From Raising Public Awareness to Driving Policy Change,” is designed to provide participants with strategies, and techniques that have yielded SmokeLess States’ grantees successful policies in the following areas ---

- Reducing exposures to environmental tobacco smoke at work and in public places; - Increasing state tobacco excise taxes to reduce the demand for tobacco products; - Fostering changes in Medicaid, state health, and private health insurance cessation coverage.

Case studies and tip sheets will be provided as background for the session.

Learning Objectives:

• - To define the importance of policy change versus public awareness in tobacco control
• - To identify components of tobacco advocacy-based coalitions that have led to successful policy changes
• - To describe how SmokeLess States coalitions have prepared themselves and their constituencies for such efforts
• - To discuss tips on technical assistance to help drive your success

Keywords: Tobacco Policy, Coalition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
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