Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105112

James H. Hines, BS MA and Denese R. Stallings, RN BS MA. Cleveland County Health Department, 315 East Grover street, Shelby, NC 28150, 704 484-5241, jimmy.hines@clevelandcounty.com

Through the leadership of the public health director, Board of Health, and health promotion staff positive outcomes have been achieved in the area of tobacco use policy.The local health department served as the catalyst for the policy change in the schools and restaurants in Cleveland County, NC. The seed for change was planted when Health Director and the Health Promotion Coordinator invited a school system administrator to attend a "Leadership Summit on Creating 100% Tobacco Free Schools in NC". The conference led to a meeting with the school superintendent to discuss the school system's policy for tobacco use on campus.The change promoted by the health department recommended a 100% tobacco free campus.The School Board members listened to the evidence and demonstrated leadership by adopting the 100% tobacco free policy. A second successful health department initiative was implemented almost simultaneously for local restaurants to become 100% smokefree.The voluntary program, is a recognition program for restaurants choosing to provide 100% smokefree dining for its patrons and employees.Local restaurants were offered the opportunity to have their business listed in a smokefree dining guide,receive an attractive window cling designating them as smokefree, a framable certificate and listed on the County website.More than 50% of the restaurants participated immediately. Health Promotion staff are providing evidence based information regarding the economic and health benefits of voluntarily adopting a policy to become smokefree to nonparticipating restaurants.

Learning Objectives:

• The learner will understand the leadership role public health departments have in impacting tobacco use policy.
• The learner will understand the realtionship between evidence based practice and policy change.
• The learner will be able to distinguish the difference between voluntary and involuntary policy change relative to tobacco use.

Keywords: Tobacco Policy, Public Health Education and Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.