Hoosiers for a healthier Indiana: Coalition building to impact public health policy

In the fall of 2006, a coalition named Hoosiers for a Healthier Indiana came together to advocate for a $1 increase in the Indiana tobacco tax. The group also agreed to advocate for all resulting revenue from this increase to be used to improve the health of Hoosiers.

Indiana has a cigarette tax of 55.5 cents per pack, the lowest in the Midwest. The smoking rate is one of the highest in the nation at 27.3%. This coalition formed around the notion that raising the tobacco tax by $1 would benefit a broad range of organizations for various reasons. The organizers felt multiple partners should be a part of the advocacy process, including those that were not traditionally linked together.

The author will show how this coalition formed around both traditional and non-traditional public health partners. The advantages and barriers due to the unique mix of participants will also be discussed. The presentation will outline the multiple strategies used to influence state legislators in their decision making process.