Campus-Community Alliances for Smokefree Environments (CASE): A model for reducing exposure to tobacco use through policy change

For the past five years the Campus-Community Alliances for Smokefree Environments (CASE) project has used a leadership development approach to enact policies that reduce exposure to tobacco use. Seven CASE-assisted Missouri communities have enacted comprehensive smokefree policies and six university campuses have enacted restrictive tobacco use policies. Other CASE-assisted communities are in advanced stages of readiness to complete policy change. Developing effective and energized advocacy groups has been critical to this success. The positive outcomes have been obtained by a purposeful partnership of university research faculty and professional staff working with energetic student leaders and community members. CASE provides opportunities for students to build their resumes by engaging in all aspects of the policy change process both on campuses and in communities. CASE technical assistance promotes the use of tobacco control best practices and evidence-based research findings. This includes: training in coalition building “getting started” steps outlined by the Americans for Nonsmokers Rights (ANR), using geographic information system mapping for systematic coalition growth; conducting opinion surveys and air quality studies inclusive of data analyses and interpretation of findings; and strategic communication planning inclusive of both event planning and the use of earned, paid and social media. A project website has been developed that serves as both a repository of useful information and an intra-project communication device. CASE efforts have led to a developed network of student and community advocates that are proving to be effective change agents.