The Journey Towards Smoke Free

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The Journey Towards Smoke Free

• Smoke Free School Grounds

Tanya Barnes Matthews
Living Healthy Schools Conference September 2007
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The Journey Towards Smoke Free

• Tobacco Reduction Strategy
• Alliance for the Control of Tobacco
• A Dozen Reasons Why
• The First Year
• The Journey Continues
• The Road Ahead!

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Provincial Tobacco Reduction Strategy

• Tobacco is the leading cause of death
  disability
• Meant to provide direction for government and
  non-government health organizations and partners
  for comprehensive tobacco reduction initiatives
  for 2005-2008

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The Newfoundland Labrador Alliance for the
Control of Tobacco

• Four main goals
• Prevention preventing people from starting to
  smoke
• Protection Protecting people from the harmful
  effects of SHS
• Cessation helping smokers quit smoking and
  remain smoke free
• Denormalization positioning smoking so that it
  is no longer the norm in society

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A Dozen Good Reasons

• Tobacco kills
• Tobacco is a drug
• Tobacco is addictive
• Second hand smoke kills

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These too

• Opportunity knocks!
• Gateway drug
• Conflicting messages
• Perception of social acceptance

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And dont forget these

• Reality check Smoke free work
• Laws prohibit youth purchasing
• Liability issues
• Its the right thing to do!

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A journey of a thousand steps

• September 2006 all 5 school regions voluntarily
  adopted a smoke free school grounds policy
• Much work and advocacy had been invested in
  creating a climate that was ready for this step
• TROY 2006
• Healthy Students Healthy Schools Summit 2006
• Smoke-free Activist Tool-kit Pilot 2005

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799 steps left to go

• Informing the public was an important component
  of the implementation
• Alliance for the Control Of Tobacco (ACT) took a
  lead role in a promotional campaign announcing
  and supporting smoke free school grounds
• Radio Newspaper ads

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Going a little further

• A survey was conducted in the fall with school
  administrators
• They needed support to communicate the message to
  their students, parents and general public
• ACT responded
• Welcome to our Tobacco Free School banners
  were supplied to all schools, printed in English
  French.

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Media blitz

• ACT coordinated a mass media campaign to keep the
  focus on youth and to keep messages consistent
  (December - March)
• Be Free Smoke Free
• Television Print ads

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Stepping up to the front line

• Resources to support being 100 smoke free within
  schools
• Smoke Free Schoolyards Initiatives CD (Jr. Sr.
  High)
• Prevention education resources
• Grades 7 9 Smoke Free Activist Tool Kit
• Grades 4 6 Science, Tobacco You
• Grades K 3 Smoke Free Colouring Book

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Walking in their shoes

• Cessation Support for students
• Kick the Nic
• Smokers Helpline introduces Schools CARE Program

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The CARE Program
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How it Works

• Ask if the student smokes
• Advise that they should quit and receive support
• Refer them to the Newfoundland and Labrador SHL
• Complete referral form online at
• www.smokershelp.net available Nov 1, 2006
• Email Hit send! SHL will email the student to
  set up counseling and referral to other
  cessation services.

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Check Point End of year 1

• A second survey of principals revealed
• Smoking students moved to edge of property
• Still in full view of school
• School still has a smoking problem
• Parents visitors not always adhering to policy
• After school users not always compliant

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The Journey Continues - 2007

• ACTs Support Plan
• Outdoor signage for all schools
• Brochure to target smoking teens
• Tips on how to increase compliance of parents
  visitors
• Dept. of Health Community Services
• Roundtable on Youth Cessation (Research, Policy
  Practice)
• Health Canada Proposal
• Develop School Cessation Protocols (Range of
  Interventions)

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SMOKE FREE GROUNDS          
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The Road Ahead

• Continued vigilance Cessation support
• Prevention Denormalization

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A Long Road Ahead
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A Closer Look at Girls
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A Closer look at Boys
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Next steps

• Smoke free sport/recreation areas
• NS already there!
• POS advertising
• Smoke free entrances at post-secondary
  institutions (MUN)
• Smoke free hospital grounds

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365 steps to go

• Tobacco control is a community concern theres
  a role for everyone to play
• Were happy to be working with schools to make
  Newfoundland and Labrador a healthier province.

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• We, as parents, and society do not want our
  children exposed to asbestos, mould or lead, so
  why are smoking and second hand smoke any
  different?

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Your Story

• What has been your schools experience with
  implementing the smoke free grounds policy?
• How has the community responded to smoke free
  school grounds?
• What additional support or resources would you
  like to have available?
• Other comments or questions.