Age Group: Adults
Resources: Partnership with local newspaper
Community Indicator: Promote tobacco cessation services
A couple of weeks prior to July 4th, work with local newspaper
to ask community members to send their names and the number of years they’ve
been tobacco-free. Keep a list of those people. The week of July 4th,
publish those names in the local newspaper, along with a congratulatory message.
Ask the paper to write an article highlighting one of the quitters. Include
information on cessation services available in your community.
Age Group: Adults
Resources: Float materials, gum, and cessation materials
Community Indicator: Promote tobacco cessation services
Sponsor a float in a community parade with the theme "Celebrating Freedom
from Addiction." Staff the float with adults or youth who have quit smoking.
Create t-shirts that say, "I’ve quit smoking. Ask me how." or "Quit Yet?." These messages
could also be used on balloons. Gum can be distributed from the
float. Adults who walk along the float can pass out cessation literature or
the "Benefits of Quitting" card (contact the American Cancer Society to order).
Pitch the media with the story, including testimonial interviews with smokers
who have quit and cessation services available in your community.
Age Group: Youth
Resources: Paints, markers, food for picnic, prizes
Community Indicator: Prevent youth initiation, reduce tobacco industry influence
The week of July 4th, host a tobacco-free picnic with music and
games. Hang a large mural and ask the youth to put their handprints on it
using water-soluble paint. Under their handprints, ask them to print
their names and the reasons they chose to be smoke free. Invite the media to watch
as the youth participate in this event. Prepare youth beforehand with recent statistics
regarding youth tobacco use rates in their states and the amount the tobacco
industry spends on advertising and marketing their products in their states.
(Check out www.tobaccofreekids.org
for great info on this topic.)
Age Group: Youth
Resources: Marshmallows, sticks, prizes for gear exchange
Community Indicator: Reduce tobacco industry influence
In addition to having music and fun at a picnic, hold a gear exchange. Set
up a booth where youth can exchange their tobacco "gear" for something that
is fun and health-related. Under the supervision of an adult and necessary permits,
start a bonfire, burning the tobacco merchandise, tobacco ads, and gear turned
in. Roast marshmallows at the bonfire. Take pictures of youth "roasting" Big
Tobacco. (This is a great photo opportunity for the local newspaper.)
Work with a local tobacco retailer ahead of time to encourage the removal
of tobacco advertising from the store. Conduct a news conference at the picnic
where the retailer will receive an "Outstanding Community Member Award." Ask
the retailer to challenge other retailers to do the same.
Check to see if your county fair accepts tobacco industry sponsorships. If
it does, have youth sign a petition at the picnic asking county officials
not to accept this sponsorship. Conduct a news conference at the picnic asking
officials to refuse tobacco sponsorship with the theme "Say No to Big Tobacco.
Our Kids Are Counting on Us."
= Link to a PDF document
= Link to nonfederal Web site