Tools for Access

  NEW! Assessing Compliance with Smoke-Free Laws: A "How-to" Guide for Conducting Compliance Studies (2011)
Developed by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and its partners, the purpose of this guide is to help tobacco control professionals prepare for and implement studies to assess compliance with smoke-free laws. This guide presents step-by-step information, beginning with the need to clarify why a compliance study might be conducted to practical considerations such as timelines and resources, and finally how to analyze, present and disseminate findings to best meet the strategic reasons for the study.

  UPDATED! Bibliography of Second Hand Smoke Studies (2011)
Developed by American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, this bibliography provides an updated list of secondhand smoke studies.

UPDATED! Break the Chain of Tobacco Addiction (2011)
In 2010, the FDA launched the "Break the Chain" campaign to educate retailers and raise awareness about the FDA's new tobacco product regulations that protect youth from the dangers of tobacco use. This website provides materials to help retailers comply with FDA tobacco regulations and keep tobacco out of the hands of minors.

  Briefing Paper: Recommendations for Addressing Tobacco Use in Correctional Facilities through Policy and Cessation Programming (2009)
Developed by Break Free Alliance, this briefing paper provides recommendations for addressing tobacco use in correctional facilities in order to improve the health of inmates and staff. The document also includes sample policy language for indoor tobacco bans that were implemented in New Hampshire and New Mexico.

“Clean Air is Fair” Ad Campaign (2004)
Ads developed by The Praxis Project, this campaign features three ads for adaptation in state and local clean indoor air campaigns.

  Clean Indoor Air and Communities of Color: Challenges and Opportunities (2002)
Published by The Praxis Project, this article takes a closer look at the clean indoor air issue and communities of color to provide a better understanding of the various factors that influence involvement, or lack of involvement, with local tobacco control policy making activity.

UPDATED! College Tobacco Prevention Resource (2011)
The College Tobacco Prevention Resource (CTPR) aims to provide practical information, ideas, and guidance to assist campus leaders with planning, implementing, and evaluating campus tobacco policies and programs that restrict access to tobacco on campus and create a tobacco-free environment.

  Fruit Bowl: An Annual Tobacco and Alcohol-free Event to Celebrate Pride Season (2010)
In June 2008, the Rainbow Health Initiative (RHI) launched its first Fruit Bowl for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) communities in the Twin Cities. Prior to the Fruit Bowl, the Twin Cities Pride Festival included a number of events where the presence of tobacco and alcohol is pervasive, and seen in two ways: as consumer products designed and culturally marketed to appeal to LGBTQ communities, and as important sources of sponsorship that help cover the high costs associated with Pride events. This success story outlines how RHI and its partners came together to launch an annual chemical-free gathering space to celebrate Pride.

Global Tobacco Control: Secondhand Tobacco Smoke in Public Places (2009)
Developed by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, this website offers free training modules that include information on how to assess secondhand smoke in public places and create smoke free environments through tobacco control policy. Please note: Registration and login required to access free resources on this site.

  The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke (2006)
This report from the Surgeon General focuses on the harmful health effects caused by secondhand smoke exposure to all people. The report concludes that creating smoke-free environments are the only approach to effectively protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

  How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease (2010)
This report from the Surgeon General is a comprehensive, scientific discussion of how mainstream and secondhand smoke exposures damage the human body and cause disease. The report concludes that the only proven strategies to reduce risk of tobacco-caused disease are preventing initiation, facilitating cessation, and eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke.

  Key Components of Comprehensive Tobacco Control Enforcement (2005)
Developed by The Praxis Project, this guide identifies key components of a comprehensive tobacco control enforcement strategy that prioritizes communities of color, low socioeconomic status groups, and LGBT communities. This guide provides community specific strategies to promote compliance with youth access laws, smoke-free bar codes, and other indoor air regulations.

  Kids, Cars and Cigarettes: A Policy Overview (2010)
Developed by the Public Health Law Center, this guide provides a policy overview of options for regulating smoking in cars carrying children and provides some key components of smoke-free vehicle policies that have been implemented in other states.

  UPDATED! Legal Options for Tenants Suffering from Drifting Tobacco Smoke (2011)
This factsheet developed by the Technical Assistance Legal Center at Public Health Law and Policy provides information to assist tenants who may be contemplating taking legal action due to the harm caused by secondhand smoke exposure. This factsheet is also available in Spanish.

  A Model for Cross Ethnic Collaboration: The Statewide Tobacco Education and Engagement Project (2009)
The Statewide Tobacco Education and Engagement Project (STEEP) is a five-organization collaborative that aims to educate the Cambodian, Hmong, Lao and Vietnamese communities on the health consequences of tobacco use, and empower community members to create smoke free spaces in their homes, community centers, and places of worship.

  Regulating Tobacco on Campuses (2010)
Developed by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, this guide serves as a starting point for organizations interested in implementing policies to restrict tobacco use campus-wide from governmental units, private corporations, health care facilities to educational institutions.

SABEMOS: Por respeto – Aquí no se fuma (2007)
In conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco developed the SABEMOS online toolkit. Available in both English and Spanish, SABEMOS is designed to help community leaders heighten awareness among Latino parents of the dangers of second-hand smoke and how it affects them and their children. This community outreach toolkit provides materials to assist in creating smoke-free environments in the community.

  UPDATED! Secondhand Smoke and Cancer (2011)
Prepared by the National Cancer Insittute, this factsheet provides an overview of the dangers of secondhand smoke and what is being done on the national and local level to limit exposure to secondhand smoke.

  Secondhand Smoke Exposure, Clean Indoor Air Policies, and Communities of Color (2003)
Prepared by The Praxis Project, this factsheet provides an overview of secondhand smoke exposure and the issue of clean indoor air policies in communities of color.

UPDATED! Secondhand Smoke Facts (2011)
Prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this online fact sheet provides an overview of the health effects caused by secondhand smoke and sheds light on disparities that exist in secondhand smoke exposure.

  NEW! Sharing Strategies for Smoke-free Air (2011)
These archived webinar presentations from APPEAL network members showcase helpful strategies for engaging Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities in implementing and enforcing smoke-free policies. Download Presentation 1 and Presentation 2.

  NEW! Smoke-free Foster Care: Policy Options and the Duty to Protect (2011)
Developed by the Public Health Law Center, this report examines policy options for providing a safe smoke-free environment for foster children -- both in fosterhomes and in vehicles transporting foster children. It describes the risks of secondhand smoke to children in foster care, presents an overview of the foster care legal and regulatory system, and explores policy considerations and challenges in regulating smoke-free foster homes. See also accompanying brief and factsheet.

Smoke-free Homes and Cars Program (2009)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are working together to improve the quality of life for nearly a million Head Start children by conducting nationwide secondhand smoke and asthma outreach. Visit the website for educational materials in English and Spanish to help spread awareness about how secondhand smoke affects the health of families.

UPDATED! Smoke-free Lists, Maps, and Data (2011)
Compiled by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, this resource features comprehensive lists and maps of smokefree ordinances (venue-specific, outdoor areas) throughout the U.S., its Territories and Commonwealths. Please note that American Indian and Alaska Native sovereign tribal laws are not reflected on maps.

UPDATED! Smoke-free Policy Guidelines (2011)
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) have joined together on eliminating the use of tobacco products.  The online action plans on Clean Indoor Air Policy embody a comprehensive approach to policies on secondhand smoke from both state and local perspectives and provides clear-cut activities for state and local governments to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and implement clean indoor air policies.

UPDATED! Smoke Free Vegas (2011)
The Clark County Health District together with community partners are working on a campaign to promote a smoke free Las Vegas. The website features campaign materials designed to appeal to trendy young people and LGBTs in order to promote healthy, smoke free lifestyles.

UPDATED! State of Tobacco Control Report (2011)
The American Lung Association's State of Tobacco Control report tracks progress on key tobacco control policies at the state and federal levels and gives grades to tobacco control laws and regulations in effect as of January 1, 2011. Visit the website to see if your state is making the grade in smoke-free air.

  Tips on Reaching Out to Service Workers (2003)
Developed by The Praxis Project, this tip sheet provides helpful background information about the importance of bringing service workers into clean indoor air policy campaigns. Immigrants and people of color are over-represented in those industries with the highest rate of exposure to secondhand smoke -- food service, labor and factory work-- placing many at high risk for secondhand smoke related health problems.

NEW! Tobacco Control Policy and Advocacy Tool (2011)  
The American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence website now features an interactive web-based tool that provides policy strategies to support the reduction in secondhand smoke exposure, as well as other tobacco control areas.  Advocates who are interested in focusing their policy and advocacy efforts on secondhand smoke and tobacco control at the practice, school, community, state, or national levels will discover innovative strategies with this tool.

  Tobacco Policy, Cessation, and Education in Correctional Facilities (2004)
This case study developed by the National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty (NNTPP) addresses tobacco control policies within correctional facilities. This case study shares findings from a national survey of correctional institutions and provides a list of lessons learned to help implement effective tobacco-free policies in correctional facilities.

UPDATED! Tobacco's Target Populations (2011)
Developed by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, this online resource provides valuable information about how the tobacco industry targets certain populations, including African Americans, LGBTs, Latinos/Hispanics, and Native Americans/Alaska Natives. As the smoke-free policy movement continues to gain momentum, it is key to engage diverse communities to ensure a stronger and more successful campaign to protect all people from secondhand smoke exposure.

UPDATED! Tribal Smoke-Free Policy Toolkit (2011)
Developed by the National Native Commercial Tobacco Abuse Prevention Network (NNCTAPN), this online toolkit will assist your efforts to plan and implement an effective smoke-free policy that is appropriate for your tribal community. The toolkit contains the benefits of smoke-free policies, community readiness assessments, and sample resolutions and ordinances that can be adapted to meet your needs.

  NEW! Ventanilla de Salud (2011)
This publication features the success story of the Ventanilla de Salud Program and partnership between Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) and the Consulate General of Mexico in St. Paul, Minnesota to improve the health of people visiting the Consulate. With a teller window established at the Consulate, Ventanilla de Salud educated visitors about the health, economic and social risks and consequences of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Read more to learn about what made this program a success.

  What to Expect from the Tobacco Industry (2006)
Published by Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, this document is intended to provide the smoke-free advocate with an overview of the strategies, tactics and messages frequently used by the tobacco industry and its allies to oppose smoke-free indoor air laws. Use this resource to anticipate and counter misinformation during smoke-free air campaigns. 

WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic: Implementing smoke-free environments (2009)
Published by the World Health Organization (WHO), this report provides a comprehensive overivew of evidence base for protecting people from the harms of second-hand tobacco smoke through legislation and enforcement. There is a special focus on the status of implementation of smoke-free policies, as well as an analysis of smoke-free legislation for a more detailed understanding of progress and future challenges in this area.