Clearing the Air Institute for Policy Advocacy Trains Smoke-Free Advocates from Around the United States
From 2001 to 2007, the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation in Berkeley, Calif., conducted a series of educational and communications activities to increase public awareness of the hazards of secondhand tobacco smoke and to expand the capacity of the smoke-free policy movement.
Central to the effort were four conferences designed to increase the knowledge and skills of smoke-free advocates from across the country. Entitled Clearing the Air: An Institute for Policy Advocacy, the sessions trained participants to educate policy-makers, restaurant owners and other business interests on the benefits of smoke-free restrictions.
Key Results
A total of 507 individuals from across the nation received training in smoke-free advocacy at the four conferences.
Staff delivered a total of 29 trainings and presentations at other conferences, meetings and workshops.
Staff displayed exhibits on the benefits of smoke-free public places at 44 hospitality industry conferences and other events and distributed approximately 60,000 educational brochures targeting owners of restaurants and related businesses.
Staff members counted 4,500 instances in which they provided technical assistance by telephone and e-mail to public health professionals, advocates and others working on smoke-free policies and related campaigns.