A couple of weeks prior to a special day/holiday, work with local newspapers 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 the special day/holiday, 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 offered by Smoke Free Society organization (www.SmokeFreeSociety.org) and/or other available quit smoking resources in your community. Also, submit those names to SmokeFreeSociety.org to be listed permanently on their roster of "I quit, you can too!" to encourage others to quit.

Smoke Free Society is a nonprofit corporation solely dedicated to helping smokers quit smoking and educating kids not to start or use tobacco.

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"Float" By Tobacco Use
Age Group: Adults
Resources: Float materials, gum, lifesavers, 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 that have quit smoking. Create t-shirts that say, "I’ve quit smoking. Ask me how." or "Quit Yet?" ("Quit Yet?" Has been developed by the New York City Department of Health). These messages can also be used on balloons. Gum and lifesavers 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 Smoke Free Society to order). Pitch the media with the story, including testimonial interviews with smokers who have quit and cessation services offered by Smoke Free Society organization (www.SmokeFreeSociety.org) and/or other available quit smoking resources in your community.

Smoke Free Society is a nonprofit corporation solely dedicated to helping smokers quit smoking and educating kids not to start or use tobacco.

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Tobacco Free Picnic (youth-focused event)
Age Group: Youth
Resources: paints, markers, food for picnic, prizes
Community Indicator: prevent youth initiation, reduce tobacco industry influence

The week of a special day/holiday, host a tobacco-free picnic with music and games. Hang a large mural, and ask the youth to put their handprints on the mural using water-soluble paint. Under their handprints, ask the youth to print their name and the reason they chose to be smokefree. Invite the media to watch as the youth participate in this event. Prep youth beforehand with recent statistics regarding youth tobacco use rates in their state, 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.)

Promote the Smoke Free Society, a nonprofit corporation solely dedicated to helping smokers quit smoking and educating kids not to start or use tobacco. (www.smokefreesociety.org)

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Work with local retailers:
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 the 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."

Promote the Smoke Free Society, a nonprofit corporation solely dedicated to helping smokers quit smoking and educating kids not to start or use tobacco. (www.smokefreesociety.org)

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"Roast" Big Tobacco
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. (Great photo opportunity for the local newspaper.)

Promote the Smoke Free Society, a nonprofit corporation solely dedicated to helping smokers quit smoking and educating kids not to start or use tobacco. (www.SmokeFreeSociety.org)

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