Empowering Youth Advocates: A Training Manual to Fight Big Tobacco

Executive Summary...…………………………………………………………………………..p.i

Youth-Adult Partnerships……………..……………………………………………………...p.ii

Helpful Resources & Opportunities for Engagement………………………………...…p. iii-iv

Instructions……………………………………………………………………...……….....p. v-vi

Vital Knowledge

1. Deadly Addiction………………………………………………………..…………...p.1-4 2. Tobacco Products …..……………………………………………………………..…p. 5-6 3. History of Lies…………………………………………………………..…………...p.7-11 4. Policies that Work..……………………………………………………………...…p.12-15 5. Laws & Courts..………………………………………………………………….…p.16-19 6. Global Deceit………….....…………………………………………………………p.20-24

Vital Skills

7. Advocacy 101 ……….....………………………………………………..…………p.25-29 8. Storytelling ……….....………………………………………………….…………p. 30-33 9. Leadership……….....……………………………………………………...………p. 34-37 10. Media ……….....……………………………………………………………..……p.38-45 11. Action Planning……….....…………………………………………...……………p. 46-52 12. Plan Your Campaign.…….....…………………………………………...………...p. 53-54

August 14, 2014 Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

www.tobaccofreekids.org

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Executive Summary The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is dedicated to reducing tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world. Our vision is a future free of the death and disease caused by tobacco. We work to save lives by advocating for public policies that prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke.

Youth Advocacy is a vital component of our work. Ninety percent of all adult smokers begin the deadly addiction as teenagers. Even though we have made progress in the struggle to keep kids from using tobacco, about 20 percent of American high school students are smokers—and a third of them will die prematurely from smoking-related disease. We know what works to keep kids from using tobacco and we believe that the more youth can be messengers about tobacco awareness and prevention, the more other young people – and adults – will respond.

Youth are powerful and effective voices in the fight against tobacco use. They educate their peers and send potent messages to lawmakers about the need to protect children from tobacco addiction. Through our youth advocacy programs, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids fosters a new generation of young leaders who will continue the fight against tobacco until the job is done.

This training manual was designed with the recognition that youth are a powerful force in the fight against big tobacco, but to be effective they must be equipped with vital knowledge and skills based on the experience of those that have come before them. That is what you have here - a set of activities designed to communicate this information in a participatory and engaging way. The information referenced here is based on decades of experience and research, but delivered through simple activities that can be done most places, by most people with little or no cost.

We hope you find these activities and resources helpful in your work with tobacco control youth advocates. Please use them in the way that works best for you. Mix and match, modify and improve them and let us know what works best.

Thanks for your dedication to fighting big tobacco!

Allison N. O'Donnell, MPH Program Associate, Advocacy, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

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Youth-Adult Partnerships If you have your hands on this manual it is likely you work closely with youth-adult partnerships. The youth perspective and voice in tobacco control advocacy is vital given that most tobacco users start before the age of 18 and the tobacco industry spends billions of dollars each year targeting youth as replacement smokers. Youth have the passion and creativity to fight back and protect themselves. Throughout history youth have played a crucial role in creating change, in tobacco control and beyond. Successful youth-adult partnerships build on the strengths of all involved and move us towards a future free of death and disease caused by tobacco products.

A few reasons why youth are so powerful:

Advocate for policy change Project a powerful voice Expose tobacco industry tactics Offer energy and vitality Reflect genuine concern Bring diverse representation and provide generational insight Invoke creativity and innovation Mobilize their peers

As an adult coordinator you can work with youth to:

Establish complementary youth and adult roles Engage youth in policy advocacy Engage youth in media advocacy Form community linkages Fight pro-tobacco influences

This manual is designed to equip youth with the skills and knowledge they need to engage in all of the activities listed above. In addition, the resources listed under Vital Toolkits & Guides in the Helpful Resources section will provide you with best practices in successful youth-adult partnerships. Take advantage of the lessons learned from those who have come before you.

 

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Helpful Resources & Opportunities for Engagement

Vital Toolkits & Guides

Youth Activism in Tobacco Control: A Toolkit for Action-Brought to you by Legacy

-Everything you need to know to fight tobacco use in schools and communities

Let’s Make the Next Generation Tobacco-Free: Your Guide to the 50th Anniversary Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health-brought to you by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

-An easy to read summary of the major findings of the 2014 Surgeon General’s Report

Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs: Youth Engagement User Guide-brought to you by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

-Information for program managers on the best practices for engaging youth as a part of a comprehensive tobacco control program

Useful Websites

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids- Factsheets for Parents and Schools

-Where to find helpful prevention materials and learn about the role of parents and schools

Trinkets & Trash-Artifacts of the Tobacco Epidemic

-An Online surveillance system and archive of tobacco products and marketing materials from the tobacco industry

Counter Tobacco

-A resource for local, state, and federal organizations working to counter tobacco products and marketing at the point of sale

Truth

-Giving young people facts and information about tobacco, so that they can make informed decisions about its use

Opportunities for Engagement

Kick Butts Day-brought to you by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

-Stand Up, Speak Out, Seize Control

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Youth Advocates of the Year Award-brought to you by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

-Honoring top young leaders from across the country who have fought hard to promote tobacco legislation, expose tobacco marketing to kids and keep peers from using tobacco

World No Tobacco Day-brought to you by The World Health Organization

-A global call to highlight the health risks of tobacco

Great American Smoke Out-brought to you by American Cancer Society

-A day for smokers to stop using tobacco and learn about the resources to help them stay quit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Instructions

How to Use this Manual

This set of activities can be used by health educators, youth coordinators, and youth leaders interested in educating others in tobacco control advocacy.

This manual contains 12 roughly hour-long activities in two parts. The first part of the manual is largely information based and can be used to give youth advocates the background knowledge they need to speak and act in an informed way in their work to fight big tobacco.

Topics include the health impact of tobacco products; an overview of the products on the market; advertising tactics that the tobacco industry uses to market to youth and other vulnerable populations; tobacco control policies that work; laws that have been passed and court cases that have been won; and a look at the global fight against big tobacco.

The first three activities contain basic information and are appropriate for most middle school or high school audiences with or without background knowledge in tobacco control. The second three activities are more advanced and are most appropriate for audiences with a specific interest in tobacco control and some background knowledge. These sessions can be delivered in any order and can be coupled together or delivered one at a time.

The second part of the manual is largely skills based and can be used to start to develop vital skills that youth advocates need to do their work.

Topics include the basics on advocacy and social justice; how to tell your story; what leadership looks like; how to work with the media to share your message; how to create an action plan; and a culminating activity to help groups plan their long-term strategy.

These activities not only help individuals gain skills needed on a personal level, but can be used at the group level to help set the groundwork for a long-term sustained campaign based on clear goals and articulated methods to achieving them.

How to Use the Activity Instructions

Each activity is divided into the following components: Learning Objectives; Supplies List; Time; Introduction; Instructions; Resources; and Appendices.

The Learning Objectives state what knowledge or skills participants should gain after completing the activity.

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The Supplies List states the needed supplies. All of the activities can be done without expensive or complicated supplies, mostly consisting of print outs and the availability of a white board or flip chart. The only activity that calls for supplies to be purchased is the activity on tobacco products. If you are not able to purchase actual products, alternatives may be used, such as advertisements or pictures.

The Time indicates how long the activity should take. Most of the activities can be done in 30-60 minutes depending on how many participants you have and how much time you leave for discussion.

The Introduction/Facilitator’s Notes is meant to give the facilitator background knowledge on the topic before leading the activity. The facilitator can use these points to introduce the topic to the participants and set the scene for the activity.

The Instructions give the step-by-step procedure on how to conduct the activity. However, the facilitator has substantial leeway to determine classroom management details based on the given situation, including how much time to spend on each part of the activity.

The Resources are primarily meant to be used by the facilitator to provide detailed background information on each topic. If participants would like additional information they can be given these resources as well.

The Appendix contains all materials needed to carry out each activity. Some of these materials will be used by the facilitator as background information and some will be printed and distributed to the participants. Refer to each individual activity for specifics.

Train the Trainer Model

A train-the-trainer model enables more experienced presenters to prepare less-experienced presenters to deliver workshops and presentations. Once a youth advocate or any other advocate completes the activities in this manual, he or she may then be eligible to learn how to carry out the activities him or herself. For example, a high school student involved in a tobacco control group may be invited to present to a group of middle school students and can use one or more of the introductory activities from this manual. Training youth advocates to deliver these important messages increases group capacity to spread the tobacco control message, equips youth advocates with speaking and presentation skills and allows impactful peer-to-peer learning.

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Deadly Addiction Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify short term and long term health effects of cigarette and tobacco use.

 Supplies List

Tape (to affix slips of paper to person or paper cut out of human body) Slips of paper with health impact Cards with health warnings and graphic image health warnings

o Current warning labels: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2000/highlights/labels/

o Graphic Warnings: http://www.fda.gov/tobaccoproducts/labeling/ucm259214.htm Cut out/drawing/projection of human body (if you choose not to affix cards to an actual

participant) Time: 45-75 minutes (depending on if you do the additional activity) Introduction

Even though we know smoking kills, people still do it. 18.1% of high school kids smoke and 19% of adults smoke. That’s almost 1 in 5 people in America. Half of those who smoke will die from it.

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death, killing more than 480,000 people each year in the US. That’s more than HIV, drugs, alcohol, car crashes, suicides and murders combined!

More than 10 times as many U.S. citizens have died prematurely from cigarette smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the United States during its history.

Secondhand smoke kills almost 50,000 non-smokers every year. Smoking impacts nearly every organ of the body and cigarettes are more deadly today

than they were 50 years ago. Tobacco products are expensive to buy, but the problems they cause are also expensive to

pay for. Each year, smoking costs us about $300 billion dollars in direct health care costs and lost productivity.

Tobacco products contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance, which makes it hard to stop smoking once you start even though most smokers want to quit.

The good news is that it is possible to quit! Within 20 minutes of quitting your body begins a series of changes that continue for years, including reduced risk for death and disease for a longer, healthier life.

Quitting is hard, but there are resources that can help and steps to increase your success. Call 1-800-Quit-Now for advice.

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Instructions Ask for a volunteer to come to the front of the room to serve as a human example of the

impact of smoking and tobacco products. Alternatively, you can cut out, draw or project an outline of human body if you choose not to affix cards to an actual participant.

Distribute slips of paper to participants with health impacts of smoking and ask them to affix them near the affected part of the body.

Discuss the ways in which people are educated about the health impact of smoking. Distribute papers with Warning Labels and affix them to the health impact (already on the body) they address. Then, ask students if they think the warning labels are an effective way to prevent people from starting to smoke.

Show examples of graphic warning labels and discuss their impact. Explain that when the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) tried to implement these labels the tobacco industry sued them. The FDA is still allowed to order tobacco companies to use these types of warning labels, but must start the design process over again. Ask students what they think would be most effective in preventing youth from starting to smoke and helping current smokers quit. You may want to show clips from the CDC Tips From Former Smokers campaign, the truth campaign, or other local campaigns you are familiar with.

Ask if anybody has a personal testimony they would like to share regarding their own smoking habits or those of a close friend or family member.

Additional activity: Ask students to form groups and create their own strategy to communicate the health impact of tobacco use to their peers or to design new health warnings for tobacco products.

Resources Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking Fact Sheet

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm

The Health Consequences of Smoking: What It Means to You: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2004/consumer_summary/index.htm

CDC Tips From Former Smokers: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/ Truth campaign: http://www.thetruth.com/ Interactive model of the health impact of tobacco use: http://tobaccobody.fi/ The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon

General 2014 Executive Summary: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/exec-summary.pdf

 

   

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Appendix: Health Impact & Warning Labels 90% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking

Smoking causes cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx (voice box) and esophagus

Smoking causes cancer of the stomach, kidneys, bladder, pancreas, bladder and cervix

It was recently discovered that smoking causes colorectal and liver cancer

Smoking causes heart disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure. You are up to four times more likely to die from heart disease if you smoke.

Smoking increases your risk of stroke by 2-4 times

Smoking causes abdominal aortic aneurysm, a dangerous weakening and ballooning of the major artery near your stomach

Smoking causes respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also called emphysema, tuberculosis and asthma

People with COPD slowly start to die from lack of air. Smoking causes more than 90% of deaths from COPD

Smoking weakens your body’s immune system and increases infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia

Smoking or secondhand smoke causes lung and breathing problems that hurt physical fitness

Mothers who smoke during pregnancy have a greater chance of complications, premature birth, low birth weight infants, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, cleft lip and infant mortality

Nicotine reaches your brain within 10 seconds after you inhale smoke. It has been found in every organ of the body, as well as breast milk.

Smoking causes bad breath and yellow teeth

Smoking causes wrinkles

Hookah tobacco and smoke contain numerous toxic substances known to cause lung, bladder, and oral cancers

Chewing tobacco and snuff increase risk of mouth cancer and gum disease

Cigar smokers are at increased risk for cancer of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, and lung, as well as heart disease and COPD.

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Cigarette Warning Labels SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking by Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, and Low Birth Weight.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.

Smokeless Tobacco Warning Labels WARNING: This product may cause mouth cancer.

WARNING: This product may cause gum disease and tooth loss.

WARNING: This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes.

Graphic Warning Labels proposed by the FDA available for download here: http://www.fda.gov/tobaccoproducts/labeling/ucm259214.htm

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Tobacco Products Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify a variety of tobacco products, including new and emerging products and understand how they are marketed.

Supplies List

Tobacco products: cigarettes (various brands); snus/skoal; little cigars/cigarillos/flavored cigars; hookah (or a picture); sticks/strips/orbs; e-cigarettes/vape products. If you cannot purchase actual products, magazine advertisements, printed pictures, or images on the web can be substituted.

Candy products: Gum and mints in packs and tins similar to tobacco products including Big League Chew Bubble Gum; mints and candy similar to strips and sticks, such as Pocky candy.

Strips of paper with True or False statements. Time: 45-60 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

Cigarettes are the most common tobacco product used in the US, but there are a number of new and emerging products on the market designed to appeal to diverse target populations and avoid increased regulation on cigarettes, such as smoking bans, taxes, and flavoring bans.

Instructions

Pass out tobacco products and strips of paper with True or False statements to groups. Have each group analyze the product and packaging. Then have a group representative show the rest of the group what the product is, how it is used, how it is marketed and who uses it.

A group representative should also read the true or false statement and give their answer and rational. If there is disagreement let the group discuss.

Pass out candy products to groups and ask them to match them to the tobacco products they resemble. Discuss whey these similarities are dangerous.

Additional Activity: Create a “Deadly or Delicious” display box that shows the similarities between tobacco products and popular candy that can be displayed where your peers will see it. Or carry out Counter Tobacco’s “Advocate Against Youth Targeting” activity with your young peers. http://countertobacco.org/sites/default/files/CT_Advocate_Against_Youth_Targeting.pdf

Resources

The Danger from Dissolvable Tobacco and Other Smokeless Tobacco Products: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0363.pdf

   

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Appendix: True & False Statements

True or False: Cigarette Smoke contains about 700 chemicals. Answer: False. There are more than 7,000 chemicals found in cigarettes. True or False: Tar, lead, and carbon monoxide are all found in cigarettes. Answer: True True or False: Major League Baseball players are free to use and carry spit or chew as they please during games. Answer: False. After pressure from advocates, starting in 2012, players could no longer carry a tobacco tin in their uniforms at games or any time that fans are in the ballpark. They have also been barred from using smokeless tobacco during televised interviews, team sponsored appearances, autograph signings and other events where fans are present. True or False: Smokeless tobacco products (i.e. snus or snuff) are not addictive because the nicotine does not get into your lungs. Answer: False. Smokeless tobacco products contain nicotine that is absorbed into the bloodstream through the mouth and are addictive. True or False: Sales of little cigars and cigarillos have increased over the past 10 years. Answer: True. In fact, in 2009, more than 10% of high-school students smoked cigars. Cigars are not regulated in the same way as cigarettes; flavored cigarettes are banned, but not flavored cigars, and they are not taxed at the same rate as cigarettes. True or False: Cigars are natural and safer than cigarettes because they don’t contain harmful chemicals Answer: False. Cigars contain many of the same cancer-causing chemicals as cigarettes and can lead to death and disease. True or False: Smoking hookah is safe. Answer: False. Hookah is bad for your health. It contains nicotine and cancer-causing chemicals. During one session of hookah, users may inhale as much smoke as smoking 100 or more cigarettes. True or False: Hookah is all natural Answer: False. Hookah is not regulated by the FDA, so we do not know what is in it, but it may contain harmful additives and chemicals similar to those found in cigarettes. True or False: Most smoke-free or tobacco-free policies don’t apply to e-cigarettes. Answer: True. As of now, the FDA does not regulate e-cigarettes. True or False: E-cigarettes are proven to be good for your health. Answer: False. E-cigarettes are unregulated and untested. We do not know what is in them, or how they impact health. True or False: Camel sticks, orbs, and strips are tobacco products and contain nicotine. Answer: True. True or False: The tobacco industry markets sticks, orbs and strips as products to help you quit smoking cigarettes. Answer: False. Companies are not allowed to say that their products help you quit without approval from the FDA. They are being marketed as alternatives to cigarettes when you can’t smoke.  

 

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History of Lies Learning Objectives

Participants will understand marketing techniques that the tobacco industry has used in the past and present. Participants will be able to identify target audience and industry messaging, as well as public health campaigns that have successfully countered Big Tobacco.

Supplies List

Printed tobacco advertisements or magazines with tobacco ads. Lamination of the ads is recommended for repeated use. You can also request that participants bring in advertisements they find in magazines.

Time: 45-60 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

The tobacco industry has used deceptive and misleading advertising practices to market their products for decades.

The Master Settlement Agreement of 1998 prohibited the tobacco industry from marketing to youth and they claim they don’t intentionally target youth, but their actions speak for themselves. The Tobacco Control Act of 2009 has put further advertising restrictions on cigarettes and some other tobacco products, but some products, such as e-cigarettes are not regulated and companies can advertise them however they want.

Each year the tobacco industry spends billions of dollars on advertising. In 2011, they spent $8.8 billion, that’s almost $1 million an hour. Advertising comes in many forms, including ads in magazines, coupons, point of sale advertising (i.e. posters and ads in convenience stores and gas stations where tobacco products are sold), and promotional deals that make cigarettes more affordable for customers.

The tobacco epidemic was initiated and has been sustained by the aggressive strategies of the tobacco industry, which has deliberately misled the public on the risks of smoking cigarettes.

The tobacco industry has and continues to market to vulnerable and minority populations such as women and girls, African Americans, Latinos, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender), persons with mental illness and the poor/homeless.

Instructions

Divide participants into small groups and give each group a tobacco advertisement or magazine. Have them analyze and discuss the advertisement , then have a representative of each group present the following to the larger group:

o Give any known background information about the advertising campaign. If the group has no background information, give a short summary about what is in the advertisement (e.g. what product is being advertised, how, etc.).

o What audience is the advertisement targeting? How can you tell? What messages are used to influence decision making of the target audience?

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o Is this an effective advertisement? Why? How does it make you feel? Does it make you want to buy the product?

Allow other groups to add observations. Discuss past tobacco control success and current challenges. Pass out e-cigarette ads and old cigarette ads and have participants identify the tactics

being used and match the old and new advertisements. Discussion questions: Why do companies spend so much on advertising? Where do you

see tobacco advertising? How do you think it impacts you and your peers? What do you think should be done about it? Tobacco companies argue that the right to advertise is protected by the First Amendment (freedom of speech) and restrictions on advertising are unconstitutional, what do you think?

Additional Activity: Assign Point-of-Sale Scavenger Hunt to participants and discuss in class http://countertobacco.org/sites/default/files/CT_PointofSale_Scavenger_HuntFINAL_0.pdf

Resources

Trinkets & Trash: http://www.trinketsandtrash.org/index.php A Century of Death and Disease: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/microsites/camel/ Counter Tobacco: http://www.countertobacco.org/ 7 Ways E-Cigarette Companies Are Copying Big Tobacco’s

Playbook http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/tobacco_unfiltered/post/2013_10_02_ecigarettes

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Appendix: Tobacco Control Advertising-Audience & Tactics

Audience Youth The 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between the major cigarette companies and the States prohibited marketing targeted at youth. Over a decade later the tobacco companies continue to market to youth, through in-store product placement, advertising in magazines popular with youth and creating ad campaigns that appeal to youth sense of rebellion and style. Ex. Joe Camel was the famous cartoon character used to promote the Camel cigarette brand. Joe Camel was killed in 1997, however, the tobacco industry continues to market to youth. Women & Girls The tobacco industry has targeted women for decades through ads that portray smoking as glamorous and sexy, as well as using messages of empowerment and freedom. The tobacco industry has even created brands exclusively for women (e.g. Virginia Slims, Camel No.9, Capri) and packaging that appeals to women (e.g. “purse pack”, hot pink coloring, long and thin cigarettes, etc.). Ex. Camel No.9 was launched in 2007 and used slogans such as “light & luscious” and “Now Available in Stiletto”. The ads appeared in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Instyle, Luckay and Marie Claire. Elected officials and organizations demanded that these ads be pulled and RJ Reynolds discontinued them in 2008. However, the Camel No.9 brand is still sold. African American (Kool Mixx) The tobacco industry has targeted African American populations over the past 30 years, particularly marketing their menthol brands. Campaigns such as Kool Mixx, launched in 2004, targeted urban populations through DJ competitions, and images of hip hop artists and graffiti. The tobacco industry also saturates areas where lots of African Americans live with advertising. Ex. The Kool Mixx campaign glorified hip hop music and culture. The tobacco company was actually sued over this campaign and they agreed to discontinue it. Kool continues to target African Americans, often using images of jazz and music. Latino Hispanic/Latino populations have historically had lower rates of tobacco use than other ethnic groups, making them a desirable target. The tobacco industry has targeted this group by sponsoring events, donating to organizations and advertising in Spanish speaking magazines. Ex. “Lleno de gusto” (Full of pleasure!) add shows two attractive young people dancing. LGBT Smoking rates are higher in the LGBT population than in the general population. The tobacco industry supports LGBT organizations financially through donations and advertises in LGBT magazines. Messages about freedom, independence, choice, individual rights, etc. are used. Ex. Camel Snus advertisement uses reference to “Pride” and has rainbow colors. Native Americans (American Spirits) Native Americans have the highest rates of smoking compared to any other ethnic group in the US. The tobacco industry uses cultural references to target both Native Americans and others, including symbols like feathers, warriors, and words like “natural”.

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Ex. American Spirit uses the image of a Native American as their logo, and claims to be natural, organic, additive-free, etc. Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) Persons of low socioeconomic status have less education, lower incomes, and higher rates of smoking. The tobacco industry has marketed “value brands” to these “downscale” customers as smoking among the more educated and wealthy has decreased. The tobacco industry has even donated cigarettes, supplies and funds to homeless shelters of mental institutions. Point-of-Sale advertising is highly visible to this group. Ex. POS advertisements outside a convenience store/gas station marketing special offers. Tactics The tobacco industry has used the following techniques to market their products with great success. Many laws have restricted how tobacco products can be marketed, but recently we have seen a return of the same old tactics with the introduction of e-cigarettes to the market. See Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids blog post “7 Ways E-Cigarette Companies Are Copying Big Tobacco’s Playbook” http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/tobacco_unfiltered/post/2013_10_02_ecigarettes Celebrity Spokespeople The tobacco industry has used celebrities to endorse their products for decades. They use catchy slogans and beautiful people. Today the e-cigarette industry has returned to TV with celebrity endorsements from Stephen Dorff , Jenny McCarthy, and Courtney Love. Sex Appeal As always the tobacco industry uses images of beautiful women and rugged men to sell their products. Sponsorships (Music Festivals, Sports) For decades tobacco companies used sponsorships of sports and entertainment events, especially auto racing and music festivals, to promote cigarettes to huge audiences, including kids. Cigarette sponsorships are now banned, but e-cigarette brands have auto racing sponsorships of their own. Sweet Flavors A 2009 federal law banned fruit- and candy-flavored cigarettes that appeal to kids, but many other tobacco products (e.g. snus, cigars) and e-cigarette companies gleefully pitch similar flavors. Apollo Vapors, for example, offers Almond Joyee (“the candy bar taste without the calories!”), French Vanilla (“like biting into a deliciously sweet vanilla cupcake”) and Banana Cream (“yummy ambrosia of bananas and whipped cream”). Cartoons Cartoons like Joe Camel were banned because they appealed to kids, but the e-cigarette companies are using them again. The web site for blu eCigs has featured a cartoon pitchman named “Mr. Cool.” It was reminiscent of the Joe Camel cartoon character that so effectively marketed cigarettes to kids in the 1990s.

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Switch, Don’t Quit The tobacco industry used to encourage smokers concerned about their health to switch to “light”, low tar, low nicotine or filtered cigarettes and not to quit. Now the e-cigarette makers are encouraging smokers to switch from traditional cigarettes to their newer, cleaner products. Rebellion Smoking or using tobacco products has always been advertised as a way to show your independence, set yourself and apart and rebel against rules (and your parents). As more and more restrictions on where you can smoke cigarettes go into effect, other tobacco products and e-cigarettes advertise how they can be used anywhere to exert your freedom.

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Policies that Work Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify the three most successfully implemented tobacco control policies, progress made, and work left undone.

Supplies List

Stripes of paper with tobacco industry myths. Map of smoke-free states and cities in the

US: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0332.pdf Map of state cigarette tax

rates: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0222.pdf Tobacco-Prevention Spending vs. State Tobacco

Revenues: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0219.pdf Time: 30-45 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

The three most effective tobacco control policies that advocates have used to prevent people from starting to use tobacco and encouraging current tobacco users to quit are tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws, and state tobacco prevention programs.

Raising taxes on cigarettes reduces smoking, especially among youth and low income people because it makes the product more expensive and less affordable. Raising taxes also creates a new reliable source of state revenue. The current federal cigarette tax is $1.01 and state taxes range from $0.17 in Missouri to $4.35 in New York. In addition, some cities and counties have their own tobacco taxes.

Smoke free laws encourage smokers to quit, discourage youth from starting and protect people from secondhand smoke. 30 states and hundreds of cities across the country have already passed smoke-free laws.

State tobacco prevention programs work to reduce smoking, save lives and save money. Prevention programs work best when they are comprehensive, well-funded, sustained over a long period of time, free of tobacco industry influence and address high-risk and diverse populations. A comprehensive program should include statewide and community elements, public education efforts, help smokers quit and monitor change over time. Unfortunately, only a handful of states fund high quality programs at recommended levels.

Other policies include: Advertising restrictions (e.g. Point-of-sale restrictions), warning labels (e.g. graphic earning labels), product standards (e.g. reducing levels of nicotine).

Instructions

We have lots of evidence that these policies work, yet many states still allow smoking in public places, have low tobacco taxes and don’t fund prevention programs. The tobacco industry has made up a lot of myths as to why states shouldn’t implement these policies. It is your turn to tell the tobacco industry how wrong they are.

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Pass out industry myths to participants. Participants will take turns standing up and saying “X policy (they can pick one of the three) reduces tobacco use, saves money and saves lives.” Then, another participant will give the tobacco industry myth used against that policy and the first person has to refute the claim. Other participants can help if the person is unsure of how to refute the claim. There may be multiple correct answers.

o Ex. Participant A: “Tobacco taxes reduce tobacco use, save money and save lives”

o Participant B: “Cigarette taxes hurt poor people” o Participant A: “Actually it is the other way around; being addicted to tobacco

products is expensive and causes health problems that can interfere with your ability to work and can result in high doctors’ bills, etc.”

Next, use the maps to examine which policies are working in your state and the states around you. Discuss why this might be the case and what can be done to improve tobacco policies in your state, county or city.

Additional Activity: Research your own state or local tobacco control policies and propose a new policy that will help saves lives. Have participants make a presentation or write a letter or op/ed and submit it to local policymakers.

Resources

Tobacco Taxes: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/facts_issues/fact_sheets/policies/tax/ Smoke-Free Laws and Secondhand

Smoke: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/facts_issues/fact_sheets/policies/secondhand_smoke/

State Tobacco Prevention Programs: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/facts_issues/fact_sheets/policies/prevention_us_state/

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Appendix: Tobacco Industry Myths v. The Truth Tobacco Industry Myth: Cigarette taxes hurt poor people

o The Truth: Actually it is the other way around; being addicted to tobacco products is expensive and causes health problems that can interfere with your ability to work and can result in high doctors’ bills. Low-income smokers are the most likely to quit or cut back on smoking because of a tax increase, so they are the most likely to benefit from increased taxes.

Tobacco Industry Myth: Cigarette taxes will hurt the economy and people who sell tobacco because stores will sell less cigarettes

o The Truth: If smokers quit they will have more money to spend on other products that will contribute more to the economy. Economic studies have shown that less smoking saves money for states because healthcare costs decrease.

Tobacco Industry Myth: State Legislators cannot vote for tobacco tax increases if they have taken a “no-new taxes pledge”

o The Truth: A strong majority of voters support tobacco tax increases. Legislators have a responsibility to protect their constituents, not the tobacco companies.

Tobacco Industry Myth: What’s next, raising taxes on fatty foods? Raising cigarette taxes is just the first step in the public health Nazi’s plan to tax everything that is bad for you.

o The Truth: Tobacco products are in a class of their own. There is no other legal product, that when used as directed addicts and kills you. We need to do everything we can to reduce tobacco use.

Tobacco Industry Myth: Cigarette taxes don’t actually reduce youth smoking (or any smoking)

o The Truth: Of course they do! If they didn’t the tobacco industry wouldn’t oppose them so strongly. Scientific research and real life experience has shown us that taxes are effective in reducing youth smoking.

Tobacco Industry Myth : Smoke-Free Laws harm business at restaurants and bars o There is no evidence to support this claim, experience shows that smoke-free laws

don’t impact business, or may even have a small benefit. In fact, most employees of bars and restaurants support smoke-free laws to protect themselves from secondhand smoke.

Tobacco Industry Myth: Public places don’t need to be totally smoke-free, better ventilation is all that is needed.

o The Truth: The only way to protect people from the health risks of secondhand smoke is banning smoking. Ventilation technology does not work!

Tobacco Industry Myth: Secondhand smoke is not really that big of a deal o The Truth: Nearly 50,000 Americans die each year from secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke is a known cause of lung cancer, heart disease, chronic lung ailments and other health problems. The evidence is clear and overwhelming.

Tobacco Industry Myth: Implementing smoke-free laws are more trouble than they are worth

o The Truth: Most states that have implemented smoke-free laws have done so with ease and most businesses are happy with the change.

Tobacco Industry Myth: Smoke-free laws discriminate against smokers

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o The Truth: Smokers have the right to smoke, but nonsmokers and employees have the right to breathe clean air. Smokefree laws actually encourage smokers to quit and increase their success rates.

Tobacco Industry Myth: The tobacco industry cares about preventing youth smoking and has its own youth prevention campaigns.

o The Truth: Research has shown these campaigns are not effective and may even encourage youth to try tobacco. They are just fronts to try to convince policy makers not to enact programs that actually work.

Tobacco Industry Myth: Using tobacco is a decision responsible adults can make on their own. States shouldn’t interfere with this.

o The Truth: The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars a year advertising their products and even though they claim not to market to kids, their tactics often appeal to youth. In fact, 90% of adult smokers start smoking in their teens. Tobacco use impacts us all and states need to support programs that save lives and money.

Myth: Prevention programs are too expensive o The Truth: Prevention programs actually save money by reducing or eliminating

costs associated with tobacco use, like healthcare costs paid for by state programs such as Medicaid. When states invest in high quality programs they actually improve health and save money

Myth: Public health programs cannot compete with the tobacco industry that spends almost $1 million per hour on promoting their products

o The Truth: Even though the tobacco industry has more money, we know that comprehensive prevention programs work to save lives and money.

Myth: States don’t need prevention programs; they should just raise tobacco taxes. o The Truth: Combining tobacco taxes with smoke free laws and prevention

programs is the most effective route to prevent death and disease from tobacco products. Experience shows us that when taxes go up, people want help quitting; states need to be prepared with well-funded quit lines and other support.

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Laws & Courts Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify the major pieces of legislation and litigation influencing tobacco control and what restrictions and requirements each impose.

Supplies List

Placard for each piece of legislation or litigation. Can be printed/written on paper or construction paper and affixed to a wall or board, or can be written on a chalkboard/white board.

Slips of paper with one detail of the legislation or legal case. Tape/push pins or mechanism to affix placards and slips of paper to wall or board.

Time: 45-60 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

Legislation and litigation are two important tools that tobacco control advocates can use to fight Big Tobacco. Over the past few decades the tobacco control movement has had some major successes in this area. It is important for youth advocates to understand what laws and regulations are already in place and what areas still need to be addressed.

What is legislation? Legislation refers to laws that have been passed by a governing body. For example, a US Senator may introduce a bill that may eventually become law if the US Senate, the US House of Representatives and the US President approve it. Laws can be made through the legislative process at many levels of government, including the Federal level (US Congress), State level, and Local level (District/County level and City/Town level). Since the 1960s there have been a number of important pieces of tobacco control legislation introduced, passed and implemented as law.

What is litigation? Litigation refers to legal action in a court of law, such as a lawsuit. For example, individuals, groups of people, states and the US government have all sued tobacco companies in court claiming that they somehow violated the law. Although there have been many unsuccessful lawsuits against the tobacco companies over the past half century, there have been a few monumental cases that have bolstered the tobacco control movement. The tobacco industry has also sued individuals, the US government and countries around the world to stop them from regulating tobacco products.

Instructions

Cut strips of paper with one fact each and distribute to the participants. Facts can be distributed to individuals, or a group of participants can work together, depending on the number of participants.

Allow time for individuals or groups to match each fact to the appropriate heading, then invite them to affix their fact under the correct heading (with tape/push pin). Depending on available time, individual facts can be discussed as they are put up, or all can be put up at once and then discussed. Note: there are some facts that do not fall under any heading.

If there are any mistakes give participants the opportunity to debate and correct them.

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Discussion should follow to review each heading and the correct facts and any questions that arise.

Additional Activity: Research a local or state level legal case either against the tobacco industry or against the government. Present findings in class.

Resources

Tobacco Control Legislation overview: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/by_topic/policy/legislation/

Master Settlement Agreement overview: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0057.pdf

RICO/DOJ overview: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/content/what_we_do/industry_watch/doj/FinalOpinionSummary.pdf

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Appendix I: Headings & Facts Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965

Required package warning label—"Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health" (other health warnings prohibited)

Required no labels on cigarette advertisements (in fact, implemented a three-year prohibition of any such labels)

Required the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report to Congress annually on the effectiveness of cigarette labeling, current cigarette advertising and promotion practices, and to make recommendations for legislation

Required Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) to report annually to Congress on the health consequences of smoking

Master Settlement Agreement (MSA)

A legal agreement between the 4 major US tobacco companies and 46 US States Signed in 1998 Prohibits marketing to youth Limits giving away free samples of cigarettes Eliminates transit ads and billboards Limits brand sponsorship

Department of Justice (DOJ)/ RICO Lawsuit

The US Government sued the major US tobacco companies under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Case began in 1999 and lasted almost 7 years Case found that “Defendants Have Falsely Denied, Distorted and Minimized the

Significant Adverse Health Consequences of Smoking for Decades” Required tobacco companies to make corrective statements about the health risks of

smoking and secondhand smoke. Case found that “From the 1950s to the Present, Different Defendants, at Different Times

and Using Different Methods, Have Intentionally Marketed to Young People Under the Age of Twenty-One in Order to Recruit “Replacement Smokers” to Ensure the Economic Future of the Tobacco Industry”

Family Smoking and Prevention Tobacco Control Act

Passed by the US Congress in 2009 Provides the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate products that

contain tobacco for the first time in history Prohibits reduced-harm claims including light, low, or mild Bans sale of flavored cigarettes (except menthol) Requires bigger, bolder warning labels for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products

including new, graphic images on cigarette packs Requires tobacco companies to disclose information on ingredients and additives

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None

Prohibits corporate sponsorship Prohibits tobacco brand websites Prohibits magazine advertising Bans sale of flavored tobacco products Regulates e-cigarettes

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Global Deceit Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify deceptive practices used by the tobacco industry globally as well as diverse policy responses.

Supplies List

Pieces of paper with country description Pieces of paper with tobacco company description World map large enough to attach pieces of paper/projection of world map, or a written

list of countries and companies Time: 45-60 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

Nearly 6 million people die each year worldwide from tobacco use. 80% of smokers live in low- and middle-income countries. Smoking rates in some countries are nearly as high as 40% overall and 70% among men. While smoking rates have declined greatly over the past 50 years in the US, the tobacco

industry is more aggressively targeting its deadly products to people in low- and middle-income countries where people can least afford the cost of the products, let alone the huge expense of the health and death toll it brings. Tobacco companies are using the same tactics that they once used in the US, but are now illegal here.

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was negotiated in 2003 and has been ratified by 177 countries (the US has signed on, but not ratified). It provides countries with recommended tobacco control policies and is the first global health treaty ever.

Some countries have aggressively fought the tobacco industry and have adopted tobacco control policies more restrictive than the US to achieve low smoking rates.

Instructions

If participants have no background in global tobacco control they may want to review the TFK and WHO websites (see Resources) to prepare before the activity.

Pass out country statements and tobacco company descriptions on pieces of paper to participants and ask them to match the statement/company description to the correct country/tobacco company name. Discuss the tobacco industry tactic or policy solution mentioned.

Discussion questions o Which policy solutions seem most important in fighting the global tobacco

epidemic? o Which tobacco industry activities make you the maddest? What can you do about

it?

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Additional Activity: Ask participants to choose a country and research the current status of tobacco control in that country, including current smoking rates, tobacco control policies and tobacco industry bad acts.

Resources

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids International: http://global.tobaccofreekids.org/en/ World Health Organization, Tobacco: http://www.who.int/topics/tobacco/en/

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Appendix: Countries of Interest & The Global Tobacco Industry Country Descriptions Australia First country in the world to implement plain packaging, decreasing brand appeal of packs by requiring that they all have the same drab brown paper and large graphic health warnings covering 83% of packaging and no brand imagery or colors. As a result this country was sued by the tobacco industry. Their adult smoking rate is 16.3%. Ireland This European country was the first in the world to go totally smoke free, including restaurants and pubs, in 2004. Since then 34 countries have implemented 100% indoor smoke-free policies. Smoking rate is 22% Brazil This South American country was the first to ban misleading terms such as “light” and “low-tar”. Tobacco products must carry graphic health warnings covering 100% of the back side and 100% of one side of the package. Adult smoking rate is 17.5%. Canada This friendly neighbor was the first country to implement graphic health warnings in 2001. Since then, over 30 countries have implemented graphic health warnings. Costa Rica An important market in Central America. A strong public advocacy campaign was able to successfully combat political interference from the tobacco industry and pass the comprehensive smoke free laws in 2012. Mexico In 2009 Philip Morris International violated tobacco control laws by using international and local music stars to promote Marlboro at an annual music festival. In response local and international advocacy groups spoke out and the concert was not rescheduled in 2010 after the country enforcement agency informed PMI that the concert was illegal. Uruguay This South American country was sued by PMI under a bilateral investment treaty for its laws increasing the size of warning labels on boxes and limiting the number of variations of each brand. The tobacco industry has brought may suits against countries trying to implement stronger laws claiming that they violate international trade agreements, causing countries to fear passing stronger laws. Indonesia A growing market dominated by clove flavored cigarettes with very weak tobacco control policies. 67% of males and 4.5% of females smoke, including 41% of boys age 13-15, a result of early socialization to think that smoking is normal and socially acceptable.

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India A growing market dominated by smokeless tobacco and locally hand-rolled smoking products in the form of bidis. A popular prospect for the tobacco industry given the countries huge population and increasing disposable income. Russia In 2009 this Eastern European country was the largest market worldwide for slim cigarettes targeting women and girls. An estimated 60% of men and 22% of women smoke. In 2013 they passed a compressive tobacco control law which includes 100% smoke-free regulations and severely limits tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Panama This Central American country is one of just a few countries that has banned all advertising of tobacco products, including at the point of sale (think convenience store windows and counters). In 2008 the smoking rate among youth 13-15 was 4.3%. Additional countries that have point of sale advertising bans include Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway and Palau. China Largest cigarette market in the world, with smoking rates as high as 53% among men. Government has ratified the FCTC, but tobacco control progress is hindered because the government also owns the largest tobacco company in the world. Madagascar One of just a dozen other countries that has tobacco product tax rates greater than 75% of the retail price of the product. The only country in African to meet this recommended level.

Global Tobacco Industry China National Tobacco Corporation The world’s single largest producer of cigarettes, serving the largest domestic tobacco market in the world and owned and operated by the government of that country. Phillip Morris International Second most profitable tobacco company in the world, selling 7 of the top 15 brands, including Marlboro. Spun off from US parent company Altria in 2008. British American Tobacco Operates in 180 countries with a strong presence in Africa. Top selling brands include Pall Mall, Kent, Lucky Strike and Dunhill. 3rd largest tobacco company in the world. Japan Tobacco Government of this country holds 33% stake in the company and is the 4th largest tobacco company in the world. Top brands include Winston, Mild Seven, and Camel. Recently bought a tobacco company in Sudan.

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Imperial Tobacco UK company with a focus in emerging markets like Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia. 5th largest tobacco company in the world. Note: Print or write country names and tobacco industry names below as large headings and distribute descriptions above separately Australia Ireland Brazil Canada Costa Rica Mexico Uruguay Indonesia India Russia Panama China Madagascar China National Tobacco Corporation Phillip Morris International British American Tobacco Japan Tobacco Imperial Tobacco

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Advocacy 101 Learning Objectives

Participants will understand what advocacy is, why it is important, how it contributes to social justice and the important role that youth advocates play.

Supplies List

Flipchart or board where you can write participant responses Slips of paper with examples of activities

Time: 45-60 minutes depending on depth of discussion.

Introduction Advocacy is an important form of civic engagement that tobacco control youth advocates

must understand. There are many ways to define advocacy, but we like this definition: Advocacy is a set of targeted actions directed at decision makers in support of a specific policy issue.

Many of the activities that youth advocates do are educational in nature. These activities are very important to increase personal knowledge and awareness about the addictiveness and health harms of tobacco products. However, they are not advocacy activities if they do not meet the criteria above including 1) targeted action, 2) decision makers and 3) specific policy issue. Many educational activities can become advocacy activities when participants intentionally address the three criteria above.

Advocacy is an important act of civic engagement that contributes to social justice. Social justice is the view that everyone deserves fair and equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Tobacco control is a social justice issue because the tobacco industry spends billions of dollars marketing an addictive and deadly product in a way that makes it seem safe and appealing. They target those that can least afford the cost of the product and the cost of the health impact smoke the most, including youth, people with lower income, less educated, the homeless and those with mental illness.

Youth advocates are powerful and effective voices in the fight against tobacco use. They educate their peers and send potent messages to lawmakers about the need to protect children from tobacco addiction. They serve as a new generation of young leaders who will continue the fight against tobacco until the job is done.

Instructions What is advocacy brainstorming

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o Write the word “Advocacy” at the top of a flipchart/board and ask participants to brainstorm words that come to mind when they think of advocacy.

o Write the definition of advocacy (see Appendix) on the flipchart/board and discuss.

o Ask participants to give examples of advocacy activities that they have participated in or seen. Remember the three criteria from the definition above:

Targeted Actions Decision Makers Specific Policy Issue

Is this advocacy? o Pass out slips of paper with examples of activities that tobacco control advocates

might participate in and determine if each activity is an example of advocacy and why/how. Refer to the definition given if there is uncertainty. If an activity is NOT an example of advocacy, might there be ways to make it into one?

What is social justice? o Assign the “Tobacco as a Social Justice Issue” article written by Dr. Cheryl

Healton, the first President & CEO of Legacy, to participants ahead of time. Alternatively, pass out the excerpt in the Appendix and give participants a few minutes to read it.

o Repeat the instructions above for “What is advocacy brainstorming” for Social Justice.

o Discuss how tobacco control is a social justice issue based on the ideas generated in class, the definition provided and the Healton article.

Discuss why advocacy is important in the tobacco control movement and how it can contribute to social justice? Why are youth advocates important? How do we respond to the argument that “it is an individual decision to smoke and everybody knows smoking is bad for you, so advocacy is not important?”

Additional Activity: Find inspiring articles or stories of examples of advocacy or social justice work on any topic and discuss how it can be applied to tobacco control.

Resources Center for Lobbying in the Public

Interest: http://clpi.org/images/stories/content_img/Make_a_Difference_RG[1].pdf Reversal of Misfortune: Viewing Tobacco as a Social Justice

Issue http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448227/pdf/0940186.pdf

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Appendix: Definitions, Is this Advocacy? and Tobacco Control as a Social Justice Issue

Definitions Advocacy is a set of targeted actions directed at decision makers in support of a specific policy issue.

Social justice is the view that everyone deserves fair and equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Assuring the protection of equal access to liberties, rights, and opportunities in society.

Is this Advocacy? Each year tobacco control youth advocates visit the US Capitol to talk to their Senators

and Representatives about why we need to do more to curb youth tobacco use o Advocacy: This is advocacy because federal decision makers are being asked to

take action to curb youth tobacco use. A group of students are sick of seeing cigarette butts all over their high school campus so

they go to the principal to propose a solution to the problem o Advocacy: This is advocacy because students are speaking to decision makers at

school to take action regarding a situation they are not happy with. A group of community members meet with the town mayor to discuss a smoke-free parks

ordinance o Advocacy: This is advocacy because community members are meeting with the

town decision maker to promote an ordinance that would make parks smoke free You are appalled that your favorite singer is touring the globe sponsored by a tobacco

company so you tweet about it o Not Advocacy: This is not direct advocacy, but could become advocacy if the

tweet is able to reach the decision makers (ie. the singer or his/her manager). If you encouraged your friends or other fans to also speak out and contact the singer and the message “goes viral” you may be able to influence their future decisions and it would be considered advocacy.

A group of gas stations opposes increased taxes because they say it will hurt their business if cigarette sales go down, so they write a letter of complaint to their state representatives

o Advocacy: This is advocacy because a group of gas stations is writing to their state decision makers urging them to oppose a proposed policy

The e-cigarette industry doesn’t think it should be regulated so they publish ads in big newspapers talking about how good they are and are not like the tobacco industry

o Not Advocacy: This is not direct advocacy because the average reader of the newspaper is not a decision maker who can decide if e-cigarettes should be regulated. However, if newspaper readers were convinced by the ads and decided

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to contact their representatives to express their opinion on e-cigarette regulation that would be advocacy.

Your health class is organizing a booth at a local health fair to educate middle schoolers about the health harms of smoking and using other tobacco products

o Not Advocacy: This is education, which is very important, but not advocacy. Decision makers are not being targeted regarding specific policy issues. If the health fair included signing a petition to pass a tobacco free school policy that would be presented to the school administration, that would be a form of advocacy.

Your youth leadership group organizes a community event to educate the public about how many people die every day from tobacco products by laying out shoes on the lawn to represent people that are no longer with us

o Not Advocacy: This is an educational, awareness raising activity, but it is not targeting decision makers to take action to change a policy. If the event included passing out cards with the information to call your local representative to ask them to support a tobacco tax increase bill that had been introduced, this would be advocacy.

Your doctor asks you if you smoke during your high school physical and warns you that you shouldn’t start because it is addictive and bad for your health

o Not Advocacy: This is education, and encouragement for personal behavior change, but does influence decision makers to change policies.

You write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper speaking out against the tactics of big tobacco to market their products to kids

o Not Advocacy: If you are not supporting any specific policy change this is not advocacy. If you sent the article to a decision maker that had influence over advertising practices then it would be advocacy.

When you get to college you are amazed by all the people who smoke so you yell at people whenever you smell smoke

o Not Advocacy: This is not advocacy, and may not even be education if you are not communicating your message well. If you formed a student group and advocated for a tobacco free college campus then it would be advocacy.

You post articles written about tobacco industry bad acts on your facebook page o Not Advocacy: This is an important awareness spreading tool, but it is not

advocacy. If you included a link so that your friends could click and submit their comments to the appropriate decision makers then it would be advocacy.

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Tobacco Control as a Social Justice Issue “Those of us in public health don’t normally see ourselves as crusaders for social justice. But we are. The tobacco industry might like us to believe that tobacco use is a lifestyle choice of the rich and famous only made by adults. It spends $34 million a day to market and promote its products in the United States and has succeeded in addicting those who have the least information about the health risks of smoking, the fewest resources, the fewest social supports, and the least access to cessation services. Tobacco use is not an equal opportunity killer, and the link between smoking and low income and lower levels of education cannot be overemphasized. Americans below the poverty line have a smoking prevalence 60 percent higher than those at or above the poverty line. Research shows that the poor are more likely to smoke, less likely to quit and more likely to lose their lives to lung cancer. I can tell you that in some poor communities, buying your own cigarettes is a status symbol – showing that you have disposable income. In the meantime, many low-income men and women addicted to nicotine must choose between buying cigarettes and purchasing family necessities. Their children, in turn, are more likely to grow up to be smokers, because they see their parents smoke. A smoking parent is a walking billboard for the tobacco industry. And while many youth try smoking for other reasons – peer pressure, glamorization in film, rebelliousness and for the thrill of trying something new and dangerous — tobacco still finds its way into the homes of the poor.”

Excerpt from: Tobacco as a Social Justice Issue, by Cheryl Healton. Available at: http://www.legacyforhealth.org/content/download/2830/43307/file/LEG-Social%20Justice%20Brochure-WEB_052313.pdf

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Storytelling Learning Objectives

Participants will identify and learn how to tell their own story related to tobacco control by connecting to what is honest and significant about their life experiences and telling it in a compelling way.

Supplies List

Copies of Tell Your Story questions & Storytelling Tips

Time: 60 minutes Introduction

Storytelling is a powerful way to communicate your message. We hear lots of facts and arguments, but often it is a personal story that grabs our attention. Stories mobilize emotions that urge us to take action.

Everybody has a story. The trick is drawing it out and learning to tell it to get others to act. Some people have very serious stories, like a family member who died from smoking, others have fun stories, like “…they were offering free pizza so I decided to go and ended up the group president four years later.” All stories are meaningful and important.

Having the skills and confidence to tell your story in a compelling and articulate way is vital not only to work in tobacco control advocacy, but to all aspects of life.

Instructions

Start with a stream of consciousness activity: Ask participants to take three minutes to write 40 words that come to mind when they think about tobacco and their work in tobacco control advocacy. When the three minutes is up ask participants to look through their list and circle any words that seem the most important, or seem to stand out.

Instruct participants to individually reflect on the questions in the “Tell Your Story” appendix silently and jot down notes.

Ask participants to get into small groups and share their answers with one another. Allow time for discussion and further questions within the group to generate ideas.

Share Storytelling Tips found in the Appendix. Ask the group if they have any additional tips for creating a powerful story.

Ask participants to again work alone in silence to continue to develop their story. Then work in pairs to take turns telling the story. Stories should be 3-5 minutes.

Ask for 2-3 volunteers to tell their story in front of the group. Offer constructive advice. If you are working with a group of students that will continue to work together as a

cohesive group, attempt to tell your collective story by adapting the questions in the appendix to replace “I” with “we”. Use this story when one or more of the group members is speaking on behalf of the whole group.

Additional Activity: Continue to develop a 3-5 minute story and practice with 1-2 people. Try to develop a version that can be told in 1 minute. Think of this as the “elevator

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speech”, what you would tell somebody if they asked you on floor 1 what you were doing and you had to tell them the whole story by the time you got off on floor 12. Share how it went with the other participants.

Resources Community Expressions: http://digitalexploration.org/2011/06/23/workshop-to-go-

storytelling-for- community-planning/ Workshops 350: http://workshops.350.org/toolkit/story/ Youth Advocates of the Year National Award Winner 2012 Video:

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/what_we_do/youth_initiatives/gala/past_winners#Glissmeyer

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Appendix: Tell Your Story When somebody asks you about working as a youth advocate in tobacco control what do you tell them? What if a reporter asks you what you do and you have one minute to answer…do you have something to say? What if you uncle who smokes asks you…what will you tell him? Use the following questions to help tell your story. You may not always use all of them, but they can help you get started. I first became involved in tobacco control as a youth advocate because… I continue to work in tobacco control as a youth advocate because… It is important for me to fight big tobacco because… I have been personally affected by tobacco… Working as a youth advocate has changed my life by… By working in tobacco control I hope to accomplish… One of the most memorable experiences I have had in this fight is… The most challenging thing that I have been through as a youth advocate is… The thing I am most proud of is… My friends think that I am… My family thinks that I am… I envision a world where…

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Appendix: Storytelling Tips

1. Your story should matter 2. Your story should aim for depth rather than breadth 3. Your story should be about you 4. Your story should be honest 5. Your story should portray your emotional point of view at the time of the events 6. Use specific sensory details that paint a picture 7. The storytelling process should reveal something to you that you didn’t see before

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Leadership Learning Objectives

Participants will understand the importance of leadership, work to identify their own leadership role and contemplate what leadership looks like in their group

Supplies List

Leadership scenarios Time: 45-60 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

Young people play a key role in reducing the harmful effects of tobacco in their communities and beyond. Strong and effective leadership among youth advocates is a vital component of the tobacco control movement.

Engaging in youth advocacy builds confidence and leadership and enables young people to engage in real world change.

Strong, equal partnerships between youth and adults can lead to important policy change. All youth involved in tobacco control play an important role, regardless of whether they

are the group president or the faithful member that always pull their weight but is never in the spotlight.

Instructions

Have participants brainstorm characteristics of a leader as a group and record responses on a flip chart or board. Do the same with characteristics that are the opposite of a leader.

o Ex. Leader: Confident, inspiring, strong communicator, good listener, etc. o Ex. Opposite of a leader: selfish, anti-social, poor listener, etc.

Discuss characteristics your group recorded, then write a definition as a group and post it where it will be visible.

Distribute leadership scenarios to small groups. Ask a group member to read the scenario and discuss the questions. Then, as a large group pick one or two scenarios to be read to the entire group and discuss the questions.

Have participants brainstorm different leadership styles, roles and responsibilities and record responses on a flip chart or board. Emphasize that all roles are important and leadership comes in many different forms.

o Ex. Leadership responsibilities: Directing, Coaching, Supporting, Delegating o Ex. Leadership roles: Motivator, Energizer, Exemplar, Communicator, Agitator,

Visionary, Conflict Resolver o Ex. Leadership styles: Authoritative, hierarchical, manipulative, participatory,

empowering, democratic, horizontal Discuss: What does leadership look like in our group? What are the formal (i.e.

established positions, elected roles) and informal rolls (i.e. assumed roles)? What are the roles of youth and adult leaders? Are there roles that are not being filled? Can we improve our leadership abilities?

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Additional Activity: Ask participants to think about their own role and goals within the group. Identify somebody in their life that they consider a leader and interview them to learn about their leadership style, what makes him/her a strong leader and past success and failures. Participants can then present lessons learned to the group.

Resources

CDC Best Practices User Guide: Youth Engagement: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/bp_userguide_youth/pdfs/youth_engagement.pdf

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Appendix: Leadership Scenarios

Aire Puro Campaign in Honduras Aire Puro began with a small group of idealistic Honduran students and young professionals, and one advisor from the Sierra Club in North America. The group found that vehicular emissions were at the top of public complaints, so they decided to focus on a campaign for unleaded gasoline, which the Honduran government had previously promised to introduce, to no effect. The single most important key to Aire Puro’s early success was the quick discovery of volunteer leaders. At meetings, leaders would frequently persuade new arrivals to take on tasks, which in other organizations, would have been reserved for the experienced. Many first-time visitors found this practice discomforting-but this attrition was also part of selection. Offering responsibilities to new recruits from the very beginning tended to weed out the uncommitted and to select for highly motivated, self-assured persons who expressed their opinions openly and accepted only those tasks which they intended to carry out. It sifted out those potential leaders who spoke convincingly during meetings but who fell short when it came time to do the real work, and thus avoided those who preferred to command rather than contribute equally. When the Minister of Economy finally announced the importation of unleaded gasoline in 1995, he publicly thanked Aire Puro “for the pressure.” –Adapted from “Workbook: On Using Advocacy Tools to Strengthen Social Justice Advocacy” Discussion Questions: What are the benefits and drawbacks of this approach? How is responsibility distributed in your group? How are new participants treated? How do you deal with those who talk big, but fail to deliver? ESPN Winter Games In 2003, Lorillard tobacco company sponsored the ESPN Winter X-Games event in Aspen, Colorado, to promote its “Tobacco is Whacko, If You’re a Teen!” campaign. Once Get R!EAL learned of the industry presence at the event, more than 40 youth from around the state headed to Aspen to confront Lorillard. The advocates, wearing “We Don’t Buy It!” sweatshirts, took two approaches: 1) confront the tobacco industry about its anti-smoking youth campaign; and 2) educate event participants about youth smoking prevention initiatives funded by the tobacco companies. Less than an hour after the youth advocates arrived at the event, local law enforcement told the Get R!EAL youth to leave the event, stop handing out their materials, and remove their sweatshirts. The advocates did leave the event, but their efforts were not ignored. Shortly after the X-Games, local media learned the youth were kicked out of the event and it became news. Soon after, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, a national tobacco prevention and control group, responded to Lorillard’s presence at the event by launching a national fax campaign, which generated thousands of faxes to ESPN demanding they drop Lorillard as a sponsor. One year later, Lorillard was officially removed as a sponsor and ESPN invited Get R!EAL to the event to educate participants on the dangers of tobacco use. At the event, ESPN gave Get R!EAL and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a booth valued at over $50,000 to promote their message. –Adapted from “Youth Activism in Tobacco Control: A Toolkit for Action”-Legacy, 2009

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Discussion Questions: Who took leadership initiative? Why was it important that youth initiated the opposition? Which players were involved to contribute to the final outcome? Imagine your group was in this situation, what would you do the same or different? Youth-Adult Partnerships Adults often find it difficult to deal with young people’s “here and now” attitude and young people find it difficult to related to adults’ obsession with tomorrow. This is because adults tend to involve youth only in activities and tasks and not in the visioning and planning process. Work is delegated without sharing the vision behind the whole exercise. If youth are involved in envisioning and planning from stage one, it is easier for them to relate to long-term plans. Sometimes adults act as wet blankets when young people share their “great dreams”-which might look too idealistic for the die-hard pragmatist adult. Fresh dreams, however, are a critical resource that only the young (and young at heart) can dream. They are the life water of hope sometimes missing in the older generation. It might take a good deal of energy and time to help turn these hazy dreams into achievable goals, but it is worth it. Discussion Questions: How do you think adults view you as a leader? If this the way you would like to see perceived? How do you view adults involved in your group? How can youth in your group work most effectively with adults in your group and outside?

Nature v. Nurture ‘Leaders are born’ versus ‘leaders are made’: The ‘inherent leadership’ versus ‘developed leadership’ argument is one of the longest running in the book; some argue that leadership skills can be developed and promoted in any young person, given the right support – though not everyone will become a leader, nor will everyone want to be. Others aim to hone skills in talented young people who are already predisposed to be leaders, arguing that the focus on making leaders of all young people has led to the watering-down of youth leadership programs and an inability to define what leadership is and how leaders should be developed. It is important to point out the truth in both arguments: all young people can develop leadership skills, but there are indeed some young people who have exceptional personal gifts for leadership. These two concepts need not be mutually exclusive; indeed, good youth leadership programs should provide the opportunity for all young people to learn and grow, while also encouraging and nurturing those with the talents and desire to do more.-Adapted from “Taking the Lead: Youth Leadership in Theory and Practice” by Lauren Kahn, Sarah Hewes and Rushanara Ali. Available at: http://youngfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Taking-the-Lead-October-2009.pdf Discussion Questions: Should everybody in your group act as a leader? Does everybody want to act as a leader? How does your group develop leadership in both those who are “natural” leaders and those who are “emerging” leaders?

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Media Learning Objectives

Participants will understand the importance of media in tobacco control advocacy and how to best utilize it

Supplies List

Good and Bad examples of media

Time: 45-60 minutes depending on how in-depth a discussion you have for each area. Introduction

Media coverage is an important component of any advocacy campaign and can be used to spread your message beyond those you can reach directly.

Earned media is coverage of your issue that you get for free, like when a journalist writes a story. In addition to having a reporter write a story, other forms of earned media include getting a letter-to-the-editor or Op-Ed published or being interviewed on the radio or on TV as part of a story. In contrast, paid media is buying advertising.

Youth advocates should be prepared to: o Create a press list & establish ongoing personal relationships with local media

establishments o Clarify your message and know what you want to say o Know your audience and tailor your message to them o Keep the drumbeat going to maintain coverage for your issue

Instructions

Lead a discussion by asking participants the following questions and recording answers on a flipchart or board:

o Where do people get news? Where do YOU get your information/news? Answer: Traditional media (e.g. newspapers, magazines, television, radio,

etc.) and Social media (e.g. Facebook, blogs, Twitter, YouTube, etc.). o How can each type of media be used for your purposes? What are the pros and

cons of each? Answer: Consider cost, time, difficulty, audience, etc.

o Why is it important to utilize media in advocacy work? Answer: To broaden your reach and deliver your message to more people

o What makes your utilization of media effective? Connecting with the right person to share your message Keep your audience in mind Have a clear, concise, consistent and accurate message Make sure to include: Who, What, When, Where, Why & How Know what you want and be persistent

Use the good and bad examples in the appendix to identify what makes a strong and weak media piece. Print the examples for the participants without the commentary, but retain it

Empowering Youth Advocates-39  

for your reference. First, review the bad example and identify weaknesses, then review the strong example and identify why it is effective.

Additional Activities: o Role play: Put participants in pairs for a mock phone conversation between a

journalist and an advocate. The advocate should call the journalist to pitch his/her event and the journalist should ask basic questions about the story (e.g. all the basic details, why is this something they should care about, etc.)

o Ask participants to draft a media piece of their choosing, such as a Letter to the Editor, press release, or blog post, identify an appropriate media outlet and submit it for publication. If your group is planning an upcoming event you should plan to prepare a press kit with a press release and polling info/report (if applicable). Be sure to include contact info for a spokesperson for the journalists to call!

Resources

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Media Center: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/media_center/

Kick Butts Day Media Guide: http://www.kickbuttsday.org/get_started/step_3/promote/

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Appendix: Good & Bad Examples of Media

Press Release-Bad Example

Tobacco is a Problem1

A group of local youth will be having an event on Kick Butts Day.2 At the event, the youth will educate their peers about the harms of tobacco. 3 It is a very important event.4 Youth in other cities will be holding similar events.

Tobacco companies spend a lot of money marketing their products to kids – a lot more than you might expect. That’s why there’s a problem.5

“We are really excited about this event,” said Suzy Smith, a high school senior. “We want everyone to come.”6

Tobacco use kills a lot of people every year.7 Come check out our event.8

                                                                                                                     1  True, but this isn’t news. Your title should make it clear what the newsworthy event is. 2 Not specific enough. What group? What if I don’t know what Kick Butts Day is? What kind of event is it? 3 Vague. Does not answer the who, what, when, where and WHY? 4 This isn’t factual. Just an opinion. 5 Need to provide specific facts. Get the numbers! Support your argument! 6 The quote is too generic and doesn’t tell you anything. Why is this issue something people should care about? 7 Again, you need to back up your argument with facts. 8 Too casual. Also out of nowhere. The journalist will understand that the press release is an invitation to cover your event. You don’t need to ask explicitly in the press release.    

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Press Release-Good Example FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: [DATE] CONTACTS: [NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS]9

Kids Will ‘Kick Butts’ on Wednesday, March 1910

Leaders Urged to Support Tobacco Prevention Initiatives11

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kids in your state will stand up against tobacco on March 19 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 19th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,200 events are planned across the United States. (See below for a list of local events.) Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and sponsored by United Health Foundation, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco use12. On Kick Butts Day, youth will encourage their peers to stay tobacco-free. They will also educate their communities about the dangers of tobacco and the tobacco industry’s harmful marketing practices.

This year on Kick Butts Day, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is highlighting the tobacco industry’s products and marketing that entice kids to use tobacco. According to the Federal Trade Commission, tobacco companies spend $8.5 billion a year – nearly $1 million each hour – to market cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products13.

“On Kick Butts Day, kids will stand up and reject Big Tobacco’s manipulative marketing,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “It’s also a chance for elected leaders to commit to protecting kids from tobacco through policies such as tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws and prevention programs.”14

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year.15

On Kick Butts Day, kids turn the tables on Big Tobacco with events that range from “They put WHAT in a cigarette!?” demonstrations to health fairs to rallies at state capitols.

                                                                                                                     9  Always include the date and contact information 10 Headline is short and to the point 11 Good: clear about what you want 12 Answers the “what?” 13 Bolster your argument with facts. 14 Provide a quote from an expert/someone of authority 15 Answers why this is important.    

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For a full list of Kick Butts Day events, visit http://www.kickbuttsday.org/. Additional information about tobacco, including state-by-state statistics, can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.16

                                                                                                                     16 Info to find out more

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Letter to the Editor-Good Example Dear Editor: As the Governor and Legislature seek to address North Carolina’s budget shortfall, some are proposing to cut funding for tobacco prevention programs that are funded by the Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF).17 While tough choices must be made to balance the budget, tobacco prevention remains one of the smartest investments North Carolina can make. Comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programs prevent kids from smoking, help adult smokers quit, and reduce health care costs associated with tobacco use18 – the No. 1 preventable cause of death in North Carolina. Every scientific authority that has studied the issue, including the Institute of Medicine, the CDC and the U.S. Surgeon General19, has concluded that when properly funded, implemented and sustained, tobacco prevention programs work. Because of the HWTF and the organizations it funds, there are 53,000 fewer youth smokers, the middle school smoking rate has been cut in half, and the high school smoking rate has been cut by one third, with the result that North Carolina currently has the lowest youth smoking rate in its history.20 Tobacco programs work, but they must be sustained over time; when states have cut funding for tobacco prevention programs, progress has stalled and even reversed. Tobacco prevention is a smart investment. It has been estimated that for every $1 spent by the HWTF in programs and services, $2.54 was generated in financial benefits. Abolishing a program that has such a high return on investment is unacceptable for financial reasons as well as ethical ones. The evidence is clear that tobacco prevention funding reduces smoking, saves lives, and saves money. Let your lawmakers know that you care about our state and our children. Support our efforts to keep the Health and Wellness Trust Fund.21 Concerned, Jane Doe http://www.ncallianceforhealth.org/Media/Tobacco/Letter%20Editor%20Tool%20Kit.pdf

                                                                                                                     17 Puts your issue in context. 18 Clear and concise message 19 Good use of respected authorities 20 Communicates clear benefits of program 21 Clear and reasonable “ask”  

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Letter to the Editor-Bad Example

Dear Editor:

As we celebrate the anniversary of women's right to vote y22, we need to draw attention to the effect of tobacco-related diseases on women.

Lung cancer is way worse than breast cancer as a leading killer of women, but breast cancer gets so much more attention.23

Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, which kills something24 like one of three women.

Babies born to women who smoke and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are at greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, and other chronic lung diseases. Pollution can also contribute to childhood asthma25.

It is not by accident that tobacco use has increased to the point of creating an epidemic among American women. Since the 1960s, tobacco advertising has linked women's liberation with smoking, beginning with "You've come a long way, baby," and now proclaiming that "It's a woman thing."

The tobacco companies also have developed slick advertising campaigns that glamorize smoking and that connect cigarettes with thinness. A report on tobacco advertising revealed that the tobacco industry spent $13.11 billion on advertising and promotion26. This represents a huge increase.27

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a number of publications that explain the risks of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke and the benefits of quitting. These include the Surgeon General's Report 28and a number of products based on these reports. CDC also has a community toolkit to help combat the problem of tobacco use among young girls and women, Dispelling the Myths About Smoking.

We ask that you help us promote legislation to prohibit marketing of tobacco products to women and girls. 29

Sincerely,

Clark County High School

                                                                                                                     22 Spelling and grammar errors are not acceptable 23 Casual language does not sound professional or credible 24 Precise facts are important, make sure you do your research! 25 Make sure to stick to one topic so you don’t confuse your readers. 26 During what period of time? 27 Increase compared to what? Be specific! 28 Be more specific, there are many Surgeon General’s Reports. 29 This is not a reasonable “ask” for a newspaper. Prohibiting marketing to women is not a recommended policy solution.

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Tips for Social Media

Facebook Post A good Facebook post uses an eye-catching

image, infographic, video or story that is relevant and consistent with your message.

Include an “ask” that gives visitors something to do, such as “like our page”, post their own photos, share with friends, etc.

Twitter Post

A good Tweet is timely and is part of a conversation. Twitter is all about what’s happening right now. Use relevant hashtags, tweet “at” – and reply to – other Twitter users.

Include jugular data (ie. hard hitting, impactful data that hits people).

Photo Submission

A picture is worth a thousand words; make sure you take advantage of them! A picture should have an impact, create an emotion and tell a story that is consistent with your message.

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Action Planning Learning Objectives

Participants will understand the importance of creating an action plan and know how to create an effective plan

Supplies List

Action Plan grid Examples of effective and ineffective plans

Time: 45-60 minutes Introduction

An action plan is a tool that can be used to clarify your vision and make sure you know what steps need to be taken to achieve it.

An action plan is important to keep any project organized and manageable by breaking a big goal into smaller steps. People don't plan to fail. Instead they fail to plan. A clear plan for the future is key to advocacy success.

All of your activities should contribute to achieving your vision and carrying out your mission. It is important to keep these in mind at all times.

Creating an action plan is a helpful way to start to plan, but it is not all you will need to do. You will likely need to create additional documents with task lists, detailed budgets, proposals, etc.

Instructions Lead a discussion to talk about what an action plan is and why it useful. Pass out or display the “ineffective example” action plan and ask participants to critique

it, identifying why it is weak and what could make it better. o Ex. No vision; activities do not contribute to mission; unrealistic time frames;

vague tasks; failure to recognize additional resources needed, etc. Review what makes a strong action plan, then show an example of an effective action

plan and ask participants to critique it o Ex. All tasks contribute to overall goals; SMART goals; realistic time frame, etc.

Put participants in groups and have them complete an action plan for a real or fictitious goal. Ask participants to share their action plans and critique them.

If your group is planning an event or has a goal in mind, complete an action plan as a group and use it to guide ongoing decisions and evaluation.

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Appendix: Action Plan Template & Examples Action Plan

Vision: A vision statement communicates what you want the world to look like. o Ex. The vision of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids: A future free of the death and

disease caused by tobacco. Mission: A mission statement defines the organization’s purpose and primary objectives.

o Ex. The mission of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids: We work to save lives by advocating for public policies that prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke.

Goals: Goals communicate what you would like to accomplish. A SMART goal is a goal that is Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

Activity: What activity will you carry out to work towards achieving your goals? If your goal is to achieve a Tobacco Free College Campus, activities might include 1) forming a student group 2) holding a town hall meeting to discuss the issue and gain support, 3) submitting a proposal to the school decision makers.

Tasks: Tasks include all of the smaller steps that need to be done to carry out the activity. Success Measures: How will you know that you have successfully achieved your

activity and made progress towards your goal? Timeframe: When will your activity take place and when to tasks need to be completed? Resources: What resources are required to carry out the activity? Which resources do

you already have? Which do you still need? Resources include people, time, locations, money, etc.

Reminder: All of your activities should contribute to achieving your vision and carrying out your mission. It is important to keep these in mind at all times.

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Youth Advocate Action Plan Vision:

Mission:

Activity 1:

Activity 2: Activity 3:

Goal (What do you want

to accomplish?)

Tasks (What will you need to do to achieve your

goal?)

Success Measures (How will you

know if you have achieved your

goal?)

Timeframe (How long will it take to achieve individual tasks and your overall

goal?)

Resources Identified

(What resources do you already

have?)

Resources Needed (What additional resources do you

need?)

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“Ineffective” Action Plan Vision: NA30

Mission: Pass smoke-free schools ordinance in our county31

Activity 1: 5K walk/run

Activity 2: Keep in touch with

legislators

Activity 3: Plan a tobacco

prevention day in elementary school

Goal (What do you

want to accomplish?)

Plan a Kick Butts Day event with my school.

With a 5K run in a public setting

Keep in touch with state legislators and my Senators

and Representatives in DC32

Plan a tobacco prevention day in my

old elementary school to educate younger kids

Tasks (What will you need to do to achieve your

goal?)

Location, plan displays, find a sponsor, promote event “guest” Marshall

with tobacco 33

Email/Write to Legislators every month and more

frequently when important issues arise. 34

Educate younger kids on tobacco effects 35

Success Measures

(How will you know if you have

achieved your goal?)

Increased participation 36 Completion of emails and replies

Attendance and interest by participants 37

Timeframe (How long will it take to achieve individual tasks and your overall

goal?)

Three weeks38 Over the next year 1 planning session39

                                                                                                                     30  A clear vision for the future helps guide actions 31 Good mission, but not connected to the activities 32 Nice idea, but what do you hope to accomplish by doing this? 33 Additional tasks will be necessary 34 Unrealistic and not specific enough. How many letters will be written? What will they be about? 35 Extensive coordination will be needed to plan this event. 36 Increased from what? Need to be more specific 37 How will you measure interest? 38 Will likely need more planning time than this. 39 Will need more planning time than this.  

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Resources Identified

(What resources do you already

have?)

Ciggy butt, wheel of sickness, pig lungs

Computer 40 Ciggy butt, pig lungs, wheel of sickness

Resources Needed

(What additional resources do you

need?)

New activities none41 Activities/games for younger age kids

                                                                                                                     40  What else will you need? 41 Additional resources will likely be needed  

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“Effective” Action Plan Vision: That members of our community educated about the harm of tobacco will be inspired to join in the anti-tobacco movement.

Mission: Raise awareness in our community about the harms of tobacco. 42

Activity 1: 5K walk/run

Activity 2: Letter Writing

Workshop & Party

Activity 3: Plan a tobacco

prevention day in elementary school

Goal43 (What do you want

to accomplish?)

Plan a 5K run as a Kick Butts Day event that

will be include at least 50 runners and 150 spectators to raise

awareness of the harms of big tobacco.

Host a letter writing workshop for at least 15

students to prepare them to write to their

representatives when important issues arise. Host

letter writing party when issue arises to educate

legislators of the harms of tobacco.

Plan a tobacco prevention day in my old elementary school

to help educate 90 youth about the dangers

of tobacco.

Tasks44 (What will you need

to do to achieve your goal?)

We will need to find a location, make sure we

have permits, have medical supplies/staff

on hand, make tee-shirts for the participants and make flyers that we can

hand out as we run.

Work with teachers to plan workshop, secure

classroom, invite students, and monitor current events

to be able to respond quickly when the need

arises.

We will need to talk to the school principal and teachers to plan the event. We will need some age appropriate and interactive activities and supplies to hand out.

Success Measures45

(How will you know if you have

achieved your goal?)

Increased # of participants from last

year (30 runners). Increased # of media outlets that cover our

event compared to last year (1 media outlet).

Number of students attending workshop.

Number of letters sent to legislators in a timely manner. Replies from

legislators.

We will know if we’ve been successful by quizzing the kids

before and after to see if they learned

someting. We will also know that we are

successful if we are asked back to speak

with the students again.

                                                                                                                     42  Vision, Mission and activities all tied together. 43 Goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely 44 More detailed and comprehensive task list 45 More concrete measures that can be used to gauge success  

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Timeframe46 (How long will it take to achieve

individual tasks and your overall goal?)

2-3 months Over the next year 4 months: A few planning sessions to

find materials and get organized and a few planning sessions to

practice what we will say to the kids/how our

presentation will go. Resources

Identified47 (What resources do you already have?)

Ciggy butt costume, wheel of sickness, pig lungs, 15 volunteers

from our group, school principal support

Classroom, teacher to run workshop, computers,

letter templates.

Ciggy butt costume, pig lungs, wheel of

sickness. Supportive former teacher.

Resources Needed48

(What additional resources do you

need?)

Funding for supplies, support from school

security team, equipment for race

(signs, route markers, chairs, tables, etc.)

Envelopes, stamps, addresses of legislators

Something to make the new activities

interactive. Any classroom supplies we

might need. Transportation to

school.

                                                                                                                     46  More realistic time frames 47 Better identification of the resources already available 48 More realistic idea of what resources still need to be acquired

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Plan Your Campaign Learning Objectives

Participants will think about all the steps to planning an ongoing and focused campaign designed to change policy

Supplies List

Paper to record notes Time: 60 minutes or longer, may need to be re-visited over many sessions Introduction

Tobacco control youth advocates are an important part of the greater tobacco control movement. Their ability to carry out relevant and effective campaigns will impact the whole movement. A well planned campaign will maximize potential for success.

Throughout these activities, participants have gained a great deal of knowledge and skills. Now it is time to bring it all together and create a clear vision of what can be accomplished to reduce death and disease caused by tobacco products.

A strong plan and vision for the future will help guide decision making, but groups need to remain flexible, reflect on successes and failures and adapt when necessary.

Instructions

ACT ON analysis can help groups assess their advocacy capacity and external environment. Divide participants into 4 groups and ask each group to focus on a different letter (Advantages, Challenges, Threats, Opportunities,). Each group should write down attributes of the group for each category. Then, have each group present to the larger group and add anything that did not get covered. As a group come up with Next Steps based on perceived advantages, challenges, threats and opportunities.

Campaign Planning: There are 5 sections of the planning process outlined in the appendix. Divide participants in 5 groups and have each group take a section. They should discuss the questions and record their notes. If your group created an Action Plan or worked on storytelling these should be used to inform your overall campaign strategy. Remember: Everything your group does should contribute to the mission and vision of the group.

When all groups are done, come together and allow each group to present their ideas. Record ideas on a whiteboard or flip chart.

As a group review the entire process and make changes as needed to. Ask a volunteer to take all the notes and type it up in an easy to read format. The results should be

posted somewhere, and/or sent to all members of the group. This plan and statement of goals can be used to share with external partners or when applying for funding opportunities.

Refer to your campaign strategy throughout the whole process, use it to help guide your decisions, but also recognize that it is not set in stone and you can change it when needed.

Resources

Community Tool Box: http://ctb.ku.edu/

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Appendix: Campaign Planning 1) Objectives: What do you want to do?

a. Who are we? b. What is the problem? c. What is our vision of change? d. Why is it important? e. What is our message?

2) Audience: Who has the power to make it happen? a. Who are the stakeholders? What is at stake? b. How are changes made? c. Who has the power to make changes? d. Who has the power to influence decision makers? e. Who are our partners and allies (think likely and unlikely)? f. Who will oppose us?

3) Diagnosis: What is possible? a. Where is our group now? What is our capacity to engage in advocacy? b. What is the external environment like? c. What is possible? d. How long will it take?

4) Action Planning: How do we get started? a. How do we move each audience to make change? b. What is our work plan? c. Do we have what we need to get started? What skills, knowledge, resources do we

need? d. What is our backup plan? e. What is our message?

5) Evaluation: How do we know our plan is working? a. What has changed in the short-term? b. What has changed in the long-term? c. What are measures we can use to gauge change? d. What have we done well? What do we need to do different?