Action in District Health Authorities and Provincial Organizations
Sustainable Funding: DHA 1 Letter to MLA, government, per organization Increase community awareness around funding for strategies; radio, newspaper, letter to community groups, to sign and send to MLA DHA 2 Lobbying, letter writing campaign, meet with elected officials, media campaign, house and school Effective ongoing media lobby by all interested parties to increase awareness achieved through a coordinated effort. DHA 3 Request that the strategy to disseminate the $1 million include input from (task force) organizations committed to tobacco issues Increase the profile of the necessity for continuous sustained funding (lobby MLAs). Take information learned from conference and share it with key groups in the community. Youth help with legislation and funding. Need to identify leaders who will assist (ie. Smoke-Free Kings). Using a portion of "Wellness Initiative Fund" to support "tobacco related" proposals Pieces at a time: a) letter writing campaigns individuals, b) letters to editor, c) commend the government, d) CHBs needed to communicate requests for sustained funding, e) get information out to politicians during cancer/ heart [awareness] months….timing Require a kit for DHA to get information out Media. Talk to Wendy Eliot (Wolfville) and ask her to write an article about the conference particularly to request sustainable funding DHA 4 $1 million in five months, CEO public announcement, public campaign, lobbying government to get them on board, ad congratulating local businesses who went smoke-free Action regarding smoke-free legislation. Eleanor to facilitate a meeting with members of this group (7), look at ways to get best bang for the money we have in next five months Congratulations to successful schools. LOPHID - release results at same time as report. Steve to contact everyone, identify people. DHA 6 Mobilizing a group. Corporate sponsorship (not tobacco industry). Pharmaceutical company corporate sponsorship DHA 8 Write letters to editor regarding smoke-free legislation, taxation and sustainable funding Provincial & Other Organizations Generate key points for letter writing. Provincial and federal A rotation of press releases indicating support of smoking ban (ie. Heart and Stroke, DHA 1, DHA 2, school boards, etc.). Needs a coordinator. Letters to MLA (Provincial/Federal). Sustainable funding. Meetings with three caucuses (Provincial/Federal). Focus on enforcing smoke-free schools Approach each MLA about what they will do to support the government's commitment Write letters to Minister of Health (copies to opposition critics) encouraging that government leap its commitment to a comprehensive tobacco strategy Make DHA position statement public Hire watch dog (Prov/Fed) Sell tobacco exclusively from liquor stores or from government regulated facilities Institute a "tobacco license" for the smoker, much like that of a vehicle or fire arms.
	Health Promotion Clearinghouse Toll Free 1-877-890-5094 Locally 494-1917 Fax 1-902-494-3594 hpclearinghouse@dal.ca