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Playing Tobacco Free: Tobacco-Free Policies For Outdoor Recreation Facilities Tobacco-free outdoor recreation The Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation Initiative facilities make sense Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation(TFYR) is Minnesota's statewide recreation-based tobacco prevention program that assists recre- • Secondhand smoke harms everyone and kills thousands ational groups in modeling and promoting healthy tobacco-free every year. Exposure to secondhand smoke is the third lifestyles for young people who are involved in their programs. leading cause of preventable death in the United States, TFYR offers assistance in tobacco-free policy development & killing approximately 53,000 people every year. implementation and also develops materials that promote the • Secondhand smoke is harmful in outdoor settings. tobacco-free sports message throughout Minnesota. According to Repace Associates, secondhand smoke levels in outdoor public places can reach levels as high Policy adoption assistance as those found in indoor facilities where smoking is & FREE signs available through TFYR permitted. • Tobacco free policies help change community norms. TFYR offers city park&recreation departments technical Tobacco-free policies establish the community norm assistance in tobacco-free policy development. To help with that tobacco use is not an acceptable behavior for young policy implementation,TFYR provides 12"x 18"metal blue& people or adults within the entire community. white tobacco-free signs for FREE to cities that adopt compre- • Most Minnesota parents support tobacco free policies hensive tobacco-free policies for their outdoor recreational for outdoor playgrounds. A 1998 survey showed that facilities. 68%of Minnesota parents support smoking bans in To qualify for the signs,the tobacco-free policy rq? '. outdoor playgrounds and 80%support a ban in all public must include: � 1 places where children are present. • A list of all the facilities it covers. ma..•..i.,-•- • A statement that all forms of tobacco use Writ m„ . .i»', ,„,s Why are tobacco-free policies for outdoor are prohibited. .,,. • An enforcement plan that includes a)user recreation facilities so important? • and staff notification;and b)signage. Tobacco-Free Signs • City-wide policies support groups that have existing Contact TFYR staff(see below)for policy adoption assistance. policies when they are using city recreation facilities. Once a policy has been passed in your community,send a copy • Since most school districts prohibit tobacco use of the policy and a completed sign order form to TFYR. Down- in all their facilities,city-wide policies create load an order form from our web site at<www.ansrmn.ora>. consistency for all youth recreational facilities in the community. Minnesota Cities with Tobacco-Free • Cigarette butts cause litter,increase maintenance Outdoor Recreational Facilities expenses,and pose the risk of ingestion by toddlers Eagan • Richfield •using recreation.facilities. • Aurora Eden •Prairie • Rochester • Creating tobacco-free environments protects the health, • Austin • Eveleth • Rosev•• Baxter • Golden Valley safety, and welfare of the community. • • Grand Rapids • Savage • Biwabik Spicer • Bloomington • Hibbing • Ho t Lakes • St.Cloud Why are tobacco-free policies effective? • Brainerd y • St.Paul Breckenridge • Mountain Iron Buhl • New Brighton • Virginia • Policies reinforce to youth the message that tobacco Nwd Yng Amerio Willmar•• Duluth et Zimmerman use is unhealthy and unnecessary behavior. • Duluth • Owatonna • Policies ensure that participants and spectators are not exposed to secondhand smoke. "d, Association for Nonsmokers--Minnesota • Policies create an environment where leaders can --,.... - 2395 University Ave. West, # 310 model and promote healthy lifestyle choices. f St. Paul, MN 55114-1512 . (651)646-3005; tfyr @ansrmn.org TOBACCO ,w E 'V QUITO RECREATION