Key Points: The "Smoke-Free Arizona" voter initiative, Prop 201, victory established smoke-free public places/workplaces, including bars, without preemption against future local strengthening. This victory and simultaneous defeat of the $8.8 million dollar RJ Reynolds Tobacco funded, counter-initiative, was described by Arizona Governor, Janet Napolitano, as: "Making Arizona a much healthier place to live."

Strengths of Prop 201 included: 18 month preparation and education period, and a two cent per pack tobacco tax increase, paying the "Arizona Department of Health Services" to be the educational/enforcement agency.

Prop 201 Arizona Steering Committee members were: The American Lung Association, with President/CEO, Bill Pfeifer, as committee Chair American Cancer Society American Heart Association Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids was also a major supporter.

Benefits: Key health, educational, and grass roots citizen advocacy organizational endorsements were publicized by web-site. Statewide news media were contacted and publicized the campaign. Voters were initially confused by the deceptive RJ Reynolds funded ads and counter-initiative title: ("Non-Smokers Protection" act). Prop 206 claimed to be a "smoking ban' to protect all children, restaurants and all workplaces from secondhand smoke exposure. It banned smoking in some places, but actually promoted smoking in bar workplaces, restaurant/bars, and in any facility which contained a bar. Fortunately, the Smoke-Free Arizona Prop 201 Campaign was able to point out the deception, overcome the confusion and win, despite being outspent 8 to 1.

Learning Objectives: Participants will learn the complexities of a winning smoke-free voter initiative.