Audience: Public health department staff, voluntary agency staff, coalition members, and anyone who may have a role in implementation and/or enforcement of a smokefree policy. Individuals at all stages of a campaign, from early stages of public education, to later stages where a policy is already on the table, are encouraged to attend. Content will also be relevant for participants with smokefree laws already in effect.

Key Points: 1) Never leave implementation planning to the last minute. Implementation plans should begin long before a policy passes. 2) Implementation plan components include: pre-implementation activities to inform the business community about how to comply (letters, business kits, stickers), activities to educate the public (paid and earned media), and post-implementation activities to ensure compliance (public attitude surveys, indoor air quality testing, compliance checks, celebrations, etc.). 3) A lack of implementation planning can lead to confusion, opening doors to legal challenges and possible repeal of your smokefree policy.

Learning Objectives: Participants will gain knowledge from first hand accounts of local and state implementation challenges and successes. Participants will take home an Implementation Checklist, a list of resources, and they may sign up to receive a free Implementation Toolkit by mail.

Benefits: Participants will hear firsthand accounts of implementation efforts, and walk away with the tools and knowledge needed to conduct a successful implementation campaign. Participants will understand that strong implementation activities improve public support and change social norms around smoking, leading to the ultimate benefit of protecting public health.