Advocates at the state and local level who plan and implement tobacco-free policy campaigns will benefit from learning successful policy advocacy strategies for tobacco-free park and recreational areas.

Key Points: 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the adoption of tobacco-free policies as part of a comprehensive youth tobacco prevention strategy. Creating tobacco-free park and recreational areas changes community norms, eliminates exposure to secondhand smoke and provides opportunities for adults to be positive role models.

2. The communities of Bloomington and Golden Valley, MN, expanded existing tobacco-free park policies to comprehensive ordinances covering all park property and city-owned golf courses by creating local task forces and gathering public input.

3. Over 100 Minnesota communities have adopted tobacco-free park policies and research from the University of Minnesota demonstrates that Minnesota park directors and residents support tobacco-free park policies.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will understand how tobacco-free park and recreation policies are a successful youth tobacco prevention strategy in Minnesota.

Participants will identify successful local strategies used in Minnesota communities for passing comprehensive tobacco-free park and recreation ordinances.

Participants will learn the latest research focusing on public and park director's opinions on tobacco-free park policies.

Benefits: Attendees will receive Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation's youth policy guide which is based on best practices and experience from Minnesota. Attendees will hear lessons learned from local Minnesota policy initiatives and they will discuss the implications of the University of Minnesota's tobacco-free parks research, which is the first of its kind in the United States.