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The Smokefree Alaska Project is funded by a contract with the State of Alaska's Tobacco Prevention and Control program. The purpose of the Smokefree Alaska Project is to advance the goal of reducing exposure to secondhand smoke and tobacco consumption across Alaska. This is achieved through the promotion of clean indoor air and tobacco pricing policy change at the local and statewide level.
Secondhand Smoke exposure kills about 50,000 Americans every year. Tobacco use is the leading cause of death in Alaska. As an agency concerned with health, we understand the impact clean indoor air policies have on the health of nonsmokers and on reducing consumption of tobacco. Perhaps the most important and lasting change that occurs as a result of such policies is the shaping of social norms that result in smoking being considered “unacceptable” in indoor environments.
The Smokefree Alaska Project's primary objective is to provide technical assistance and consultation to communities statewide who are in various stages of clean indoor air and other tobacco policy development. The Project pays special attention to communities disparately impacted by tobacco use.
Among some of the items that we assist communities with are:
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Working with communities who have already passed a Clean Indoor Air or Tobacco Pricing ordinance or resolution, to ensure that the policy is monitored after implementation.
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Provide support to communities who are at an early stage of tobacco policy development that need to carry out community education activities before passing local policy, such as community education.
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Capacity building particularly in rural communities with high levels of tobacco use.
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Coordination of and participation in statewide and local strategic planning sessions focused on tobacco policy changes.
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Maintain and disseminate up-to-date information on clean indoor air policies and activities to the appropriate audiences in Alaska.
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