The Tobacco-Free Workgroup focuses on initiatives that aim to reduce and prevent initiation of tobacco and nicotine use, especially among youth, provide resources for smoking cessation, and establish and advocate for ordinances and laws that eliminate secondhand smoke exposure on a local and state level. These focus areas include:
- Tobacco Free Environments (Multiunit Housing, Colleges/Universities and Worksites)
- Youth and Young Adult Prevention
- Tobacco Cessation and Smoke Free Voluntary Environments (Restaurants, Beaches and Parks).
Subcommittees
Tobacco Free Environments Subcommittee
This subcommittee promotes and encourages a tobacco free environment at multi-unit housing properties, beaches, parks, colleges/universities, and worksites. Subcommittee members promote policies that create smoke-free multi-unit housing facilities, beaches, and parks, assist with establishing tobacco-free college and university policies, and encourage worksites to go tobacco-free and offer tobacco cessation services to their employees.
Youth and Young Adult Subcommittee
This subcommittee works alongside the youth and young adults in Miami-Dade County to assist SWAT clubs in the Miami Dade SWAT Chapter and colleges/universities in establishing/maintaining a campus task force. This subcommittee supports the development of leadership skills in SWAT youth and young adults through training in tobacco issues, media literacy, advocacy/policy development process, presentation skills, and evaluation.
Policy and Surveillance Subcommittee
This subcommittee monitors local policy and surveillance efforts to update tobacco health indicators and keep an up to date listing of tobacco free policies in the county. It also helps establish policies to restrict the marketing and advertising of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, etc.) in Miami-Dade County.
Communication and Public Relations Subcommittee
This subcommittee promotes Tobacco Free Workgroup’s activities and initiatives to the community through various media outlets, community events, public relations and digital marketing. Members of this subcommittee also strategize to recruit members to join the Tobacco Free Workgroup.
Initiatives