About Western Wisconsin Working for Tobacco Free Living

Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention & Control Program and Multi-Jurisdictional Local Tobacco Control Coalitions

W3TFL is part of Wisconsin's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP), which works to reduce tobacco's deadly impact. Statewide, the initiatives have lowered youth and adult smoking rates, reduced illegal sales to kids, empowered local advocacy and reached out to many populations.

 

Through strategic planning and hard work, TPCP has achieved additional significant successes, including the passage of a new statewide smoke-free air law and a statewide cigarette tax.

 

This plan details key strategies and tactics for tobacco prevention and control over the next five years. The plan uses a comprehensive approach to effect change both in individual attitudes and societal norms. Key components include:

  • Elimination of tobacco-related health disparities
  • Elimination of secondhand smoke exposure
  • Youth tobacco prevention 

The need

Tobacco use is very common in the five counties, with use being generational in many families. Smoking during pregnancy is significantly higher than the state average in three of the counties. In all counties, the use of smokeless tobacco is widespread.

 

On the right path

Even though tobacco use is everywhere, readiness for improvement in tobacco policy is evident in all counties. All five counties have adopted tobacco-free building policies for local government. There is a smoke-free restaurant ordinance in River Falls, a smoke-free home and vehicle policy for foster care providers in St. Croix County, as well as a recent tobacco-free county grounds policy which includes the fairgrounds, all county owned parks and all county owned vehicles.

 

Plan of Action

W3TFL is dedicated to taking tobacco out of our communities. The work plan and objectives are:

  • Smoke-Free Air implementation through outreach and education to key local and state leaders, media advocacy, outreach and education to workplaces, and outreach and education to law enforcement
  • Program sustainability by outreach and education to key local and state leaders, identifying supporters through grassroots activities with education and follow-up to involve individuals in coalition efforts, media advoacy efforts, and active participation on statewide tobacco control teams, workgroups and committees
  • Coalition development by conducting key stakeholder assessment, development and maintenance of coalition structure and conducting regular and ongoing communication with coalition members and the communities they represent
  • Youth involvement and support through the development and maintenance of an active FACT group, outreach and education to key state leaders and media advocacy efforts
  • Wisconsin Wins tobacco compliance checks