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Tips for Creating a Quit-Friendly Environment

Coming Together to Help Tobacco-Users Quit and to Implement the Tobacco-free Policy

Creating an inclusive, supportive environment for implementing the tobacco-free policy serves several purposes:

1. it harnesses the goodwill and caring capacity among staff, giving non-smokers and former smokers a positive and important supportive role
2. utilizes staff strengths, expertise and leadership to help ensure a smooth, successful transition
3. expands the focus from an individual's problem to a shared challenge
4. creates a foundation to address other health issues together
5. encourages a social norm emphasizing a health-conscious, preventive, team approach to implementation and enforcement.

Get yourself ready...

Learn and Educate

Educate you, non-smokers and smokers on:

• the nature of tobacco addiction
• what to expect from someone trying to quit
• how to help tobacco users quit
• programs and resources available to support quitting

Organize and Recruit an Inclusive Quit Support

1. Recruit committee member representative of your staff population that includes smokers wanting to quit, former smokers, non-smokers and leadership
2. Charge committee members with making recommendations for best communication channels and strategies and addressing motivators and barriers
3. Support implementation committee staff meetings/communications
4. Use committee to encourage other healthy behaviors later on
5. Develop strategies to promote programs and support quitters

For additional information, see Quit Teams.

Promote Programs and Resources

Strategies to encourage program participation:

• Provide incentives [link to incentive overview] for staff to attend a LIVE FOR LIFE Are You Ready? session or register for a LIVE FOR LIFE cessation program.
• Recruit previous QuitSmart class participants to promote future class series
• Promote evening Quit Smart Classes as opportunities for couples to quit

Encourage and Support Quitters and Supporters

• Promote the concept of Quit Teams
• Review Helpful Tips for Quit Team Members
• Hold "healthy habit" challenges among Quit Teams and/or staff groups and participate in an ongoing LIVE FOR LIFE program
• Encourage healthy breaks vs. smoke breaks, such as walking or doing 10-15 minute "anywhere" exercises.
• Promote "how I did it" communications sharing how quitters successfully used resources and developed new skills

Reward and Recognize

Provide incentives for those participating in cessation programs and their supporters, such as:

• Recognition for quitting and those supporting quitters in newsletters or meetings
• Wearable recognition/incentives, such as buttons, QuitSmart pins, etc
• Other department-based recognition, such as premium parking places for a month
• Gym memberships, LIVE FOR LIFE dollars, etc.

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lflprogm@mc.duke.edu