“THE” Policy Group
Matt Barry (unofficial spokesperson … for the “herd”)
Purpose of “THE” Policy Group
Create a national “Policy
Change Response Network”
that would work with
tobacco control stakeholders
in the public (government)
and private (corporations,
health plans, insurers)
sectors to help them
prepare for an increase in
demand for cessation and
implement the needed
mechanisms to help more
tobacco users quit.
Action “Leaps and Bounds”*
• Create a policy change
infrastructure – how we
function
– Determine structure model -advisory
– Discuss and prioritize ways
objectives can be
operationalized. Address and
resolve fundamental issues
including time commitment,
logistics, coordinating
individuals/organizations, how
communicate with each other,
etc.
* - Action “steps” didn’t seem ambitious enough.
Action “Leaps and Bounds”
• Create a repository of case
studies – both successful
and unsuccessful – and key
contacts
– Identify/Describe case
studies. Create a template.
Question: In what form will
the case studies be
available?
– Identify key case study
elements that create the
“perfect storm” for policy
change.
– Determine where case
studies will be held/housed
and how they will be
distributed.
Good ideas …
… and not so good.
Action “Leaps and Bounds”
• Communicate the
mechanisms to maximize the
impact of policy changes.
– Develop communications plan;
customize to various audiences.
– Explore options for partnering
with organization or developing
website for disseminating policy
change materials. Option:
Partner with TFK to have
materials housed on their
website.
Action “Leaps and Bounds”
• Provide technical support to
stakeholders.
– Identify resources to make
available to stakeholders.
– Create inventory of expertise.
Option: Have individual
organizations take on this task.
– Create a group of stakeholders for
peer to peer exchange of case
studies/ideas/experiences.
– Identify most effective means of
communicating/maximizing
impact of policy change.
Action “Leaps and Bounds”
• Create an
environmental scan
and forecasting
mechanism
– Poll interested
members every six
months to give top
10 targets for
activity of interest.
Key Opportunities for Innovation/Action
• Opportunities:
– More state/local smokefree policies.
– More state/local tax increases on all
tobacco products (e.g., cigar and
smokeless opportunity).
– New MSA funds beginning 2008.
– Increased awareness/attention to
prevention/wellness issues by
business leaders and elected officials
concerned about escalation in health
care costs.
– New FDA approved cessation products.
– New SGR on secondhand smoke.
– Introduction of new tobacco products
(e.g., Camel snus, PM Taboka, UST
Skoal Dry Pouches)
Key Opportunities for Innovation/Action
• Potential impact of policy group’s
activities –
– Greater coverage of evidence-based
cessation services (public and private
programs).
– Increased and sustained funding for
comprehensive state programs,
including quitlines, quit centers, webbased assistance, paid media
campaigns.
– Greater awareness of evidence-based
treatment among consumers, media,
policy makers, and health care
professionals, particularly in the wake
of a significant policy change events
(e.g., tax increase, smokefree law).
• These activities are all geared toward
increasing awareness, demand and
availability of evidence-based
treatment services for all tobacco
users.
Reaching Disparate Populations
• All the action steps that
have been identified will
include efforts to address
priority populations,
including engaging
organizations with existing
relationships to priority
populations and recognizing
that tobacco use may be
just one of several health,
social, and/or economic
issues confronting these
specific population groups.
The End, “THE” Policy Group
Linda
Dianne
Katie
David
Kay
Matt
Tracy
Tim
Pablo