What is Tobacco-Free?
Tobacco-Free Sport & Recreation is about promoting health and creating environments that prevent young people from starting to use tobacco, protecting everyone from exposure to second-hand smoke and supporting people trying to quit.
Tobacco-Free is a global movement endorsed by leading organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Olympic Committee (IOC), Olympic Aid and the International Football Association (FIFA). It is agreed that there is no place for tobacco in sport or recreation as it is counter to health and athletic performance. The Tobacco-Free logo is an internationally recognized symbol and is readily available to anyone willing to promote this important health message in the community.
Why Sport and Recreation?
Sport and recreation programs provide healthy alternatives to tobacco use through physical and social activities. Such activities are vital for the physical, mental, emotional and social development of children and youth. Young people need to be influenced by positive role models that consistently reinforce good health practices. To change the culture or norm concerning tobacco use, it is important for young people to receive the same tobacco-free message at their local sport or recreation activity as they experience at school and in the wider community.
Sport and recreation organizations can play a significant part in this effort by discouraging the use of all forms of tobacco during program activities, games, practices, competitions, tournaments, and other events. This means no smoking, snuffing, dipping, or chewing tobacco by members, participants, players, coaches, leaders, officials referees, staff, volunteers, parents or spectators.
How to be Tobacco-Free?
The best way to ensure that people will not use tobacco at sport and recreation events is to develop and promote a tobacco-free policy using the logo. The Tobacco-Free logo is a friendly reminder of the policy and can be placed anywhere people will see it on a regular basis such as on clothing, uniforms, banners, signs, equipment, scoreboards and event schedules.
Funding for Sport Organizations
Action in Your Community Against Tobacco (ACT) and its partners have made available time-limited project funding for sport and recreation organizations to promote their tobacco-free policy and message during the year.
The funding can be used for placement of the logo on uniforms and clothing, signs, banners, posters, equipment, and any other promotional items that will clearly remind people of the policy.
The deadline for funding applications is March 31, 2007. Please note: applications may be considered beyond this date at the discretion of the TFSR Working Group). Successful applicants will have 18 months to complete the project.
Prior to making an application and to discuss the project details, please contact Lara Sheehan ACT Initiative at 902-423-6183 ext. 247 or email act.administrator@ns.cancer.ca.
To obtain copies of the application forms and the Tobacco-Free Youth Sport and Recreation: How to Get There guide, visit Health Promotion Clearinghouse website at www.hpclearinghouse.ca/act/tfsr or contact Director of Communications and Public Relations, Sport Nova Scotia at 425-5450 ext. 321.