Hi there,
I'm seeking to run a CBSM program to implement a smoke-free campus. We will have several dedicated areas that smokers can go to for a cigarette, so the target behaviour we are trying to change is to get them to move to one of the areas.
Has anyone done anything similar or can anyone recommend a 'script' that we could use when approaching students who are smoking in the wrong areas?
Kind regards,
Belinda
Belinda Bean
Sustainability Officer
Macquarie University
Australia
www.mq.edu.au/sustainability
Script for Smoke-Free Campus Message
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If, as I believe is accepted, nicotine addiction is exactly that, an addiction, surely addicts should be treated in the same way as any other addict. Would you set up an anti alchol abuse campain by developing a range of insults for the non acoholics to hurl as abuse at alcoholics? I think not. I think targeting the littering which smokers do not seem to be able resist, probaly becase they themselves perceive butts as unpleasant, may be a way forwards as you are not actually trying to stop them from smoking just corral them to specific areas. Make the smoking areas pleasant and accessible, give them some privacy, this may help those trying to quit. Put up posters advertising the legitimate smoking areas in the prime illegitimate areas. Ensure the only place they can dispose of fag butts is in the legit areas with signs on all other litter bins and do a campaign around cigerrete butts and their harm and persistance in the environment, they are plastic so last for years. If you wanted to actually reduce smoking then growing tobacco does all sorts of harm to the environment and, if your audience is interested in the environment, that would seem to be an angle that is often ignored.
Jo Horsley
Environment Wales Development Officer
Wales
Hi Jo and Ian,
Thanks for the suggestions. We have in fact done all the things you suggest Jo - signage, bitt bins in only legit areas, etc. The target behaviour now is just to get them to move to those areas - and I'm just getting stuck as to even how to start the suggested 'script' we will get other students to go out and deliver to the illegally smoking students... I hope that makes sense. Not being a smoker I don't know what to say that wouldn't offend someone, and somehow manage to get them onside as Doug always manages to do!
Kind regards,
Belinda
Belinda Bean
Sustainability Officer
Macquarie University
Australia
www.mq.edu.au/sustainability
Hi Belinda, I think you need to start with why you want them to use the designated areas. Is it for others health, for tidiness, to make it easier for those trying to quit as they won't see others smoking on campus, to reduce the numbers of people starting smoking. I am an ex-smoker, and I would not bet on never being a smoker again. Not knowing what your reasons are I don't know where to start on this one, Jo
Jo Horsley
Environment Wales Development Officer
Wales
Hi Belinda,
You might get some inspiration for 'script' from this NZ smokefree campaign "Not our Future". http://www.notourfuture.co.nz/
Karyn Owen
Project Co-ordinator
Venture Southland
New Zealand
Well, we have a no smoking within 30 feet of the building policy. I have gently reminded people - oh, you know we have a policy of not smoking within 30 feet of the building? I have no idea if it works or not - but I don't do it aggressively, just kind of let them know I noticed.
But if I were trying to do a campaign like this, I would start by having an informal focus group and ask them what would help them to use these areas. Find out the benefits to them, as well as the barriers. Find out if they know the policy and just ignore it. Ask the questions and you'll probably have a good idea then of what might work. And then test it. Jill
Jill Boone
Climate Change and Sustainability Manager
County of Santa Clara - Facilities and Fleet Dept.
United States
Thank you for all the feedback. The www.notourfuture.co.nz website is FANTASTIC! That has given me tonnes of ideas.
I should probably give a bit more context to the policy. This has come from OH&S department because there were several staff and students who were adversely affected by smoke. One staff had to quit their role because they couldn't be assured of getting into their building without inhaling smoke - they had a serious lung condition. Hence, this is a health thing. The campaign is called "Room to Breathe" - ie. give the non-smokers room and the smokers can have their room too (there are now 10 designated smoking areas on campus). Aside from signage, comms, quit support, website, etc - my task is come up with the CBSM 'approach' part.
I'll be making a YouTube clip with the suggested script for the interaction, then keen students will be putting on "Room to Breathe" t-shirts and going out and interacting with the students who are smoking in the wrong areas. They will also be giving them film canisters to put their cigi butts into for now, and the canister will have information on it (such as a map with the smoking areas).
The script I've come up with so far is:
Step 1:
Did you know this campus is now smoke-free? Smoking rates in Australia are declining and we are legally obligated to give non-smokers their room to breathe.
Instead, we now have 10 designated smoking zones around campus. So you know for next time, the closest one is just over there *_indicate where the closest smoking zone is_*.
Step 2:
Take one of these [*give them free film canister with sticker on outside and map on inside*] - it has a smoking zone map inside and you can use the canister to safely dispose of your cigarette butts when you finish smoking.
Step 3:
Before you go, would you like to sign up to receive updates about the campaign? It will also mean you get to have your say if any more changes are proposed.
*If they say yes: [take down their name, email address, and their degree clearly. See if they would mind you taking a photo of them with a Room to Breathe banner]
*If they say no: No problems. If you ever want to find out more information, the website it on the film canister I gave you.
Step 4:
Thank you for your time today and for helping us become the healthiest campus by 2015!
I'd love any feedback and comments on it before I take it for wider consultation and run student focus groups.
Belinda Bean
Sustainability Officer
Macquarie University
Australia
www.mq.edu.au/sustainability
Belinda - Before you make all this final, why not run it by some smokers? Or just go test it out on a couple and see what kind of response you get. Jill
Jill Boone
Climate Change and Sustainability Manager
County of Santa Clara - Facilities and Fleet Dept.
United States
Hi Belinda,
As an ex smoker, I know how inconsiderate most smokers are in pursuit of their fix as I see many behave the same way I did. Many of them don't realise how offensive smoking in a public place is. Fortunately these days, there are many public areas that are smoke free, including pubs and clubs so students should be much more accustomed to going to designated areas.
My suggestion would be to use humour and also largely have the student body police themselves. Installing a set of old fashioned public stocks in a prominent place (ornamental of course!!) and a humourous sign pointing out the fate of smokers caught outside the designated areas. You could use the associated imagery on posters near the doors to all buildings where smokers often first light up and perhaps a snappy humourous insulting slogan that non-smoker observers can sling at the smokers. A sort of name and shame effort. The first few times the smokers will laugh it off but they'll get sick of being publicly sneered at after a a while. If you actually have a set of stocks on campus, this will encourage non-smokers to continue a campaign as they will relish the thought of actually seeing someone in there.
Ian Longfield
Mr
Transition Towns Albury Wodonga
Australia