Alliance Helps NC Make Bars and Restaurants Smoke-free
The North Carolina Alliance for Health’s mission is to advocate for policies that promote wellness and reduce the state’s incidence of tobacco use and obesity. Its first focus was to advocate for an increase in the state’s cigarette tax, and when that was accomplished in 2005, it turned its focus to smoke-free policies. That year, Rep. Hugh Holliman, a freshman legislator who attributed his sister’s death to secondhand smoke, independently introduced a smoke-free policy for restaurants and bars. The Alliance quickly connected with him, and provided information about how a smoke-free policy could protect all workers in all work settings.
After the failure of this first bill, Holliman introduced strengthened smoke-free legislation to address all work sites and public places. The expanded 2009 bill generated fierce opposition. It ultimately passed the House, but Senate leaders determined a policy for all work sites wouldn’t pass. When a more limited restaurants and bars bill passed the Senate, Holliman asked the House to “concur and get it done.” It passed in May of 2009 and went into effect January 2, 2010.
The national media descended upon North Carolina. “It was such a big deal in a tobacco-producing state,” explained then Alliance Executive Director Pam Seamans. “If North Carolina can do it, anybody can.”
Seamans attributes their success to several factors. First, the Alliance grew into a strong coalition with consistent leadership. Second, the political stars were aligned: there was a passionate legislative sponsor; political leadership at the General Assembly and the Governor were supportive; the Alliance had financial support from national partners with expertise; and important local partners, such as the NC Restaurant and Lodging Association, were in support as long as restaurants and bars were treated equally.
Finally, early on in its work, the Alliance made the strategic decision not to demonize the tobacco industry, since tobacco companies employ so many North Carolinians. Instead, it focused on public health and strategically chose messengers at every turn. Conservatives, liberals, faith-based organizations, businesspersons, and a wide range of other supporters all helped promote the policy.
Opponents have attempted to weaken North Carolina’s smoke-free law on several occasions. However, with the Alliance’s help, grassroots coalitions have come out in force to fight back. Seamans hopes the legal and legislative challenges have passed. Evaluators report that air quality has improved and emergency room visits for heart attacks and asthma have declined since passage. The law did not negatively affect business profits and remains popular with an 83% approval rating in a February 2012 poll.
Despite Alliance victories, however, funding is an ongoing challenge. Successive grants have kept the organization afloat, and membership dues provide some stability, but funding actually dwindled as Alliance successes accumulated. Seamans has cut her hours at various times, despite a full work load. “It needed to be done,” she explains. “It was just worth it to me. It takes some sort of flexibility to make a coalition work.” When the legislative climate once again improves, the Alliance hopes to pass a smoke-free policy that would cover all worksites and public places in North Carolina.
Seamans recommends that other communities seeking smoke-free legislation aim for comprehensive policies. “Go for everything at first” she says, “because the legislative process usually requires compromise.” She also advises looking to national organizations for policy and strategic expertise.
To reach the NC Alliance for Health, email [email protected], or call 919-463-8329. As of February 2017, the executive director is Morgan Wittman Gramann.
Communities in Action provide examples of strategies or tools in action. Their purpose is to connect like-minded communities in their implementation efforts, giving insight into how others are tackling key challenges and what they've accomplished. To learn more about the evidence supporting this strategy's effectiveness or resources to help move towards implementation, see the What Works for Health summary of Smoke-free policies for indoor areas.
Date added: March 26, 2014