A tobacco-free environment for a healthier community
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States affecting both users and nonusers. Each year, an estimated 443,000 Americans die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke.
Tobacco use affects every person in Florida. Every year, approximately 28,600 adult Floridians die from their own smoking, and an additional 2,960 adult nonsmokers die from exposure to secondhand smoke. Moreover, Florida spends $6.3 billion each year on healthcare costs directly related to smoking, and Floridians end up paying $538 in taxes per household toward smoking-caused government expenditures.
Alachua County residents and businesses recognize these dangers and the associated costs. Through the Tobacco Free Alachua (TFA) community partnership, people are taking action to protect and promote the health of our community.
Who We Are
The partnership was established in 2008 and is funded by grants through the Florida Department of Health and supported by the Alachua County Health Department. Our members include representatives from the local school board, health care organizations, law enforcement, higher education institutions, local business, non-profits, county and city officials, private citizens, and other members of the community.
Our Mission
Tobacco Free Alachua is a diverse community partnership which fosters collaborative initiatives to develop and promote policies that reduce the use and effects of tobacco.
Our Goals
Tobacco Free Alachua primarily focuses on building community support and advocating for the establishment of tobacco-control policies that will:
- Prevent youth and young adults from starting to use tobacco products
- Protect Alachua County citizens from involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke
- Provide support for current tobacco users who want to quit
Smoke-Free Spaces
Businesses, organizations, and rental properties have the right to protect their assets and the health of their customers, employees and tenants by voluntarily establishing policies that ban smoking anywhere on their grounds. Call (352) 334-7914 if you have any questions or would like assistance making your establishment 100% smoke-free.
What We Do
- Educate - We educate policy makers, business owners, and community leaders on the benefits of adopting smoke-free policies
- Advocate - We advocate for policy makers to enact tobacco-control policies that promote and protect the health of Alachua County's citizens
- Facilitate - We facilitate the policy adoption process for institutions, organizations, and businesses that choose to become tobacco-free
- Support - We support tobacco users who are trying to quit by connecting individuals, institutions, businesses, and establishments to cessation resources (e.g., tobacco cessation classes, telephone counseling, and free nicotine replacement therapy)
- Invest - We invest in our community’s future by supporting the Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Program. SWAT is a youth advocacy and leadership organization that equips and trains Alachua County youth to advocate for tobacco control policy and systems change initiatives
Join Tobacco Free Alachua
Membership is free and open to any person who lives, works, or conducts business in Alachua County and supports the mission of this partnership. To request a membership application, contact Tobacco Free Alachua through one of the following ways (Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing):
Trying to Quit
Contact the Florida QuitLine for free counseling, nicotine patches, lozenges or gum and to learn about other resources available in your area. Call 1-877-U-CAN-NOW if you or someone you know wants to beat their addiction for good.
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