What is Tobacco Free Wichita?

The Tobacco Free Wichita Coalition is the oldest coalition of its kind in Kansas. For 35 years, residents of Wichita and and some of the surrounding communities have worked together faithfully to reduce the harm associated with tobacco use. As a result of Coalition efforts, Wichita has been a leader statewide for clean indoor air policies In 1980, The Sedgwick County Health Department was the first smoke-free building in Wichita followed by all city and county-controlled buildings. In the 1980s, the two major shopping malls, Town East and Town West also adopted smokefree policies. In 1994, Wichita was the first city to adopt a youth access law prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors and display of advertising materials. Wichita is the only city in the state to have a model youth access ordinance. In August 2005, the Coalition approached the Wichita City Council to request consideration of a clean indoor air ordinance. Consideration of an ordinance by the Council was deferred.

The Goals of Tobacco Free Wichita

Short-term goals to strengthen the coalition:

• Increase communication with Sedgwick County residents through a more effective website; production of an e-newsletter; an organized media plan, community speakers’ bureau, linkages with other agencies and coalitions (e.g, Health and Wellness Coalition, worksite wellness programs).
• Increase capacity of the coalition to function more effectively by having an executive committee, workgroups/subcommittees, recruitment plan for adult and youth members, revised operating guidelines.
• Evaluate and continue the educational campaign on the effects of tobacco use and environmental tobacco smoke on health begun in 2005, advocacy for clean indoor air in order to reduce tobacco smoke in public places, recruitment and mobilization of community grassroots support to achieve their goals in Wichita, and technical assistance to other communities interested in developing coalitions. Provide technical assistance to local universities interested in developing or revising clean indoor air policies.

Long-term goals to strengthen the coalition:

• Build support of / and increase coalition membership
• Increase business support for a clean indoor air ordinance
• Introduce and pass a model clean indoor air ordinance

Why Get Involved?

Tobacco still remains the number one preventable cause of diseases and death in Kansas. The annual health care costs in Kansas directly caused by smoking is $854 million. As taxpayers, we pay approximately $547 in state and federal taxes per household that are related to smoking-caused government expenditures that are passed on to us.

Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, spit tobacco use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Other non-health costs from tobacco use include residential and commercial property losses from smoking-caused fires (more than $500 million per year nationwide); extra cleaning and maintenance costs made necessary by tobacco smoke and litter (about $4+ billion nationwide for commercial establishments alone); and additional productivity losses from smoking-caused work absences, smoking breaks, and on-the-job performances declines and early termination of employment caused by smoking-related disability or illness. (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2005).

What Can We Do Together?

It's time for Wichita to again demonstrate its leadership as we grow into a world class city. We'd like to join other cities in Kansas by passing a model (100 percent smokefree) clean indoor air ordinance. The City Council will respond if there's a growing interest in this issue.

More than 79 percent of our residents in Wichita are nonsmokers. We believe a majority of residents and business owners want smokefree environments. Many of our homes and our workplaces are smokefree. Help us support smokefree laws and policies as a well as comprehensive approach to reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke in our community by promoting 100 percent smokefree workplaces. It's not enough to know that secondhand smoke harms your health because "If it's in the air, it's in your lungs". We need your help to let decision makers know how important clean indoor air is to our future.