DOH-Sarasota's Tobacco Prevention program combats tobacco in the county, partnering with businesses, prevention & education agencies, and area schools.

• Individuals:  We connect you to ways of quitting tobacco that really work.
    > Quit Using Tobacco
• Businesses/Organizations:  Going tobacco-free can help you reduce costs and increase revenue.
    > Smoke-Free Workplaces
• Youth:  Stand against Big Tobacco - join SWAT! Find your local team:
     > SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco)

Priority Areas

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, along with the Tobacco Free Partnership of Sarasota County and Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), works in the following areas in its efforts to create a tobacco-free Sarasota County.

• School Campus Policy
  We are working to create one comprehensive, 12-component tobacco policy at all K-12 schools in Sarasota County.
• Eliminating the Marketing of Tobacco Products to Kids
  We are working to pass resolutions throughout the county to eliminate the sale of flavored tobacco products that target kids.  We are also increasing awareness of retail advertising tactics used by Big Tobacco to lure youth.
• Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing (Apartments, condos, etc)
  Unintentional exposure to secondhand smoke in apartments and condos is a real danger to tenant health.  Property managers can save money, increase marketability, and protect health tenants by implementing smoke-free policies.
• Increasing Access to Cessation Services & Employer Cessation Coverage
  Quitting can be very hard, but it's not impossible.  We connect individuals to the help, resources, and support that give them the best chance to quit for good.  We help employers encourage their workers to quit by guiding them in the implementation of tobacco-free policies and promoting "help quitting" services in workplaces.

To learn more about these priority areas or get involved, please contact us.