Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies

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Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies Key informants, hockey team players and administrators had mixed views on whether the TFSR policy had prevented exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). Two players discussed the SHS issue in this way: P1: I think it’s a success because if somebody did smoke like parents on the hockey team then I’m sure they’d be safe to let the players know that we’re not going to give it [SHS] to you. P2: we’re going to walk away. I think it’s good but we also, because lots of people who are like from away games and stuff they like know that it, they shouldn’t smoke like right by us and they probably have their, enough respect to like smoke somewhere else and nobody really smokes around us anymore. (Peewee Players) While the players felt that SHS exposure had been reduced since they began playing on these teams (the past three years), one PHU informant had a less optimistic perspective and reflected that, the biggest impact was definitely at the player level not necessarily at the spectator level. Respondents offered little insights into how the TFSR policy may have impacted tobacco litter, as a couple of key informants explained that different arenas may or may not have litter (cigarette) receptacles. In some cases, litter was less visible, and at other arenas, the cigarette butts were scattered beside the main doors, usually at the entrance. All respondents felt that a key objective of TFSR policy implementation is to promote positive role modeling for youth. Efforts were made by both teams to achieve this goal when the policy was adopted. For example, one player reported that the TFSR policy was circulated to hockey families, and another player felt that, when the policy was shared with their families, a strong role modeling effort was made by parents. Finally, in this case study, the TFSR policy has encouraged tobacco users to quit. Several respondents referred to a few parents who had chosen to quit smoking, in large part, as a result of the team’s adoption of the policy. Parents I think so because we had a set of parents that when we did start this[TFSR policy] they were smokers and then as the kids were made more and more aware of, like they kind of already knew but as you go into more detail they I think felt that it was time to quit and then having them have to sit, stand way out in the cold- [Laugh]-in their cars is, is and then the kids would be like stop smoking you know it was and they, they did stop so-at least two parents stopped and this could be linked to the policy. (Team Manager) Ontario Tobacco Research Unit 22
Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies Challenges to Implementation of TFSR Policy in Case Study I A few respondents suggested that hockey administration staff turnover (coaches mainly) has meant that the TFSR policy has remained inactive or idle from one year to the next for both of these hockey teams. I just know the annual meeting before that I went to nothing, nothing was mentioned [policy-wise]. (Hockey Team Manager) One PHU informant explained the challenges in this way: They don’t usually like to keep someone as the head coach because there’s sometimes bias involved--and whatnot so there is turnover. Well and that’s, that’s the hard part so what, what the weakness of this whole policy process has been is- -the policy ends--in that, that year so that policy was a very active part of the team two years ago. A lot of the knowledge has stayed with the kids and the families that were part of that--at the time--but the coach this year wouldn’t have an awareness--of the policy. He would recognize the logo, he’s probably heard of itbut the head coach today wouldn’t know what the policy was or where to find it. (PHU Key Informant) Aside from staff turnover, an additional challenge is competing time demands from coaches which left little energy for TFSR issues: I think they, I just think it’s just lost innocently, innocently in that there’s so much to do. (Former Coach) Several participants felt that while TFSR promotional activities can increase overall awareness levels among all hockey stakeholders, these activities are very costly to run every year (e.g., hockey arena board advertising). Many key informants felt that while the PLBTF grant initially provided important opportunities to spread and communicate the TFSR message, the budget for this promotional item remains a challenge to meet. Finally a PHU key informant felt that ongoing implementation of the TFSR policy (and message) is lessened when hockey players move on to other teams that may not have adopted a similar policy. Ontario Tobacco Research Unit 23
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