Exploring voluntary tobacco-related initiatives by businesses

烟草使用是美国最重要的可预防的死亡和疾病原因。正常消费者使用烟草产品会导致多种类型的癌症，但烟草摄入仍在继续，香烟仍然广泛使用并积极推广。通过强制性的地方和州政策，包括清洁室内空气法和税收，烟草控制取得了进展。最近，不同地区的一些企业在没有法律的授权的情况下实施了自愿的烟草相关政策。例子包括在缺乏清洁室内空气法的地区的无烟餐厅，以及停止香烟销售的杂货店。然而，人们对企业的这种自愿创新知之甚少。该项目探讨了企业为什么以及如何启动此类政策，以及媒体和公众对这些政策的反应。更多地了解这一新出现的现象对烟草控制具有战略重要性，因为这种自愿政策具有使烟草非正常化的效果，并可作为缺乏这种政策的地方更全面政策的模式或先驱。通过案例研究和媒体分析，我们将研究企业的各种自愿烟草倡议，并分析其对烟草控制的影响。具体目标1：对实施自愿烟草相关政策的企业进行一系列案例研究（n=20），以描述企业制定这些政策的原因和方式，并探讨公众和媒体对这些政策的反应。案例研究将包括访谈、焦点小组、观察和相关媒体报道的分析。具体目标#2：研究1995-2010年全国企业自愿烟草相关政策的地方和国家媒体报道的程度、内容和框架。这项创新的研究将为塑造公共卫生倡导者如何与企业合作制定烟草政策提供必要的知识。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tobacco use is the most important preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. Normal consumer use of tobacco products causes multiple types of cancers, yet tobacco uptake continues and cigarettes remain widely available and aggressively promoted. Tobacco control has advanced through mandated local and state policies, including clean indoor air laws and taxation. Recently, a number of businesses in different regions have implemented voluntary tobacco-related policies absent legal mandates. Examples include smoke-free restaurants in areas lacking clean indoor air laws, and grocery stores discontinuing cigarette sales. However, little is known about such voluntary innovations by businesses. This project explores why and how businesses initiate such policies, and media and public responses to them. Understanding more about this emerging phenomenon is strategically important for tobacco control, because such voluntary policies have tobacco- denormalizing effects and may serve as models or precursors to more comprehensive policies in places where they are lacking. Using case studies and media analyses, we will study various voluntary tobacco initiatives by businesses and analyze their implications for tobacco control. Specific Aim #1: Conduct a set of case studies (n=20) of businesses that have implemented voluntary tobacco-related policies in order to describe why and how businesses create these policies, and explore public and media responses to them. Case studies will include interviews, focus groups, observations, and analysis of related media coverage. Specific Aim #2: Examine the extent, content, and framing of local and national media coverage of voluntary tobacco-related policies by businesses nationwide, from 1995-2010. This innovative study will provide knowledge essential for shaping how public health advocates' work with businesses on their tobacco policies.