What Does Tobacco-Free Mean?  

Tobacco can be smoked, chewed and snuffed. All forms of tobacco use are dangerous and can affect health. Tobacco-free means discouraging the use of all forms of tobacco.  

What Is Tobacco-Free Sports?  

The concept is simple – develop, communicate, and reinforce a tobacco-free policy as part of your sports club, league, or association. This means no smoking, snuffing or chewing tobacco by members, players, coaches, leaders, or spectators.

The simplicity of the tobacco-free message means it will be carried beyond the sport – to spectators, families, and communities. The goal is to spread the word that most people don’t use tobacco and that the community supports and values tobacco-free environments.

Tobacco-Free Sports is a global movement. The International Olympic Committee and the World Health Organization have both developed tobacco-free programs. A result of this initiative lead to many sporting events declaring themselves as tobacco-free such as the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games and the 2002 FIFA World Cup in the Republic of Korea and Japan.

What is a Tobacco-Free Policy?  

A tobacco-free policy is a formal written document that is usually about one to two pages long. It can be written by anyone in your sporting organization but should always be formally approved and accepted by your management committee. The policy should address all of the issues relating to using tobacco in your club, league, or association (see sample policies).