Table 1 Steps in the process of becoming a smoke free community

Step 1

• Organize a meeting of community leaders and heads of women’s groups

• Present data on harms of SHS

• Explain rationale for establishing smoke free homes in their community

• If group expresses interest, ask for their assistance in arranging an educational meeting for community members

Step 2

• Arrange 3 large scale educational meetings where PHC staff provide facts about harms of SHS and importance of becoming a smoke free homes community.

• Encourage women and men to attend to garner widespread support

• Show smoke free homes video, featuring prominent doctors and the testimonials of other communities that have adopted a smoke free homes policy. Follow this with a q & a session about the harm of SHS to the family facilitated by a local doctor.

• Emphasize that the initiative is not asking men to quit smoking but rather not to smoke inside their house.

• Encourage men who are smokers to participate in establishing a new community norm

Step 3

• Smoke free homes stickers, posters, calendars are distributed to households to get widespread recognition of the movement. This helps acknowledge that this is a community not an individual movement.

• Arrange for and hold a smoke free homes declaration meeting for all community members

• Agreement is reached on the actions and activities to initiate and enforce a smoke free home policy. Communities may choose to add other points to their declaration.

• Prominent health officials are invited to make it clear that this is an action of significance.

• Speeches are given and the components of the smoke free homes initiative are read to all gathered and clarified.

• Media are invited to garner publicity for the event

• Declaration is signed by important leaders of the community and health officials.