This NAQC Playbook focuses on promoting the availability of quitline services following the passage of smokefree policies and tobacco excise tax increases. The North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) promotes evidence based quitline services across diverse communities in North America. As part of NAQC’s work to strengthen the linkages of quitlines and other tobacco control policy efforts, NAQC members, which include quitline funders, service providers, evaluators, researchers and national organizations, have contributed to this compilation of strategies and ideas to demonstrate the benefits of actively promoting quitlines during policy change.

The Toolkit for Implementing Smokefree Laws (www.GoingSmokeFree.org) developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) and Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) includes a comprehensive set of tools, tips and resources to help with implementing smokefree laws. This NAQC playbook complements the information provided on www.GoingSmokeFree.org in three important ways:

1. Increases awareness among policy advocates and those responsible for policy implementation of the supportive role quitlines can play as new smokefree policies are implemented.
2. Increases the quitline community’s awareness of the comprehensive implementation tools available in the toolkit and the steps required for effective policy implementation.
3. Focuses on strategies and factors to consider when linking quitline promotions to policy implementation and the impact of promoting quitlines in the wake of policy change, including tobacco tax increases.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: BACKGROUND - COLLABORATION STRATEGIES FOR QUITLINE PROMOTION - FRAMING THE CESSATION MESSAGE - PREPARING FOR IMPLEMENTATION - TIMING - IDEAS AND STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING QUITLINES: EXAMPLES - TRACKING SUCCESS - LESSONS LEARNED & CHALLENGES - RESOURCE LIST & LINKS - REFERENCES

OVERVIEW 

This playbook includes practical tools to assist with the integration of quitline promotion and policy change. The ideas and strategies are intended to encourage states and municipalities to incorporate quitlines into the implementation activities surrounding smokefree laws and to identify opportunities to promote the quitline during tobacco tax increases. Given the varied quitline budgets, models and services that the states offer and the political environments under which they operate, a range of strategies are presented to allow states to select the most feasible options. Although this document focuses only on quitlines, states should also look at ways to promote the use of all evidence-based cessation treatments if available in the state.

Many states generously contributed their resources and materials to this playbook. These examples are woven throughout to demonstrate real-world implementation of the suggested strategies. As more states implement smokefree laws and tobacco tax increases, additional examples will be added. Please contact Randi Lachter (rlachter@naquitline.org) to submit your ideas or for questions related to this playbook.

This project is made possible through a two-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

1. BACKGROUND
   This section provides information about: a) the importance of linking cessation and policy; b) the basics of quitlines and NAQC; and c) the benefits of involving quitlines in policy implementation.
   
   
   
2. COLLABORATION STRATEGIES FOR QUITLINE PROMOTION
   This section includes different approaches used to promote quitlines during policy implementation efforts and ideas for partnering with organizations to ensure that both traditional (i.e., public health and tobacco control) and new partners are aware of the quitline services available in the state.
   
   
   
3. FRAMING THE CESSATION MESSAGE
   This section presents a variety of options for how to frame the cessation message once a policy has passed and implementation planning begins. Possible messages range from making an explicit connection between the smokefree law or excise tax increase and quitting to making no connection between the two.
   
   
   
4. PREPARING FOR IMPLEMENTATION
   This section includes information to help guide those making the decision about how to integrate cessation in a policy implementation effort. Also provided are a list of options for how to prepare for increased demand for quitline services and a brief discussion about funding needs including the value of promoting quitline services to policy makers and funders.
   
   
   
5. TIMING
   The information in this section complements the timelines on www.GoingSmokeFree.org by focusing on opportunities to integrate quitlines into implementation activities before and after a policy is implemented.
   
   
   
6. IDEAS AND STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING QUITLINES: EXAMPLES
   This section includes a comprehensive list of strategies used by states and municipalities. This is where you will find a variety of examples, copies of materials used by others and links to valuable resources.
   
   
   
7. TRACKING SUCCESS
   This section includes information about the different approaches used to track the impact of policy changes on quitlines. It includes examples of how quitlines have tracked call volumes related to a policy change and/or assessed tobacco users’ motivations or reasons for contacting the quitline.
   
   
   
8. LESSONS LEARNED & CHALLENGES
   The lessons learned and challenges included in this section are based on the experience of many states and are provided for consideration as others plan for implementation of smokefree laws and tobacco tax increases.
   
   
   
9. RESOURCE LIST & LINKS
   The Web sites listed here offer complementary information to assist with the many components of implementing smokefree policies and tax increases.
   
   
   
10. REFERENCES