Smoke Free Movies: Act Now: Pass a Resolution

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Why should local councils get involved?

1. This is a national problem that reaches right into our neighborhoods and homes.

2. Media power is concentrated in a handful of corporations. They need to hear what we think as parents, citizens and consumers.

3. The well being of our young people is a community responsibility. There is no other intervention that will save more lives in the next generation than to get smoking out of kid-rated movies — simply and cost-free.

Two big reasons to pass local council resolutions:

Grassroots pressure on the motion picture studios and their corporate parents is critical to keep smoking out of kids' movies. Cooperation from local movie theaters and video outlets is critical to keep kids out of movies with smoking.

Introducing a City Council, county board, school board, or PTA/PTO resolution is a good way to educate young people and parents, engage local organizations and build public consensus. How to begin? Here's advice from experienced community organizers.

STEP 1: Identify the council member most likely to support Smoke Free Movies. Perhaps they chair a committee on youth or health or have shown an interest in tobacco issues. Haven't worked with the member directly? Enlist someone who has to help arrange a meeting.

STEP 2: Before your meeting, fax or email a one or two-page letter briefly describing the issue, the national support for it, and the local support for it.

STEP 3: Bring two or three well-informed, personable people with you. A parent or community group representative, a medical professional and a student leader would be ideal. Present the resolution you want the member to sponsor and a small packet of background info, published studies, local letters of endorsement, letters from council members in other cities, and policy endorsements from national organizations.

STEP 4: If the member agrees to act as sponsor, make sure you will be kept informed of the resolution's progress. Offer to meet with other members.

STEP 5: Can't find a helpful council member at first? Gather signatures from city residents or recruit more civic groups to endorse the resolution. Rally support by using the local media, writing letters to the local paper or calling local talk radio.

STEP 6: Once you know the resolution is going to be introduced, use that fact to line up even more support! Ask local residents to come speak and fill the room when it's debated. Let the sponsoring member know you're continuing to educate and organize.

STEP 7: When the resolution passes, alert local media and make sure that copies go to state legislators and members of Congress. They pay close attention to what local lawmakers are doing. Also be sure to send us a copy, so we can tell others about your success.

MODEL RESOLUTION (and instructions)| Download PDF | Letter to theaters | Letter to studios

List of Resolutions (partial)