In the mid-2000’s, Colorado passed landmark statewide laws to limit tobacco use in indoor public places and increase the price of tobacco. And yet, despite these and other existing laws, too many Coloradans continued to be exposed to secondhand smoke at work, at home and at play, and too many Colorado teems were able to buy tobacco from local retailers even though it was illegal to sell it to them.

Working closely with the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Alliance and its partners, SE2 developed an extensive toolkit of materials for communities around the state to use in their local policy efforts to strengthen clean indoor air laws and reduce youth access to tobacco products. Tools included messages, outreach materials and paid ads. SE2 also provided communications technical assistance to the local communities, supporting their efforts to change local policy.
A handful of Colorado communities passed strengthened local laws to limit exposure to secondhand smoke in multiunit housing facilities, workplace and outdoor public places. Other communities passed local ordinances to license retailers of non-cigarette tobacco products, helping to fund local enforcement and ensure retailers followed the law by not selling tobacco to minors.