1. Public Health
  2. Community Initiatives
  3. Reduce Drug Harm & Violence
  4. Tobacco Free Columbia Dane County Coalition
  5. Our Work

Our Work

Wisconsin Wins - Tobacco Compliance ProgramWe work with property owners to promote smoke-free housing.

  • The Wisconsin Wins (WI Wins) campaign is a science-based, state-level initiative designed to decrease youth access to tobacco products. TFCDC hires youth between the ages of 16-17 to conduct tobacco compliance checks throughout Columbia and Dane County to ensure retailers aren't selling tobacco products to minors.

  • State statute requires that retail clerks complete a state-approved tobacco and nicotine training. One approved method is the Department of Health Services’ Tobacco Check training, which is free and available online. Store owners or managers will have to log in and activate their store in order for clerks to complete the training. Store Owners & Managers: Here is A STEP-BY-STEP guide to activate your store. 

FACT: Youth Prevention Program

  • FACT is a youth-led movement designed to reduce the burden of tobacco in Wisconsin. It empowers teen members in grades 7-12 to spread the truth about tobacco. Teen FACT members lead advocacy initiatives including peer-to-peer education, media outreach, and meeting with state and local leaders. They have helped reduce youth tobacco use and have played a part in changing community policies on secondhand smoke and retail sales to youth.  The movement is managed by the American Lung Association and is designed to reduce the burden of tobacco in Wisconsin.
  • TFCDC wants to work with you and offer FACT at your school. If you are interested in becoming a member of FACT or starting a FACT group at your school, please contact Ryan Sheahan or go to factmovement.org and sign up!

Tobacco Free Campuses

Spark, a Wisconsin-wide, state-supported program, helps college campuses pass tobacco-free policies and educate campus communities that tobacco in all its forms is a threat. Spark offers young adults a platform and an opportunity to be an advocate on their campus.

Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing Education Efforts

  • As part of Clear Gains, Wisconsin’s smoke-free housing initiative, TFCDC works with property owners/managers in Dane County to educate them about the benefits of implementing smoke-free policies in their rental units. Smoke-free policies are profitable, popular among Wisconsin renters, legal, and easy to implement. Smoke-free policies save owners/managers, on average, 2-7 times when cleaning and turning over a smoke-free unit compared with one that has been smoked in; and the Clear Gains website provides both tenants and landlords resources to help implement and sustain smoke-free policies.
  • For more information on smoke-free multi-unit housing efforts:

Other Tobacco Products (OTP) and Nicotine Products Education

  • OTPs are all non-cigarette products that contain tobacco and nicotine, many of which are flavored and packaged like candy. In addition, they are much cheaper than cigarettes.
  • Nicotine products are products that contain only nicotine, and no tobacco. E-Cigarettes are an example.