Since 1992, the Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition (MOTAC) has worked to prevent and reduce the health and economic consequences of tobacco use. Our efforts in tobacco prevention have focused on creating healthier environments that prevent youth from starting, support individuals who are considering or attempting to quit, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosols.
Our efforts are part of a community ecosystem that promotes health and well-being. These efforts center around enhancing health at home, at work, and throughout the metro Omaha community. MOTAC’s current initiatives include smoke-free housing, tobacco-free businesses, tobacco retailer compliance, and reducing tobacco point-of-sale advertising.
– Smoke-Free Housing: Focused on decreasing disparities of people exposed to secondhand smoke and/or aerosol, we provide technical assistance to multi-unit housing owners and/or property managers in implementing or enhancing smoke-free policies. We also promote smoke-free living by connecting tenants to smoke-free housing through our housing registry. In addition, we promote public awareness of smoke-free living through our Rent Smoke Free campaign.
– Tobacco-Free Businesses: Focused on ensuring our community is a healthy place to live, work and play, we provide technical assistance to businesses in implementing or enhancing tobacco and/or smoke-free policies such as tobacco-free campuses, smoke-free outdoor dining, and footage from the door policies.
– Retail Compliance: Focused on preventing a new generation of youth from becoming addicted to nicotine, we partner with the Omaha Police Department to implement compliance checks of licensed tobacco and vaping retailers.
– Reducing Tobacco Advertising: Focused on de-normalizing the influence the tobacco industry has in our neighborhoods, we work to assess neighborhood advertising, understand patterns in advertising strategies, and talk with retailers about implementing voluntary policies to reduce tobacco advertising at the point-of-sale.
Our work would not be possible without the help of our members, volunteers, executive committee, and the greater community. Join us as we work toward our first nicotine-free generation!
Contributed by:
Lucia Rodriguez-Alvizo (she/her)
Coordinator, Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition
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Published August 23, 2021