We are excited to partner with the North Carolina Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch (TPCB) and two tobacco control regions of the state to address health equity through tobacco policy change!

Counter Tools is providing training and technical assistance for tobacco prevention programs and community partners to strengthen their capacity to advance evidence-based tobacco prevention policy goals. Together with TPCB, we are providing training to diverse audiences including youth and youth-serving organizations, school resource officers, alcohol law enforcement officers, local law enforcement officers, Drug Free Communities coalition members, state and local-level tobacco prevention and control practitioners, and other local public health advocates across North Carolina. We are also engaging community partners in the development of storytelling materials that will support community mobilization efforts.

This spring, counties from the NC Public Health Regions 4 and 5 assessed their retail environment to lay the groundwork for addressing it in their communities. We are working with Mecklenburg County advocates to conduct a Health Equity Impact Assessment in the coming year.

If you are an advocate, professional, or community member living in NC and are interested in learning more about this work or getting involved, please contact Ray Riordan, Director of Local Policy and Programs, at [email protected].

We are excited to collaborate with the TPCB and local partners to strengthen tobacco policy, systems and environmental change across North Carolina!