Background: Despite success in reducing smoking in the general population in Australia high rates persist among the most disadvantaged groups. Consequently, the already vulnerable bear an additional burden of tobacco related harm to their health and material wellbeing. In response, The Cancer Council NSW instigated a five-year project, the Tobacco Control and Social Equity Strategy, which frames tobacco as an urgent social justice issue. The Strategy, which commenced in July 2006, aims to reduce tobacco related harm among disadvantaged groups by engaging with the community service organisations that work with them. Activities include building awareness around smoking risks, shaping organisational policy to address tobacco, and linking staff to training in tobacco and cessation. A small grants program and pilot projects encourage organisations to implement their own initiatives and adds to the evidence base in relation to tobacco control and social disadvantage.

Strategy: This presentation reports on the progress of the Strategy to date. It describes the processes that have been used to implement the Strategy to a sector where responses ranged from opposition, to wariness or cautious enthusiasm and outlines the main projects that have been generated to date.

Conclusion: The presentation will utilise an organisational change framework to assess the issues encountered, identify what has been learned and draw out implications for the future. This analysis may be of interest to those working on or planning similar initiatives or more generally concerned about tobacco control and cessation among disadvantaged groups.