title: The DeMarco factor: interview with a health policy advocate.
abstract: An interview with Vincent DeMarco, President of the Maryland Citizen's Health Initiative, reviews the history and strategies used to win victories for public health on gun policy and tobacco taxes and to seek passage of higher alcohol taxes in the state of Maryland. DeMarco emphasizes the need to build broad coalitions, to engage policy makers at election time and not just or primarily during legislative sessions, and to take advantage of the power of the news media as a microphone for reaching millions of possible supporters. The interview concludes with recommendations for public health training and practitioners in order to become successful policy advocates in a rapidly changing media and political landscape.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Room 292, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. djernigan@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Jernigan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003254:Consumer Advocacy / Q000191:economics; D005389:Firearms / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008396:Maryland; D015980:Public Health Practice; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D013219:State Government; D013660:Taxes; D055815:Young Adult; D062789:Tobacco Products