January 2009

CREATING A SMOKE-FREE ONTARIO

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Ontario, killing over 13,000 Ontarians every year. Tobacco-related diseases cost the Ontario economy $1.6 billion for health care annually, resulting in $4.4 billion in productivity losses and accounting for at least 500,000 hospital days each year.

In 2005, the McGuinty government launched the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy. The strategy focuses on:

• Initiatives aimed at young people to encourage them not to smoke
• Protection from exposure to second-hand smoke, and
• Programs to help smokers quit.

By working closely with a broad range of partners, the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy has become widely recognized as one of the most comprehensive in North America. It helps to fund programs provided by major non-governmental health agencies in Ontario, including: Cancer Care Ontario; Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division; Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario; Ontario Lung Association; and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

HELPING YOUTH BUTT OUT:

• Ontario’s prevention strategy for youth involves a $9.8 million investment for 2007/08. Highlights include:

• Youth smoking rates are down – 72 per cent of high school students report never trying a cigarette
• In March 2007, the first ever provincial Aboriginal Youth Summit brought together more than 200 youth province-wide to develop tobacco-wise activity for their communities;
• The “What You Do Matters” public awareness campaign was launched, informing members of the Aboriginal community about the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. 
• The youth action alliance peer leadership program continues to be implemented in every public health unit jurisdiction in the province. Over 500 peer leaders and volunteer youth are engaged in this program throughout the province.
• Smoke-Free Ontario High School Grants continue to support student-led tobacco control activities with up to $1,000 for each participating school.

WORKING TOWARDS A SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT:

• Compliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act is at very high levels, with 99 per cent of restaurants and bars, considered smoke-free;
• Ninety-eight per cent of tobacco vendors are compliant with the ban on display of tobacco products, as of July 2008; and
• Public Health Units have conducted a total of 55,110 educational visits regarding the Smoke-Free Ontario Act to tobacco vendors, bars, restaurants, and workplaces.

ONTARIO IS HELPING ONTARIANS QUIT SMOKING:

• In 2007/2008, Ontario invested $15 million in cessation programs, services and training.
• Over 200,000 smokers have been helped by Ontario-funded initiatives between 2005 and 2007.
• Over 18,000 Ontarians accessed the Smokers’ Helpline in 2007/08. 
• Approximately 27,000 Ontario smokers were motivated to quit for the month of March by participating in the 2008 Driven to Quit Challenge.
• The Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients Study (STOP) administered through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, has reached over 49,000 smokers to help increase their odds of quitting, by providing counseling and free nicotine replacement therapy.

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Contacts:
Lise Jolicoeur
Minister’s Office,
(416) 326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Communications Branch
(416) 326-4833

ontario.ca/health-promotion-news
www.mhp.gov.on.ca
www.ontario.ca/smokefree