Ontario Celebrates One Year Of Being Smoke-Free

    Ontarians Are Breathing Easier On First Anniversary of Smoke-Free Ontario
    Act

    TORONTO, May 30 /CNW/ - In the year since the McGuinty government's
Smoke-Free Ontario Act came into effect, more smokers are quitting, fewer
young people are picking up the habit and workers are being protected from
second-hand smoke, Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson said today.
    "The Smoke-Free Ontario Act makes us a leader in North America by
creating safer, smoke-free work environments and supporting efforts to prevent
young people from starting to smoke," said Watson. "There has been broad
compliance and acceptance of the law since it came into force, and that means
Ontarians are being protected from the deadly effects of smoking."
    The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking in enclosed workplaces and
enclosed public places in order to protect workers and the public from the
hazards of second-hand smoke.
    The act is a major component of the McGuinty government's Smoke-Free
Ontario Strategy, which has led to an 18.7 percent reduction in tobacco
consumption since 2003.
    On May 31, 2008 the final phase of the act will take effect with a
complete ban on the retail display of tobacco products.
    Smoking kills an average of 16,000 people in Ontario each year.
Tobacco-related diseases cost the Ontario health care system approximately
$1.6 billion a year, accounts for at least 500,000 hospital days each year and
results in about $4.4 billion in productivity losses.
    To ensure that Ontarians are receiving the support they need to quit, the
McGuinty government is providing free nicotine replacement therapy, such as
nicotine gum and patches. These and other cessation supports are available at
Ontario's 54 Community Health Centres (CHCs) and 10 Aboriginal Health Access
Centres (AHACs).
    This initiative draws on an additional $2.98 million in smoking cessation
investments, that enhances programming and services by:

    -   Providing free NRT and Zyban; and
    -   Improving access to telephone-based supportive counselling.

    "Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in
Ontario, and these additional resources from the government will get to people
who face many health and social barriers," said Adrianna Tetley, Executive
Director, Association of Ontario Health Centres. "We have to do a better job
of keeping people healthy, rather than simply treating illnesses, and this
announcement is a positive example of moving in that direction. One of the
best ways to help smokers from getting tobacco-related disease is to help them
quit as quickly as possible."
    "Rates of smoking among Aboriginal peoples are about three times the
provincial average," said Allison Fisher, Executive Director of the Wabano
Centre for Aboriginal Health in Ottawa. "This move by the government will help
us reduce the harmful effects of commercial tobacco use among our
communities."
    Minister Watson also announced today that the boardroom at the Ministry
of Health Promotion has officially been named The Heather Crowe Boardroom in
recognition of the late Heather Crowe.
    Each year, World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world on May 31.
This occasion educates the public on the dangers of using tobacco products,
the business practices of tobacco companies, what the World Health
Organization is doing to fight back and what people around the world can do to
protect their health and the health of future generations. This year's theme
is Smoke-Free Environments.

                              www.mhp.gov.on.ca
                           www.ontario.ca/smokefree



    Backgrounder
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                        CREATING A SMOKE-FREE ONTARIO

    In 2004, the McGuinty government launched the Smoke-Free Ontario
Strategy, focusing on public education campaigns, programs and policies aimed
at young people to encourage them not to smoke, protection from exposure to
second-hand smoke, and programs to help smokers quit.
    The government has committed to reducing tobacco consumption by 20 per
cent before the end of 2007. The latest figures indicate that there has been
an 18.7 per cent decline in tobacco consumption or more than 2.6 billion
cigarettes since 2003.
    Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in
Ontario, killing 16,000 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.
    Since 2003, the government has increased its annual investments in
tobacco control six-fold to $60 million, including a $10 million increase in
2006/07 over the previous year.
    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 funds 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 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

    Helping Ontarians quit smoking through a $10 million investment in
    cessation programs in 2006/07:

    -   Fifty-four per cent of adult smokers intended to quit smoking within
        six months; one quarter intend to quit smoking within 30 days (CTUMS,
        2005);
    -   64,725 smokers have been helped by MHP funded initiatives;
    -   Smokers' Helpline receives over 10,000 calls each year with call
        volumes increasing annually. Since Smokers' Helpline Online began in
        April 2006, 10,397 people have registered and 46,005 people have
        posted questions/comments to online support groups;
    -   Over 2.1 million 2007 Driven to Quit Challenge contest brochures on
        how to quit have been distributed; and
    -   Of 13,158 registrants for the STOP Study, 40 per cent attempted to
        quit smoking and 12 per cent quit and remained non-smokers for at
        least 6 months - quit rate two to four times greater than the rate
        reported for Ontario by the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey
        (CTUMS 2005).

    Key Facts:

    -   Forty-six per cent of Ontario's smokers made a serious attempt to
        quit smoking in the previous 12 months (CAMH Monitor Survey, 2005);
        and
    -   Of the 54 per cent of Ontario smokers interested in quitting in next
        6 months: 25 per cent intend to quit within 30 days.

    Youth smoking rates are down: 67 per cent of high school students report
    never trying a cigarette

    The prevention strategy for youth involved an $8.8 million investment in
2006/07. Highlights include:
    -   In 2005, 67 per cent of Ontario students (grades 7-12) reported never
        having taken a puff of a cigarette in their lifetime, a 10 per cent
        increase since 2003 (OSDUS, 2005) - 10 per cent represents an
        increase of more than 100,000 lifetime abstainers;
    -   Held the first ever provincial Aboriginal Youth Summit that brought
        together more than 200 youth province-wide to develop tobacco-wise
        activity for their communities;
    -   Expanded the Youth Action Alliance peer leadership program to all
        public health units in Ontario, engaging more than 500 peer leaders
        and volunteer youth;
    -   Provided 441 high school grants to implement student-led educational
        activities;
    -   Launched the second phase of the provincial stupid.ca campaign,
        featuring new creative and a refreshed website. To date there have
        been over 1 million unique visitors to the site; and
    -   Launched the "What You Do Matters" public awareness campaign
        informing members of the Aboriginal community about the harmful
        effects of second-hand smoke.

    Key Facts:

    -   In 2005, 67 per cent of students in grades 7 to 12 had never taken a
        puff of a cigarette - that's a 10 per cent increase since 2003; and
    -   The number of students in grades 7 to 12 who say they've smoked is
        the lowest since 1977.

    Almost all workplaces and enclosed public places are smoke-free:
    (All figures are as of March 31, 2007)

    -   Compliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act is at very high levels,
        with 99 per cent of public places and workplaces considered smoke-
        free;
    -   89 per cent of vendors are observing the promotion/display provisions
        in the SFOA;
    -   Compliance with 'proof of age' provisions by tobacco vendors is at
        80 per cent; 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; and have laid over 2,800 charges.

    Moving forward:

    -   On May 31, 2008, the final phase of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act will
        take effect. Impulse buying triggered by power walls will be
        addressed by banning the display of tobacco products.

    Health Effects of Smoking:

    Cancer
    -   Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Compared
        to non-smokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to
        develop lung cancer and women who smoke are about 13 times more
        likely to develop lung cancer. Smoking causes about 90 per cent of
        lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80 per cent in women. Lung
        cancer is lethal, with a 5-year survival rate of only about 15 per
        cent.
    -   Smoking can contribute to many other cancers, including:
           -  Pancreatic cancer
           -  Stomach cancer
           -  Bladder cancer
           -  Kidney cancer
           -  Cervical cancer
           -  Esophageal cancer
           -  Laryngeal cancer
           -  Oral cancer
           -  Leukemia
        -  Smoking also contributes to heart disease, stroke, and diseases of
           the vascular system. Smoking related cardiovascular disease is
           responsible for over 6,000 deaths in Ontario annually.
        -  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes emphysema
           and chronic bronchitis, is the third leading cause of adult
           smoking-related death in Canada.

    Health Effects of Second-hand Smoke:

    -   Second-hand smoke causes disease and death. No scientific authority
        or regulatory health body in the world has established a safe level
        of exposure to second-hand smoke.
    -   Second-hand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, of which more than
        50 are known or suspected carcinogens. Second-hand smoke has been
        classified as a known human carcinogen by the World Health
        Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, the U.S.
        National Toxicology Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection
        Agency.
    -   Never-smoking spouses of smokers have an increased risk of lung
        cancer of between 20 per cent (for women) and 30 per cent (for men).
        Risks to highly exposed groups, such as hospitality workers, may be
        much greater.

    Disponible en français

                              www.mhp.gov.on.ca
                           www.ontario.ca/smokefree

For further information: Adam Grachnik, Minister's Office, (416)
326-8497; Julie Rosenberg, Communications Branch, (416) 326-4833