Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS)

The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS) was launched in April of 2001 as a framework for a comprehensive, fully integrated, and multi-faceted approach to tobacco control. It focuses on four mutually reinforcing components: prevention, cessation, protection, and harm reduction.

Objectives

The 10 year objectives of the FTCS to be reached by 2011 are:

• to reduce the national smoking prevalence from 25% to 20%;
• to reduce the number of cigarettes sold in Canada by 30%;
• to increase retailer compliance with youth access laws from 69% to 80%;
• to reduce the number of people exposed to second-hand smoke in enclosed public places; and
• to explore how to mandate changes to tobacco products to reduce health hazards.

Highlights

• The primary mission of the FTCS is to reduce tobacco-attributable disease and death among Canadians.
• Priority areas of focus include: youth, young adults, First Nations and Inuit populations, increasing the rate of smoking cessation among Canadians of all ages and reducing exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
• The Tobacco Control Programme (TCP) represents Health Canada's working contribution under the terms of the FTCS.

Canada's progress in tobacco control

Canada has made great strides in reducing tobacco use over the past few years. Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS) data for 2005 indicated that slightly less than 5 million people, representing roughly 19% of the population age 15 years and older, were current smokers. This compares to a rate of 25% in 2000.

Milestones

• Graphic health warnings on cigarette packaging are drawing Canadians' attention to the consequences of using tobacco products; these messages are being emulated by other countries.
• Tobacco manufacturers are now required to report on sales data, research and promotion activities, product ingredients and toxic components.
• Many communities and provinces have adopted public smoking bans.
• In November 2004, Canada ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which came into force February 27, 2005.
• The 2005 Retailers' Behaviour Toward Certain Youth Access-to-Tobacco Restrictions Survey found that 80.8 per cent of retailers refused to sell cigarettes to youth.
• Canada is the first country to have a national standard to reduce the fire risk of cigarettes as set out in regulations that came into force on June 7, 2005.