News Release
1999-85
June 16, 1999
Health Minister unveils new advertisements against tobacco
OTTAWA - Health Minister Allan Rock today unveiled a new set of tough advertisements to expose the marketing tactics of the tobacco industry. The advertisements, based on the successful experiences of several US states, aim to heighten awareness of the toxic constituents of tobacco smoke and the addictiveness of tobacco products. They also highlight the fact that the tobacco industry is producing a product that kills - every year, more than 45,000 Canadians die from tobacco-related diseases.
"I indicated in January that our government would get even tougher on tobacco industry marketing," said Mr. Rock. "Today, I'm taking further steps to make sure that every time a Canadian lights up, the first thing that comes to mind are the health consequences -- that tobacco kills."
Traditionally, anti-smoking social marketing activities have been directed at informing Canadians of health effects and making smoking a less socially accepted behaviour. However, there is strong evidence from the United States that "industry denormalization" campaigns, which draw attention to the marketing strategies and tactics of the tobacco industry, are also highly effective tobacco control tools. Evaluations of "denormalization" campaigns in California have found that such advertisements are particularly effective in redirecting the guilt that smokers often feel, channelling it instead into anger at being manipulated. To be effective, these campaigns must be hard hitting: they need to make people stop and think.
The campaign launched today, which will run over the summer, consists of three television advertisements:
- Poison addresses the labelling of the toxic components of cigarettes as "light" and "mild", when in fact all cigarettes have the same lethal potential. Over half of Canadian smokers choose light or mild cigarettes, most of whom assume the term light means a lower level of toxic materials.
- Debi is concerned with the addictiveness of cigarettes. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances in existence.
- Olivier is a testimonial about the impact of tobacco on a young man and his family.
As a further component of Health Canada's tobacco control strategy, Secretary of State (Children and Youth) Ethel Blondin-Andrew announced a new Youth Advisory Committee on Tobacco Use that will be put in place over the summer. Health organizations have been asked to nominate candidates for this committee, which will provide advice on making smoking less attractive to young Canadians and on helping them to quit. Committee members will be chosen on the advice of a selection panel with members from two national health organizations -- the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society -- and representatives from Health Canada and the office of the Secretary of State for Children and Youth.
"This committee will be an important way for young people to help us send the right messages in the right ways to young people," said Ms. Blondin-Andrew. "I'm looking forward to the contribution these young people will make."
Mr. Rock stressed that we must change the social environment in which the tobacco industry operates if we are to be more successful in encouraging young people not to begin using cigarettes. "I want Canadian youth to understand the consequences of using tobacco industry products," said the Minister. "Too many of them smoke because they are led to believe by industry promotion that smoking is cool and glamourous, when the truth is that tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in Canada. We must reverse the tide."
The announcement of the Youth Advisory Committee fulfills a commitment made by the Minister in January. It will ensure that his work to reduce youth smoking remains focussed, realistic and effective.
The Minister also announced today the launch of the  Tobacco Law Compendium (TLC) -- Canada's most comprehensive source of legal information concerning tobacco issues. The University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law developed this Internet-based database, with funding from Health Canada.
Within a year, the TLC will contain summaries of all Canadian legislation and regulations concerning tobacco (including municipal by-laws) and summaries of legal cases. It will also provide access to legal literature. The university hopes to broaden the site's scope in the future by also including the major pieces of international tobacco legislation.
The Minister indicated that he plans to table regulations on reporting and labelling when the House of Commons returns in the fall.
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Media Inquiries
Derek Kent
Office of Allan Rock
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-1515
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