Information
July 2003
The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy
Smoking is the most serious preventable public health risk facing Canada. About 5.4 million
Canadians still smoke and every year more than 45,000 die as a result of their addiction
to tobacco.
Canada has made great strides in reducing tobacco use over the past few years. As a result:
- 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;
- many communities have adopted smoke-free by-laws;
- there are restrictions on the promotion of tobacco products; and sponsorship promotions
will be banned altogether as of October 1, 2003; and
- there is now mandatory reporting by tobacco manufacturers of sales data, research
and promotion activities, product ingredients and toxic components.
These are significant achievements but more must be done. The Federal Tobacco Control
Strategy (FTCS), announced in April 2001, establishes a framework for a comprehensive,
fully integrated, and multi-faceted approach to tobacco control. The FTCS is the federal
contribution to the national tobacco control plan endorsed in 1999 by all Ministers of
Health. It focuses on four mutually reinforcing components: prevention, cessation, protection
and harm reduction.
The Tobacco Control Programme has been given a challenging 10-year mandate under the FTCS.
The 10-year goals of the federal strategy are to reduce national average smoking prevalence
to 20% or lower (current prevalence is down from 25% to 22% since 1999); to reduce tobacco
consumption by at least 30%; to increase the proportion of tobacco product retailers complying
with youth access laws to at least 80%; and to reduce the number of Canadians exposed to
second-hand smoke in all locations: home, public, transport and workplace.
Mass media activities have also been identified as an important tool to support tobacco
control through persuasive messages aimed at keeping key tobacco-related issues before
the Canadian public.
The Government of Canada is convinced that the most effective way to prevent and reduce
tobacco use in Canada is to address the problem at all levels of society. Support for other
federal departments, and coordination with provincial and territorial governments and non-governmental
organizations, with respect to policy development and joint programs, makes for a solid
foundation. The strategy focusses on youth, First Nations and Inuit communities (managed
in collaboration with aboriginal communities) and on increasing the rate of smoking cessation.
Internationally, Canada will continue to play a leading role in capacity-building and
developing best practices to further strengthen global efforts on tobacco control.
More information on the FTCS can be obtained on the www.GoSmokefree.ca Health
Canada's web site.
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