Information
November 2003
Tobacco Control and Mass Media
The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy and Programme
Responding to proof that comprehensive, integrated and sustained mass media campaigns
are effective in tobacco control, the Government of Canada committed funds in April 2001
under the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy for a five-year mass media effort.
The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy objectives are:
- to reduce the number of people who smoke to 20 per cent of Canada's population;
- to reduce by 30 per cent the number of cigarettes sold in Canada; to increase retailer
compliance with the laws governing sales of tobacco to youth from 69 per cent to 80 per
cent;
- to reduce the number of people exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in enclosed public
spaces, and;
- to explore ways of mandating changes to tobacco products to reduce hazards to health.
The Tobacco Control Programme delivers on the Strategy goals.
Mass Media Campaigns
Mass media campaigns are recognized as an integral component of any comprehensive program
to reduce tobacco use and exposure.
Over the past two years, there have been national mass media campaigns on Second-hand
Smoke ("Target"), ("Heather"), and ("Couch"/S.S.D). These campaigns complement our smoking
cessation campaign ("Bob/Martin"). Research shows that by reducing the places where a smoker
can smoke, they are more likely to quit and be successful at it. For example, the state
of California found the link between these two second-hand smoke and cessation advertisements
to be so strong that it always includes both themes in their campaigns.
Second-hand Smoke Campaign
Heather Crowe has been a focal point of the second-hand smoke mass media campaign for
the past year. Her remarkable story is becoming increasingly well known. The first ad with
Heather Crowe aired in October 2002 and ran for four weeks on national television followed
by advertisements in transit shelters across the country. In December 2002, a modified
Heather ad ran in cinemas nationwide.
The advertisement features Heather Crowe, who is dying from lung cancer - the kind induced
by tobacco smoke. She has never smoked a day in her life, yet she developed lung cancer
as a direct result of continuous exposure to second-hand smoke in the hospitality sector,
where she worked for more than 40 years. The story and messages are deliberately hard-hitting
and tell a true, compelling story.
Since the launch of the "Heather" campaign, Heather Crowe has been a vocal non-smoking
activist attending numerous engagements in municipalities working towards a smoke-free
by-law. Heather has travelled to locations such as Winnipeg, Cornwall, London (Ontario),
Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Nunavut, to share her story and to ask for
measures that would protect other workers from second-hand smoke in the workplace. She
has made herself available for media interviews and public events as part of her determined
effort to be one of the last people to die of second-hand smoke. While travelling to Edmonton
this year, Heather met Barb Tarbox, who was diagnosed in September 2002 with terminal lung
cancer caused by smoking. She dedicated the last months of her life to speak to as many
young people as possible about the dangers of smoking. She spoke to more than 50,000 students
in Alberta and across Canada before becoming too ill to make public appearances.
On September 29th 2003, the Heather Crowe second-hand smoke campaign re-aired for 4 weeks
on national television, with the new call to action "Refuse to be a target", rather than "Are
you a target?". This campaign complemented an out-of-home campaign consisting of street
level ads in cities with populations over 500,000, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton,
Ottawa/Gatineau, Toronto, as well as cities adopting the bylaws in 2003/2004. In partnership
with the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC), an agency of the government
of Alberta, the "Two lives affected by tobacco" Barb Tarbox and Heather Crowe ad, will
air in cinemas in the month of December across Canada. It delivers a strong, emotional
story while at the same time acknowledges our existing second-hand smoke campaign. This
concept also acknowledges the efforts and commitment of these two women to promote the
negative impacts of tobacco on society by telling their personal stories. Each of their
lives have been adversely affected by tobacco with a similar result and, based on past
research, testimonials are a very powerful approach. The ad delivers a clear and simple
message by talking about smoking and second-hand smoke: Tobacco kills both smokers and
non-smokers.
Research and Results
Health Canada conducts substantial research before any campaign. Potential audiences are
identified through the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS), and there is baseline
public environment research, as well as qualitative research to test concepts and messages.
Extensive consultation with stakeholders is also part of putting together a campaign.
Results show that tobacco mass media efforts have had a significant impact. Following
the first Heather ad in 2002, 63 per cent of adults got the message that second-hand smoke
kills, while 98 per cent agreed that children should be protected from second-hand smoke.
Half of Canadians knew who Heather Crowe was, and 60 per cent recalled seeing the ad in
which she was featured.
Among our research results are figures on the actions taken by Canadians after seeing
the mass media products on smoking. Nearly 30 per cent stopped smoking inside or in front
of their children after seeing the ads about second-hand smoke in the home. Nearly 20 per
cent tried to quit smoking when they saw the cessation ads and nearly the same number thought
about quitting.
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