September 13, 2006

Ontario’s Smoke-Free Efforts Exceed Expectations

Ottawa Public Health presented with Heather Crowe Award

OTTAWA –The latest Health Canada figures indicate tobacco consumption in Ontario has fallen by 18.7 per cent since 2003, and Minister of Health Promotion Jim Watson says the McGuinty government is making excellent progress toward meeting its commitment to reduce tobacco consumption in Ontario by 20 per cent before the end of 2007.

“Our Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy has exceeded our expectations for success,” said Watson, speaking at the offices of Ottawa Public Health. “Tobacco consumption has fallen by over 18 per cent or more than 2.6 billion cigarettes since the McGuinty government was elected, and we are well on the way to meeting our target.

“ Laid end to end, 2.6 billion cigarettes would stretch 219,647 kilometres, or more than 136,482 miles long,” Watson added. “That’s long enough to circle the equator almost five and a half times. It’s also, believe it or not, more than half the distance to the moon.”

Watson also announced $125,663 in funding for Ottawa Heart Beat, part of the Ontario Heart Health program, and presented Ottawa Public Health with the Heather Crowe Award for their role in helping the province dramatically reduce smoking rates since 2003.

Health Canada’s figures measure consumption based on units of cigarette sales. The sales data include domestic cigarettes and cigarette equivalents, e.g., roll your own, as reported to Health Canada by domestic tobacco manufactures. Their data are a widely used indicator of cigarette consumption.

“Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Ontario,” said Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “These figures show that the Smoke-Free Ontario strategy is making a positive impact on public health in our province.”

Public Health Units have contributed to the success of Ontario’s Smoke-Free Strategy by providing community-based education, public awareness and enforcement of the new legislation.

Ontario invests $3.4 million annually in the Ontario Heart Health Program. This money funds community activity that focuses on those risk factors for cardiovascular and chronic diseases that can be modified by prevention of tobacco use, healthy eating and physical activity. The Heart Health Program has been a key component in helping reduce smoking in Ontario.

Since 2003, the Ontario government has increased its investments in tobacco control six-fold to a total of $60 million. This includes a $10 million increase in 2006 over the previous year. Smoking kills 16,000 people in Ontario each year. T obacco-related diseases cost the Ontario economy at least $1.7 billion for health care annually, result in more than $2.6 billion in productivity losses and account for at least 500,000 hospital days each year.

The strategy is part of the McGuinty government’s comprehensive plan to improve health care in Ontario. The plan includes keeping Ontarians healthier, reducing wait times for key procedures, creating Family Health Teams, and increasing access to doctors and nurses.

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For further information:

Adam Grachnik
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

Version française disponible

Tobacco Consumption Is Down Dramatically In Ontario

BACKGROUND

• The McGuinty government made a commitment to reduce tobacco consumption by 20 per cent before the end of 2007.

• 2005 per capita cigarette sales declined by 10.3 per cent from 2004 sales.

• The total decline since 2003 is 18.7 per cent.

• Achievement of the 20 per cent goal will represent approximately 2.6 billion fewer cigarettes shipped to retailers by tobacco companies.

• The number of youth who abstain from smoking has increased by ten percent since 2003 to 67 per cent. This increase is statistically significant. Studies have shown that if people don’t start smoking by the age of 18, chances are they never will.

The Data

• Health Canada recommends the use of wholesale data to measure consumption.

• Since 2001, federal law has required that tobacco companies submit wholesale tobacco sales figures to Health Canada. National and provincial sales figures as far back as 1980 are available for tobacco products such as domestic and imported cigarettes and fine cut tobacco (roll-your-own).

• The per capita calculation adjusts for changes in the population over time, which is necessary to make year-over-year comparisons.

• Population figures used to derive per capita estimates of tobacco consumption are obtained from Statistics Canada. The figures used for this purpose reflect Ontario’s population 15 years and older.

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For further information:

Adam Grachnik
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

Version française disponible