Tobacco Reduction and Control

Introduction

The Tobacco Reduction and Control Branch is part of the Ministry of Health Services' Tobacco Strategy.

The purpose of this branch is to reduce tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke among children and youth in British Columbia. Tobacco reduction and control initiatives are implemented by local health authorities throughout British Columbia. The primary objectives of these programs are:

• Prevention - to prevent tobacco use among children and youth in British Columbia;
• Cessation - to help those who want to quit using tobacco products; and
• Protection - to protect British Columbians from the health effects of second-hand smoke.

Programs and Initiatives Preventing Kids from Starting to Smoke:

bc.tobaccofacts is a series of innovative tobacco prevention lesson plans and activities for Grades K-7 that help students build skills to resist using tobacco. For information on ordering resources, contact Prevention Source B.C.

Kidzone is televised prevention programming on the Knowledge Network, for youth between the ages of 7-13 years, developed in collaboration with the Open Learning Agency and supported by a school resource kit, a Web site and a smoke-free activity book for children.

Helping Smokers Quit:

The ministry funds a number of programs to help support smokers who wish to quit:

Kick the Nic is a program designed in British Columbia to help youth stop smoking. It was developed in consultation with B.C. teens and is available in high schools. For information about Kick the Nic in your community, contact the Regional Tobacco Reduction Coordinator nearest you.

B.C. Doctors' Stop Smoking Program: This program encourages and supports physicians and other health professionals, in the delivery of smoking cessation interventions to their patients. This program can help link smokers with their family doctor or other health professional to set up an effective quit plan. For more information see http://www.bcdssp.com

QuitNow by Phone: Quitnow by phone, hosted by the BC Lung Association, is a confidential tobacco cessation helpline available free-of-charge to residents of British Columbia. The service is open 24/7 365 days a year, so that callers can seek help when they need it most. Callers can also access the service in their language of choice through a translation service that provides translation in over 130 languages. For help to quit smoking call 1-877-455-2233 (TTY 1-888-445-5788)

Tobacco Sales Enforcement:

• Provincial and federal legislation prohibits tobacco sales to minors.

• The Tobacco Enforcement Program monitors retailer compliance with tobacco sales legislation.

• Retailer education and enforcement activities are conducted by tobacco enforcement officers employed by health authorities.

• The Tobacco Reduction and Control Branch supports the Administrator of the Tobacco Sales Act in the suspension of retailers convicted of two or more tobacco sales violations.

Second-hand Smoke:

• On September 10, 2001, the revised Environmental Tobacco Smoke Regulations for the hospitality industry and long-term care and correctional facilitites come into effect. All employers covered under the Act must control employee exposure to second-hand smoke.

• The Ministry also encourages smoke-free environments through local municipal bylaws. More than 50 per cent of the municipalities in the province have smoking control bylaws. Through these efforts more than 90 per cent of the population have protection from second-hand smoke in public places.

Aboriginal Health and Tobacco:

• The Aboriginal Tobacco Strategy is a community-based strategy designed to meet the need of aboriginal people in British Columbia who are concerned about the misuse of tobacco. Regional Aboriginal representatives seek to mobilize their communities in support of developing an environment that will encourage and reinforce tobacco reduction activities.

Supporting British Columbia Communities:

• Tobacco Enforcement Officers: The ministry provides funding and training to tobacco enforcement officers responsible for enforcing federal and provincial tobacco sales legislation in their regions. To contact the health authority nearest you, see http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/socsec/index.html.

• Regional Tobacco Reduction Coordinators: The ministry provides funding for local tobacco experts in every health authority to assess, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate community tobacco reduction activities, programs and services for youth. To contact the Tobacco Reduction Coordinator nearest you, see http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/tobctrl/rtrc.html.

• Prevention Source B.C.: The ministry provides funding support for a clearinghouse, which provides resources and information on tobacco and tobacco addiction for researchers, health professionals, teachers and the public.

For more information on services available in your community, look in the blue pages of your local telephone directory under public or community health.

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Last Revised: December 17, 2007