E-cigarettes are now being aggressively marketed at point-of-sale in convenience stores as well as in vape shops, with and without claims about health effects and about smoking cessation effectiveness. Our research suggests that e-cigarettes are bein

Ontario’s youth exposure to tobacco use in movies remains substantial. Requiring any movie that contains tobacco imagery be assigned an adult rating (18A) in Ontario could considerably decrease smoking initiation among youth. The 2017 data for top-gr

Ontario’s ban on menthol flavouring in tobacco was one of the first internationally. OTRU is evaluating the impacts of this cutting edge regulation. The ban on menthol in tobacco products was found to be associated with quitting behaviour, and potent

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has grown exponentially and the use of waterpipes is on the rise, especially among youth and young adults. Concerns surround initiation of these products among youth and young adults, and the relationship of the

Despite declining prevalence of smoking in Ontario in the last few decades, rates of smoking cessation have not increased significantly in the last few years. OTRU will conduct Research on Advancing Cessation Treatment (REACT) to study the urgent nee

This Update provides a summary of the tobacco use cessation services provided at the local-level by all 36 Public Health Units across Ontario for the 2016 calendar year.

Of the more than 7000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, nicotine is one of the most widely assessed. Nicotine has been identified as the primary substance in tobacco that causes addiction and, as such, the main substance driving use of tobacco products. Fo

Philip Morris International says that it will be marketing a new product called iQOS in Ontario. iQOS uses a special device to heat the tobacco to release an aerosol vapour that is inhaled by the smoker. The industry has argued that this type of devi

The Canadian government may be preparing regulations for plain and standardized packaging of cigarette products. This OTRU update examines the level of public support for plain packaging in Ontario, which is among the highest in the world. This high

Many researchers use a definition of quit attempt that requires any attempt at cessation to last longer than 24 hours. Using data from OTRU’s Ontario Tobacco Survey, this update examines factors associated with making quit attempts that last more tha

The majority of smokers begin smoking in their teens or early twenties. Raising the legal age of access to tobacco to age 21 has the potential to impact positively on future smoking prevalence and health outcomes. This update outlines reasons to cons

Research shows that smokers who use quit aids such as pharmacotherapies and behavioral support are more likely to be successful in smoking cessation than smokers who do not use quit aids. This update explores factors related to use and trends in the

OTRU, together with the Well Living House at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health (CRICH), is studying how non-traditional tobacco use in Ontario’s Aboriginal communities can best be addressed through interventions. This update describes stud

There is strong evidence from randomized control trials that cessation medication can help people quit smoking; however, real world studies of smoking cessation aid effectiveness have shown mixed results. Using data from the Ontario Tobacco Survey, t

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a long standing public health issue. The Smoke-Free Ontario Act protects many Ontarians from exposure to SHS in enclosed public places and workplaces including restaurants and bars, casinos, in vehicles, and in t

Public debate abounds about e-cigarettes, their promotion, sale and use; concerns over youth uptake; the potential for renormalization of smoking; their effectiveness as a cessation aid; and their health impacts. OTRU, in partnership with the Centre

This update provides a brief overview of smoking prevalence and exposure to secondhand smoke in Ontario based on the findings of the recently released 2013 Canadian Community Health Survey. The last significant change in smoking prevalence was betwee

As waterpipe use has increased around the world, it has become a growing public health concern. This update examines the latest population survey data about the prevalence of waterpipe use in Ontario, patterns of use, beliefs and attitudes about use

Varenicline is currently funded as a Limited Use Benefit on the Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary. However, little is known about who uses varenicline and how use has changed over time in Ontario. This update explores use of varenicline in Ontario using

The health risks of second hand smoke (SHS) are now well established; in many places, including the province of Ontario, most indoor public places such as workplaces, bars, and restaurants are covered under smoke-free ordinances. People in outdoor en

This update provides an overview of the issues surrounding exposure to outdoor smoking including the impacts of physical and social exposure, constituents of outdoor second hand smoke, potential harm to health, and impact on wildlife and the environm

Using data from the 2012 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s CAMH Monitor, this update presents findings on the level of support among Ontario adults aged 18 years and older for assigning a Restricted or “R” rating to movies that show characters

In response to growing concerns about third hand smoke (THS), OTRU hosted a workshop for public health, tobacco control policy, and research communities in May 2012, in Toronto. An online survey was circulated prior to the event to public health, hea

The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit recently updated two tobacco database resources for the design and conduct of studies related to tobacco and tobacco control. The Directory of Public Use Data on Tobacco Use in Canada is designed to help researchers

This update presents data on the use and co-use of tobacco and cannabis among students over the past three decades using the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). OSDUHS is the longest ongoing s

There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. Even brief exposure can trigger asthma attacks in children, and exposure can have immediate negative health impacts in adults including general respiratory and eye irritation, asthma symptoms, and

Waterpipe (hookah) use is increasing globally. This update reviews recent data that provide an indication of level of use in Canada, summarizes evidence suggesting that waterpipe smoke is at least as toxic as cigarette smoke and points to serious hea

The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit recently updated two tobacco database resources for the design and conduct of studies related to tobacco and tobacco control. The Directory of Public Use Data on Tobacco Use in Canada is designed to help researchers

This update highlights findings that were recently published in Kaufman P, Griffin K, Ferrence R, Cohen J, Perkins N. Smoking in Urban Outdoor Public Places: Behaviour, Experiences and Implications for Public Health. Health and Place 16: 961-968, 201

This update provides findings on the extent and patterns of tobacco use among Ontario students from the most recent OSDUHS report, Drug Use Among Ontario Students, 1977-2009: Detailed OSDUHS Findings.

This update is based on excerpts from the tobacco summary section of the report, Drug Use among Ontario Students, 1977-2009: Detailed OSDUHS Findings. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) is

This update addresses issues related to tobacco product availability within the larger context of industry marketing of tobacco; the current state of affairs with respect to tobacco availability; models of availability in other fields, specifically t

Household telephone surveys provide an important tobacco-control tool for research, monitoring and evaluation, and policy-making, but declining response rates of surveys and various measurement issues are undermining the quality and utility of survey

OTRU has updated two tobacco database resources for the design and conduct of studies related to tobacco and tobacco control – the Directory of Public Use Data on Tobacco Use in Canada and the Searchable Database of Questionnaire Items from Populatio

The effectiveness of tobacco taxation to discourage smoking can be undermined by the widespread availability of contraband tobacco. Data from the Ontario Tobacco Survey are used to estimate the extent of purchasing contraband cigarettes on reserves i

Most nonsmokers in Canada and the United States are protected from secondhand smoke exposure at work and in indoor public places, but many are still exposed to smoke entering their homes from neighbouring dwellings, shared indoor spaces, ventilation

Long-term comprehensive tobacco control programs are successful in preventing smoking acquisition and helping smokers quit, but there must be ongoing funding for sustained programming to maintain effects. This Update looks at the effects of funding c

Health professionals can and should play a key role in smoking cessation and evidence shows that many consider it their role to advise smokers to quit. Less is known about smokers’ views on the role of health professionals. This Update assesses Ontar

Monitoring public support for restrictions on smoking may help policy makers make effective decisions about tobacco control policies that will benefit the community as a whole. This Update presents public opinion data on trends in support by Ontarian

This update presents data on cigarette brand family preferences based on 1,368 current smokers from the first two waves of the cross-sectional component of the Ontario Tobacco Survey conducted in 2005 and 2006. Sales data are used to examine brand fa