With support from Health Canada, and in partnership with Physicians for Smoke Free Canada’s project “Addressing Knowledge Gaps Important to Tobacco Control”, OTRU has completed three reports about policy options for regulating vaping in Canada. Each

This report focuses on options for e‑cigarette marketing regulations. There are a range of regulatory policies regarding e‑cigarette marketing that could curtail development of dependence and possible uptake of smoking by young non-smokers. In consid

This report presents a synthesis of findings from public opinion research to review current approaches to vaping advertisements and marketing. The report touches on motivating factors for vape use, which precedes sections detailing participants’

This report presents a synthesis of findings from public opinion research to review the role of vape flavours in vaping use. The report identifies the influence of flavours in initial and continued vape use for groups with varying exposure to vaping

This report presents a synthesis of findings from public opinion research that review causes for first-time use of tobacco and vaping products. This includes motivating factors for use (device features, available flavours, social benefits, cost, and

In this newsletter, we report on recent findings, centred on advertising and promotion, from our Research on E-Cigarette and Waterpipe Health System Research Fund project. Specifically, results from our Youth and Young Adult Longitudinal survey, our

Movies are a powerful vehicle for promoting tobacco use. Of particular concern is youth exposure to tobacco use in movies. This report examines onscreen tobacco exposure among Ontario youth over the period 2012 to 2018. In Ontario, over half of top-g

This newsletter reports on vaping products available in the Canadian market that appear to connote confectionery, dessert and soft drink flavours. Several other examples also appear to appeal to young persons, such as those with design elements that

While vaping, or e-cigarette use, might help adults quit smoking, the rapid uptake of these products by youth is alarming and raises concerns about the net public health benefit of vaping. OTRU’s RECIG-WP project conducted focus groups to gather insi

Abstract Background: As of 1 January 2017, the Canadian province of Ontario banned the distribution and sale of menthol tobacco products. There is limited knowledge about how tobacco companies will adapt their packaging in response to a menthol ban.

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

Abstract Introduction: Phillip Morris International (PMI) is pushing hard to promote IQOS heat-not-burn cigarettes in Ontario, Canada. Canada regulates IQOS as a tobacco product so that the robust tobacco marketing ban creates challenges to its promo

Abstract Background: E-liquid products have exploded in Canada over the last number of years. Although current federal regulations apply to some aspects of these products (eg, Made in Canada designation, net quantity, French/English text), there are

Abstract Background: The province of Ontario, Canada implemented a ban on menthol in all forms of tobacco products that came into effect January 1st, 2017. This presentation examines changes in behaviour among a cohort of menthol smokers as part of t

This newsletter provides an overview of OTRU’s Knowledge and Evaluation Support initiative and highlights one project supported by this initiative: the That’s Risky social marketing campaign. This campaign’s main objective was to increase awareness t

Abstract The US Food and Drug Administration concluded that a ban on menthol cigarettes would likely elicit a reduction in cigarette consumption, increased cessation and reduced initiation of smoking. Understanding how the tobacco industry prepared f

Abstract: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number FP00003667. The US Food and Drug Administration concluded that a ban on menthol cigarettes w

Movies are a powerful vehicle for promoting tobacco use. Higher exposure to tobacco in movies increases the uptake of smoking among youth and undermines tobacco prevention efforts. This Special Report adds results for 2015 and 2016 and found that the

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

Abstract Menthol cigarettes are associated with increased initiation and progression to regular smoking and decreased likelihood of smoking cessation. Menthol smokers are more likely to be women and adolescents in several countries. The Conference of

Movies are a powerful vehicle for promoting tobacco use. Higher exposure to tobacco in movies increases the uptake of smoking among youth and undermines tobacco prevention efforts. This Special Report examines the extent of onscreen tobacco exposure

The Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy Monitoring Report finds tobacco use among grade 12 youth remains steady at 6%, but smoking use among young adults remains high. These are some of the findings highlighted in this year’s Strategy Monitoring Report. This

OTRU’s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy Monitoring Report Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the report’s comprehensive review of the progress of the province’s tobacco control initiatives. Related publication: 2014 Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy Monit

Abstract Tobacco use causes a tremendous amount of morbidity and mortality globally, with a staggering level of financial costs. In many countries, public health interventions have been able to reduce the prevalence of smoking and the associated burd

Smoking in movies is a cause for smoking initiation and progression to regular smoking among youth. Higher exposure to onscreen tobacco increases the uptake of smoking among youth and undermines tobacco prevention efforts. This report examines the ex

The Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy is a comprehensive tobacco control program involving a broad coalition of partners including provincial and local governments, boards of health, voluntary health organizations, hospitals, and universities. This report

OTRU’s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy Monitoring Report Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the report’s comprehensive review of the progress of the province’s tobacco control initiatives. Related publications: 2013 Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy Moni

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

Partners of the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy have made solid progress in implementing a comprehensive approach to achieving vital tobacco control goals. This report presents evaluative information about the activities and results of the Smoke-Free Ont

OTRU’s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy Evaluation Report Executive Summary provides a synposis of the report’s comprehensive review of the progress of the province’s tobacco control initiatives. Related publications: Tobacco Taxes – 2012 Monitoring Updat

Abstract A restriction banning the sale of tobacco products to underage youths (youth access) is a central component of tobacco control programmes that aim to minimise the use of tobacco products by youths. This restriction has been in place in numer

Abstract Objective: On May 31, 2006, Ontario joined a small group of international jurisdictions to implement legislative restrictions on tobacco point of sale promotions. This study compares the presence of point of sale promotions in the retail tob

The retail point-of-sale environment provides important opportunities for tobacco industry communication with current, former, and potential smokers. Point-of-sale marketing is one of the few remaining communication vehicles available to the tobacco

Substantial proportions of Ontario smokers are being misled by the terms ‘light’ and ‘mild’ on cigarettes. The purpose of this update is to inform readers about three recent developments of direct relevance to public policy with regard to such decept

This update summarizes the main findings of the “Q2000” survey, a population-based telephone survey undertaken in Ontario in 2000. Respondents were asked about: smoking behaviours, purchasing practices, knowledge of health effects of active and passi