This special report presents the findings from simulation models that assessed the impact of five potential Tobacco Endgame interventions aimed at reaching the target smoking prevalence goal of less than 5% by 2035. The interventions included: plain

Abstract Objectives The Government of Canada has proposed an ‘endgame’ target for cigarette smoking that aims to reduce prevalence below 5% by 2035. To meet this difficult goal, it will be necessary to identify populations where interventions will (1

Abstract Objective: We examined menthol cigarette smokers’ reactions to Ontario’s menthol cigarette ban. Methods: In April 2017, past-year adult menthol cigarette smokers from Ontario, Canada (N = 67; 64.2% women) participated in an onlin

Includes Full Report, Executive Summary, chapter downloads and mini infographic posters Key Findings: In 2015, 20% of Ontarians aged 12 years or older used tobacco products in the past 30 days including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco an

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

Abstract: This paper investigates the impacts of smoke-free housing policies on compliance, enforcement and smoking behavior. From 2012 to 2014, we studied two affordable housing providers in Canada with comprehensive smoke-free policies: Waterloo Re

This report updates the evidence statements from The Smoke-Free Ontario Scientific Advisory Committee report, Evidence to Guide Action: Comprehensive Tobacco Control in Ontario (2016) (SFO-SAC 2016), with the most recent evidence from systematic lite

Tobacco cessation interventions by healthcare providers have been shown to significantly increase cessation rates. Three surveys were conducted in 2013, 2015 and 2017 to explore the state of tobacco cessation practices and services in the Central Wes

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 Insurance coverage for evidence-based smoking cessation treatments (SCTs) promotes uptake and reduces smoking rates. Published studies in this area are based in the US where employers are the primary source of health insurance. In Ontario, C

Key Findings: Past 30-day use of various tobacco products (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff or chewing tobacco, but not including waterpipe and electronic cigarettes) reported by Ontarians aged 12 years or older was 20% – statistically lowe

Smoking prevalence among indigenous groups globally often exceed that of non-Indigenous and settler populations in the same regions or nations. In 2016, OTRU published a systematic review on the efficacy of interventions to reduce commercial tobacco

This report provides the results of an environmental scan conducted by the Provincial Young Adult Prevention Advisory Group to identify tobacco-focused workplace activities (beyond the Smoke-Free Ontario Act) undertaken within the past 5 years or pla

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.

Since 2013, OTRU has provided local program planning and evaluation services for Smoke-Free Ontario partners though the Knowledge and Evaluation Support initiative. The services provided, challenges and outcomes are summarized. This centralized servi

Abstract: Background: Clinical trials show the efficacy of dentists’ counseling in smoking cessation. However, little is known about the effectiveness of such advice in the general population of smokers. Objective: To examine the association between

OTRU has begun a new project to assess the implementation and impact of the new tobacco and e-cigarette policy measures being implemented in Ontario. This newsletter provides an overview of the new measures and outlines evaluation activities happenin

In collaboration with Toronto Public Health, OTRU conducted an evaluation of Toronto’s amended outdoor smoke-free bylaws. Findings suggest that the amended bylaws had a limited impact on smoking behaviour and exposure to secondhand smoke one year aft

Abstract: Objectives: The number of quit attempts it takes a smoker to quit successfully is a commonly reported figure among smoking cessation programmes, but previous estimates have been based on lifetime recall in cross-sectional samples of success

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

With limited population-level research, myths about smoking cessation persist. Research from the Ontario Tobacco Survey (OTS) has improved our understanding of smoking cessation in the general population. Key facts and findings are summarized, includ

Tobacco control mass media campaigns are a key element of comprehensive tobacco control strategies. Over the past decade, 94% of Ontario smokers were exposed to tobacco control mass media, general tobacco media stories, or pharmaceutical ads. Exposur

Ontario has a diverse population with one third born outside Canada but little is known about how living in an immigrant neighbourhood affects smoking. Data from OTRU finds that Ontario smokers from neighbourhoods with high proportions of immigrants

Key Findings: Past 30-day use of various tobacco products (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff or chewing tobacco, but not including waterpipe and electronic cigarettes) reported by Ontarians aged 12 years or older was 20% – statistically lowe

This newsletter about the Research on Non-Traditional Tobacco Reduction in Aboriginal Communities (RETRAC) project includes an update on the RETRAC Knowledge Forum, which took place at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto in October, 2015. The RETRA

Social cohesion is “the extent of connectedness and solidarity among groups in society”. In Ontario, high social cohesion increased the odds of making a quit attempt regardless of whether smokers lived in deprived or affluent neighbourhoods. Ontario

In Canada, 9.1% of adult smokers are 65 years of age or older. They tend to be longer-term smokers, often with various health concerns and greater health care costs than nonsmokers their age. The majority of older smokers in Ontario are trying to qui

This update provides a snapshot of two current projects supported by OTRU’s Knowledge and Evaluation Support Team: Monitoring the Integration of the 5As Approach to Cessation in Central West Ontario, and Tobacco Vendor Education: A Needs Assessment i

This newsletter about the Research on Non-Traditional Tobacco Reduction in Aboriginal Communities (RETRAC) project includes an update on research being conducted with exemplar communities and community-based research with Aboriginal communities in On

The first in the series of 2015-2016 newsletters from OTRU’s Knowledge and Evaluation Support Team provides a summary of activities and project progress this year. Project highlights in this issue include: plans to evaluate TO2015 Smoke-Free Games Po

Abstract: In 2010, Waterloo Region Housing (Canada) enacted a smoke-free (SF) housing policy that made all new leases in their community-housing portfolio (2722 units) 100 % SF. Existing lease holders were ‘grandfathered’—meaning tenants could still

This newsletter reports on a comparative evaluation of STOP program delivery in Addiction Agencies, Community Health Centres and Family Health Teams. The evaluation provides knowledge on the overall successes and challenges in the provision of cessat

Abstract: Background: Tobacco and non-tobacco-based waterpipe smoking has increased exponentially in many countries in recent decades, particularly among youth and young adults. Although tobacco smoking is banned in many indoor public places, waterpi

Abstract Background: As regulation of tobacco products tightens, there are concerns that illicit markets may develop to supply restricted products. However, there are few validated measures to assess attitudes or purchase intentions toward contraband

The Smoking Cessation Interventions for Youth report explores the current state of knowledge about effective and promising interventions and practices in addressing smoking cessation among youth. The authors review the academic and grey literature to

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

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

This newsletter is the third of a series of four from OTRU’s Knowledge and Evaluation Support Team for 2014-2015. It outlines OTRU’s knowledge and evaluation support services for Ontario’s Public Health Units, Tobacco Control Area Networks, and other

Abstract Objective To examine the effect of varying levels of comprehensive tobacco control on smoking in a global context. Methods Using data from WHO’s Reports on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, scatter plots were produced to visualise the relat