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
This newsletter is the second 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 othe
The Ontario SimSmoke model was developed using the SimSmoke tobacco control policy model. Using population, policy, and smoking data for Ontario, the model assesses the effect on premature deaths and smoking prevalence of tobacco control policies, in
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
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. In addition to causing heart disease, cancer and premature death in nonsmoking adults, secondhand premature death in nonsmoking adults, secondhand smoke also causes sudden infant death syndrome,
Substantial government funding is necessary if tobacco control strategies are to be effective in reducing tobacco related illness and death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2007) recommends sustained tobacco control funding
Comprehensive tobacco control includes age-related restrictions on access to tobacco products. These restrictions target young people who, as a group, are vulnerable to smoking initiation. This update reviews youth access provisions by provincial, te
Retail display refers to the visible presence of tobacco products and accessories at the point of sale. The tobacco industry uses powerwalls, countertop displays, signage and product accessories like brand-name lighters to communicate with customers.
Comprehensive tobacco control includes prohibition of tobacco sales in specific places in order to decrease the physical availability of tobacco products. A key aspect of availability is outlet density, meaning how many places sell tobacco per unit o
Taxation is a policy tool used to increase the retail price of tobacco products in order to decrease their economic accessibility. Surveys of Canadian adults show a positive relationship between higher cigarette price and the odds of being a nonsmoke
This report provides a summary of a more extensive knowledge synthesis that presents information on a wide-range of tobacco anti-contraband measures, in an effort to ascertain the relative effectiveness of various policy measures for addressing contr
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
Comprehensive tobacco control includes age-related restrictions on access to tobacco products. Youth access restrictions reduce the availability of tobacco to young people who, as a group, are known to be vulnerable to smoking initiation (Ahmad and B
Substantial and stable government funding is necessary if tobacco control strategies are to be effective in reducing tobacco-related illness and death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007) recommends sustained tobacco control fu
Comprehensive tobacco control policy includes prohibition of tobacco sales in specific places in order to decrease physical availability. Physical availability can be measured in terms of outlet density, meaning how many places sell tobacco per unit
Taxation is a policy tool used to increase the retail price of tobacco products thereby decreasing their economic accessibility. Increased price of cigarettes has been shown to be effective in reducing smoking prevalence among young persons. For exam
Retail display is the visible presence of tobacco products and accessories at the point of sale. The tobacco industry uses powerwalls, countertop displays, signage and brand-name accessories like lighters to communicate with current, former and poten
The Youth Action Alliance program (YAA) is a key component of Smoke-Free Ontario youth prevention programming. This Special Report, produced by members of OTRU’s evaluation team, provides a formative evaluation of the YAA program including a descript
The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit’s free online course, Tobacco and Public Health: From Theory to Practice, provides comprehensive, evidence-based information on tobacco control science, policy and practice to the Canadian tobacco control community.
Nicotine addiction is considered a major impediment to quitting smoking. Some investigators believe that the proportion of heavily addicted (or “hardcore”) smokers in the population will increase as more smokers give up smoking. But are heavily addic
Tobacco control mass media campaigns are key elements of comprehensive tobacco control strategies. In Canada, mass media campaigns have been identified as important components of both the Federal Tobacco Control strategy and the Smoke-Free Ontario st
The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU) has recently developed a new online tobacco control course entitled Tobacco and Public Health: From Theory to Practice. This Update describes this free-of-charge course that addresses the tobacco control commu
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
Publications OTRU evidence-based publications serve a variety of information needs: OTRU Updates summarize highlights from recent research and evaluation findings Special Reports provide overviews and syntheses of research in special topic areas Stra
Abstract Introduction: An unintended consequence of indoor smoking restrictions is the relocation of smoking to building entrances, where non-smokers may be exposed to secondhand smoke, and smoke from outdoor areas may drift through entrances, exposi
Abstract Objective: To evaluate the impact of an indoor smoke-free bylaw in Toronto, Ontario, implemented June 2004. Methods: We used a pre-post comparison design to assess secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among 79 eligible bar workers in Toronto, Ont
OTS Technical Documentation The Ontario Tobacco Survey (OTS) was a provincial longitudinal survey of smokers and a cross-sectional survey of nonsmokers conducted between 2005 and 2011 with more than 7500 respondents. It was undertaken to evaluate and
Abstract This study assesses the impact of an academic detailing quitline promotional outreach program on integration of patient referrals to the quitline by fax in healthcare settings and quitline utilization in Ontario, Canada. The study employed a
February 2019 The following is a monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. We try to choose titles of interest to our tobacco control network, but we realize that there a
The use of e-cigarettes—particularly among youth and young adults—has become a growing concern in Ontario. Local health units have a strong interest in implementing evidenced-based interventions to counter the uptake of e-cigarette use. For this repo
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
May 2019 The following is a monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. We try to choose titles of interest to our tobacco control network, but we realize that there are ma
July 2019 The following is a monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. We try to choose titles of interest to our tobacco control network, but we realize that there are m
November 2019 The following is a monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. We try to choose titles of interest to our tobacco control network, but we realize that there a
Tobacco Endgame Canada needs to do better. Over the past several decades, we have seen progress through smoke-free public places, tax increases, public education campaigns and other measures contributing to a dramatic decline in smoking rates. Yet, a
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
December 2020 The following is a monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. We try to choose titles of interest to our tobacco control network, but we realize that there a
The e-cigarette policy environment in Canada is developing rapidly. With support from Health Canada, and in partnership with Physicians for Smoke Free Canada’s project “Addressing Knowledge Gaps Important to Tobacco Control”, the Ontario Tobacco Rese
November 2021 The following is a monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. We try to choose titles of interest to our tobacco control network, but we realize that there a
Abstract Marginalized populations are being disproportionally affected by the current pandemic. Direct effects include higher infection rates with greater morbidity and mortality; indirect effects stem from the societal response to limit the spread o