November 2018 Current Abstracts 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 re
Abstract Background: Recently, the US Institute of Medicine has proposed that raising the minimum age for tobacco purchasing/sales to 21 years would likely lead to reductions in smoking behavior among young people. Surprisingly few studies, however,
Abstract Purpose: To determine the impact of smoking cessation on lung cancer mortality among women. Methods: Survival analysis is used to assess the effect of smoking cessation on lung cancer death in the dietary cohort of 49,165 women aged 40 to 59
Abstract Using data from the 2003 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto), the relationships between bullying and smoking in adolescents were examined. A representative sample of 3314 grade 7‐12 students was
Abstract Previous studies have shown a strong correlation between depression and smoking, but the mechanism underlying the relationship is not well understood. This study examined whether the prevalence of smoking in schools influences the relationsh
Abstract Aims: Previous studies have shown inconsistent findings with regard to the association between amount of spending money and adolescent smoking. Drinking alcohol may be a mediator of the association between spending money and adolescent smoki
Abstract The province of Ontario, Canada, implemented a full menthol cigarette ban on January 1, 2017. To date, there has been no population-wide, systematic evaluation of the association of the implementation of a menthol ban with smoker behavior. A
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 This study examines whether access to alcohol and tobacco around the school relates to higher or lower odds of cigarette smoking and binge-drinking among Ontario high school students. The 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey provi
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
Abstract Background and Aims: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been steadily increasing in popularity among smokers, most of whom report using them to quit smoking. This study systematically reviews the current literature on the effectivenes
Abstract Despite extensive research on social norms, the sources of norm formation are not well understood. Social exposure to a behavior (defined as the composite of ways through which people see that behavior in their social, physical, and symbolic
Abstract Introduction: As smoking prevalence declines, some suggest that so-called “hardcore” smokers will come to represent a growing and irreducible proportion of current smokers (“hardening hypothesis”). Different definitions of a “hardcore” smoke
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
Abstract This article provides a case study of the development and implementation of an online performance monitoring system to support accountability and management of programs funded by a $ 60 million tobacco control strategy. System implementation
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
November 2018 Current Abstracts 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 re
The use of e-cigarettes—or vaping to quit—has become one of the most frequently used cessation methods among smokers trying to quit smoking cigarettes. In 2017, 32% of current or former smokers in Canada reported using an e-cigarette as a cessation a
Abstract A growing body of research has shown that neighbourhood-level factors, such as the density of retail outlets selling tobacco and neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage affect smoking prevalence, with high levels of outlet density and neigh
Abstract Background Menthol in cigarettes has been shown to increase regular cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence, and decrease success in smoking cessation. Owing to these reasons, in May 2015, the province of Ontario introduced a menthol ban o
August 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
Abstract Introduction We developed separate random forest algorithms to predict e-cigarette (vaping) ever use and daily use among Ontario youth, and subsequently examined predictor importance and statistical interaction. Methods This cross-sectional
Abstract Background The prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth and young adults has increased markedly in recent years; however, little is known about young people’s perceptions of e-cigarette addiction. This study examines factors associated with
Abstract Introduction Cigarette smoking remains more common among individuals with depression. This study investigates whether cigarette quit ratios and cigarette use prevalence have changed differentially by depression status during the past decade.
Abstract Objective To investigate the association between second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and sleep disturbances by systematically reviewing the literature base and to quantify this association by conducting a meta-analysis. Method We did a systemat
Topics The work of the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit includes programs in tobacco control research, research capacity building, comprehensive tobacco control evaluation and monitoring, and knowledge transfer and exchange. Our research and evaluation
Abstract Background The increasing number of internet users presents an opportunity to deliver health interventions to large populations. Despite their potential, many web-based interventions, including those for smoking cessation, face high rates of
Abstract Introduction Changes to federal legislation allowed nicotine-based e-cigarettes legal entry into the Canadian market in 2018. This included pod-type e-cigarettes (pods), such as JUUL, that were later found to be associated with steeply incre
Introduction The recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the mental health of Canadians adversely1,2 and as a result, both mental health problems and substance use among adolescents have increased.2,3 A recent study reported
October 2022 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 ar
Current Abstracts March 2023 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 reali
This update provides an overview of OTRU’s Knowledge and Evaluation Support initiative for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. We highlight two projects supported by this initiative: Evaluation of the Amended Toronto Smoke-free Bylaws, and the Love My Life Ca
OTRU has been working with Smoke-Free Ontario partners to evaluate workplace-based smoking cessation demonstration projects in various public health units across Ontario. This newsletter reports on evaluation findings relevant to the construction sec
OTRU has been working with Smoke-Free Ontario partners to evaluate workplace-based smoking cessation demonstration projects in various public health units across Ontario. The workplace demonstration projects aimed to reduce present levels of smoking
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
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
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