ASH URGES ALBERTA GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT CONSISTENT POLICY ON TOBACCO TAXES
- News Release -
Monday, February 28, 2022
ASH is urging the Alberta government to align provincial taxes on cigarettes with those in Saskatchewan and to maintain a consistent fiscal policy on all tobacco products. In last week’s provincial budget, the Alberta government reduced taxes on smokeless tobacco by 13.75 cents per gram to align taxes on oral snuff with those in Saskatchewan. ASH is urging the Alberta government to increase Alberta’s cigarette taxes by at least $6.00 per carton of 200 to align with cigarette tax levels in Saskatchewan.
“We urge the Alberta government to adopt a consistent, equitable and defensible policy on tobacco taxation” said Les Hagen, executive director. “The government has repeatedly stated that tobacco taxes help to reduce youth smoking however Alberta kids are not receiving the same protection as youth in Saskatchewan and other provinces. Alberta has maintained the most affordable cigarettes in Canada for many years and this policy is hurting young people. Alberta youth deserve first class protection from tobacco industry products. The government’s inconsistent tax policy is allowing cigarette companies to get more adolescents hooked on their addictive and deadly products.”
A recent 10-year review of cigarette taxes in Canada confirms that the Alberta government has consistently offered the most affordable cigarettes in the country. Tobacco taxes are the single most effective means of reducing tobacco use—particularly among youth. ASH contends that this repressive tax policy has contributed to the tobacco industry’s recruitment of thousands of Alberta adolescents.
“Alberta’s tobacco reduction efforts are undermined by the government’s steadfast policy of maintaining the most affordable cigarettes in Canada. As long as the government maintains the most affordable cigarettes in Canada, we will continue to fight tobacco use with one hand tied behind our back. There is no justification for this destructive and inequitable policy which hurts Alberta youth, restrains our quality of life and places an increased burden on our healthcare system”.
ASH welcomes the news of a forthcoming 20 percent provincial tax on vaping products that was originally pledged by the Alberta government over two years ago. This increase should be accompanied by a provincial cigarette tax increase to discourage vapers from switching back to cigarettes.
Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of disease, disability and premature death in Alberta, resulting in over 4,000 deaths annually. This death toll exceeds the mortality from all other forms of substance misuse combined. Smoking rates in Alberta are above the national average.
Based in Edmonton, ASH is one of Canada’s leading tobacco control organizations.
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Contact Les Hagen at 780-919-5546
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BC GOVERNMENT FALLS ONE STEP SHORT WITH NEW YOUTH VAPING MEASURES
ASH News Release
Monday, July 20, 2020
Victoria – ASH is generally pleased with the package of measures that the BC government announced today to address the explosive rise in youth vaping. However the strategies do not include a comprehensive ban on flavoured vaping devices in keeping with several states and provinces including Washington, Montana, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A comprehensive vaping flavour ban has been recommended by Canada’s chief medical officers of health including Dr. Bonnie Henry.
“BC has fallen one important step short of providing strong and effective protection for youth from vaping by failing to implement a comprehensive ban on flavoured vaping products” said Les Hagen, executive director. “Instead the B.C. government is providing rampantly non-compliant vape shops with the exclusive right to continue selling flavoured products. The best way to protect kids from flavoured products is to remove them from the market like a growing number of states and provinces are doing. B.C. kids deserve first-class protection from vaping products and they are still not getting it.”
A 2019 Health Canada report revealed that Canadian youth are twice as likely to get flavoured vaping products from vape shops versus convenience stores. In the last half of 2019, Health Canada seized over 70,000 illegal vaping products from hundreds of vape shops across Canada including dozens in British Columbia. Over 80 percent of vape shops across Canada were found to be in violation of federal vaping legislation compared with 12% of convenience stores.
“Vape shops should not be rewarded for bad behaviour by getting the exclusive government-sanctioned right to sell flavoured vaping devices” Hagen added. “Based on the track record of vape shops, we expect that many B.C. teens and adolescents will continue to obtain flavoured vaping products from non-compliant establishments. We recognize that some vape shops are law-abiding businesses that are trying to help smokers quit. Unfortunately this scenario appears to be the exception to the rule”.
Published evidence confirms that the majority of youth who try and continue to use vaping products do so because the products are flavoured. Flavourings increase the likelihood that youth will experiment and use vaping products. Given the strong link between the appeal of flavours and youth consumption of vaping products, a comprehensive flavour ban with the exception of ‘tobacco’ flavour is an essential measure to prevent and reduce youth vaping.
ASH is commending the British Columbia government for all other aspects of its vaping action plan including establishing a 20 mg/ml nicotine limit, requiring plain packaging and health warnings, and implementing a new 20% tax on vaping products that was implemented earlier this year.
“We urge the B.C. government to reconsider its decision to allow vape shops to sell flavoured vaping products” added Hagen. “Once this harmful exemption is lifted, many more B.C. youth will be adequately protected from vaping products. Protection delayed is protection denied”.
Founded in 1979, ASH is one of Canada’s leading tobacco control organizations.
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Contact: Les Hagen @ 780-919-5546
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HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS CHALLENGE JUUL AND RONA AMBROSE TO BAN FLAVOURS AND REDUCE NICOTINE CONTENT IN ALL OF ITS VAPING PRODUCTS
News Release
Friday, May 29, 2020
Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton - Nicotine giant Juul and its latest board member—former Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose—are being challenged to extend new restrictions on vaping products in Nova Scotia to all of its nicotine devices across Canada. The company announced in January it would stop selling most of its flavoured products in Canada but no such action has been taken. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia recently banned all flavours in nicotine vaping products with the exception of “tobacco” and established a new 20 mg/ml limit on nicotine content in the devices.
“Canadian kids deserve strong protection from the predatory marketing strategies of nicotine and tobacco companies” said Michael Perley of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco. “If Juul wants to clean up its image as the Pied Piper of youth vaping, we challenge the company to extend the new Nova Scotia rules to all of its Canadian products. Juul should lead by example if it sincerely wants to right the terrible wrongs that sparked the youth vaping epidemic. There are now over 400,000 school-aged youth in Canada who are vaping and this outcome is completely unacceptable” adds Perley.
Juul has been implicated by Time Magazine and others as the primary culprit in the youth vaping epidemic. Juul is under investigation by 39 U.S. states and a growing number of other states, cities and school districts are filing lawsuits against the nicotine giant. The US Food and Drug Adminstration is also investigating Juul over allegations of predatory marketing practices that include targeting youth. Despite this dark backdrop, Rona Ambrose recently accepted a position on Juul’s international board of directors to “help earn the trust of its shareholders.
“In her new role, Rona Ambrose has an opportunity to protect Canadian kids from a lifetime of nicotine addiction and potential tobacco use” said Les Hagen of Action on Smoking & Health. “We challenge the former health minister and her fellow Juul board members to demonstrate their sincerity in wanting to curb youth vaping by extending the Nova Scotia protections to all of Juul’s products nationwide. Juul needs to own up to its contribution to the youth vaping epidemic. The company can take immediate remedial action by removing flavours and reducing nicotine levels to protect children and youth in every province and territory—not just Nova Scotia” adds Hagen.
Juul has led the charge in creating and mass marketing flavoured, high-nicotine, “stealth” vaping products that look like flash drives and are easy to operate and conceal. Millions of Canadian kids are exposed to these dangerous and addictive products and their blatant promotions every day.
“Kids are attracted to vaping products with candy and fruit flavourings and then the hook is set by high-dose nicotine salts that are quickly absorbed in the blood stream and promptly delivered to the brain” said Flory Doucas of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control. “The nicotine in one vaping pod is equivalent to the dose delivered in a pack of cigarettes. Kids don’t stand a chance since nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. These dubious products have created a brand new generation of nicotine users who are now at much greater risk of tobacco dependence” adds Doucas.
Published evidence confirms that kids who vape are four times more likely to start smoking. Tobacco use kills 38,000 Canadians annually and it is the leading avoidable cause of premature death in Canada. Vaping and smoking share the same fundamental health hazard—nicotine addiction.
As health minister, Rona Ambrose publicly championed a ban on flavoured tobacco products to prevent youth tobacco use. Tobacco giant Philip Morris is Juul’s largest shareholder and it holds one-third of its corporate shares. Juul’s current Chief Executive Officer was previously a tobacco executive at Philip Morris’ parent company Altria.
“The tobacco industry’s business model rests on the addiction of kids to nicotine, and it has now branched out to vaping devices and liquids” said Cynthia Callard of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. “By refusing to pull flavoured vaping products off the Canadian market as it said it would months ago, Juul has demonstrated quite clearly that, like tobacco companies, it cares more about profits than kids or public health. Provincial governments like Nova Scotia’s are forcing them to do what they would have done long ago if it was truly a responsible company. If Juul is unwilling to protect kids from its addictive products then we urge federal health minister Patty Hadju to intervene immediately by banning flavoured vaping products and limiting nicotine content nationwide” adds Callard.
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Contacts
Michael Perley, Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco (Toronto) 416-709-9075; [email protected]
Les Hagen, Action on Smoking & Health (Edmonton) 780-919-5546; [email protected]
Flory Doucas, Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control (Montreal) 514-515-6780; [email protected]
Cynthia Callard, Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada (Ottawa) 613-297-3590; [email protected]
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"After two years, it is clear that Canada’s vaping law is a failure.”
A revised law is needed to flatten the curve on this new wave of nicotine addiction.
News Release
Friday, May 22, 2020
Ottawa - Montreal - Edmonton – On the second anniversary of the federal Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) coming into force, tobacco control organizations are calling on the Health Minister and other Parliamentarians to acknowledge the dangerous flaws in the law and to act faster to strengthen national controls on the vaping market.
“Government officials said they would balance the need to protect young people from nicotine addiction against their desire to increase smokers’ access to vaping products. It is clear that they got that balance wrong,” said Neil Collishaw of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. “Tens of thousands of young Canadians have been harmed by this law, with very little evidence of any benefit to the health of adult smokers.”
“The federal vaping law has not protected young people from tobacco industry marketing,” said Flory Doucas of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control. “It has allowed vaping products to be sold in tens of thousands of convenience stores and gas stations, it has allowed them to be sold in exotic flavours, it has allowed them to be designed to be hidden from parents and teachers, it has allowed them to be made with the highest levels of fast-acting nicotine and it has allowed them to be sold at dirt-cheap prices.”
Surveys have consistently shown that the number of young Canadians using vaping products doubled following the passage of the TVPA. Health Canada’s own survey found that after the law came into effect an additional quarter of a million secondary students had tried vaping products and the number who were vaping daily increased by 140,000.
The groups note that to protect their young citizens from the impact of the federal law, provincial governments have passed laws to over-ride the marketing permissions in the TVPA. Most provinces now ban retail advertisements or displays. Nova Scotia has banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes and Prince Edward Island has removed them from corner stores and increased the minimum age to 21.
“Ottawa is off-loading to the provinces the responsibility to protect young people from tobacco companies,” said Les Hagen of Edmonton-based Action on Smoking & Health. “This is not fair to young people living in provinces that are unable or unwilling to replace federal responsibilities. And in a time where health systems are struggling to manage COVID-19, it is inefficient to ask for 13 provincial and territorial laws when one federal act will do. We urge the Federal government to take the advice of its Chief Medical Officer of Health by enacting strong measures to keep kids nicotine-free.”
Fourteen months ago the federal government signalled that it intended to clamp down on vaping marketing and 5 months ago it proposed regulations to do so, but to date few new restrictions have been put on vaping manufacturers. “The flaws in the federal vaping law cannot be entirely addressed by regulations – the federal regulatory system is too slow and the statutory permissions to manufacturers too broad,” said Ms. Doucas.
“Because of the numerous pre-regulatory requirements, it will be months or years before regulations could stop companies from candy-coating their addictive products or from engineering them to deliver the most addictive form of nicotine,” said Neil Collishaw. “Even then, such constraints will only be a band-aid fix. What is needed is for Health Canada to abandon its choice of harm reduction based on market competition and for it to adopt a strategy which prevents the expansion of nicotine addiction.”
“Every day this law is left unfixed, more children will become addicted.”
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Contacts
Les Hagen, Action on Smoking & Health
780-919-5546; [email protected].
Flory Doucas, Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control
514-515-6780; [email protected]
Neil Collishaw, Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada
613-297-3590; [email protected]
Data from Health Canada's Canadian Student Tobacco Alcohol and Drug Survey
| 2016-2017 | 2018-2019 | |
| Ever tried a vaping product |
23% of students 470,00 students |
34% of students 721,000 students |
| Used vaping product in the past 30 days |
10% of students 206,000 students |
20% of students 418,000 students |
| Used vaping product daily or almost daily |
11% of those students who used e-cigarettes in past 30 days 23,000 students |
40% of those students who used e-cigarettes in past 30 days 165,000 students |
Sources:
Summary of results for the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2016-17
Summary of results for the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2018-19
Detailed tables for the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2018-2019
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ASH ISSUES REPORT CARDS ON SCHOOL BOARD TOBACCO AND CANNABIS POLICIES
News Release
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Edmonton – Today ASH is releasing report cards on school district policies that address tobacco and cannabis use on school property. ASH is urging school boards to approve effective drug policies prior to cannabis legalization on October 17.
“A growing number of school boards are taking action to prevent the use of cannabis and tobacco on school grounds prior to cannabis legalization” said Les Hagen, executive director. “October 17 is approaching quickly and we encourage all school boards to review their drug policies to ensure that best practices are being followed. The ASH report cards will help guide the development of policies to prevent and reduce substance abuse among students and staff. Specifically, we recommend that school districts prohibit the smoking and vaping of any substance on school property for maximum health impact. Children and youth should not be exposed to harmful drug use on school property and they should be offered effective drug prevention education in the classroom.”
Eight school districts received an “A” on the ASH report cards including Calgary Roman Catholic Schools, Canadian Rockies School Division, Edmonton Catholic Schools, Evergreen Catholic Schools, Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Schools, Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Schools, St. Paul Educational Regional Division, and Wolf Creek Public Schools. No school district with a smoking policy received an “F”.
“The ASH report cards reflect best-practices to prevent and reduce tobacco and cannabis use among students and staff. ASH has been working pro-actively with school districts to develop effective tobacco and cannabis policies for the past two years. These outreach activities have included workshops, presentations, consultations and the production and distribution of numerous resource materials. We have presented to over 200 school trustees across Alberta since last November and our workshops have been well-received by those in attendance”.
ASH has created an online resource hub for school boards that contains a model smoking and vaping policy, a comparison table of school board policies across Alberta, a listing of effective prevention and cessation programs, drug survey results, and relevant fact sheets on tobacco and cannabis.
“As school boards know, report cards are an important measure of progress that are aimed at improving future performance. We are releasing these report cards in good faith and we are very willing to work with any school district to help enhance their policies and programs. We know that cannabis legalization is posing numerous challenges to school boards and we are here to offer assistance and online resource materials”.
Founded in 1979, ASH is Western Canada’s leading tobacco control organization. Tobacco is the most widespread and deadly form of substance abuse in Canada and is responsible for 48,000 deaths annually. There are 25,000 school-aged youth tobacco users in Alberta.
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Contact Les Hagen at 780-919-5546 or by email at [email protected].
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WOOD BUFFALO REGIONAL COUNCIL BANS SMOKING AND VAPING IN ALL PUBLIC PLACES
ASH News Release
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Fort McMurray – Last night, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo passed a sweeping new bylaw to ban all forms of smoking and vaping in public places in preparation for cannabis legalization in October. The bylaw prohibits the smoking and vaping of any substance—including cannabis and tobacco—in all places to which the public has access including parks and public events. The bylaw takes effect today.
“We congratulate Mayor Don Scott and the Regional Council for their unanimous support of this important public health bylaw” said Les Hagen, executive director. “This bylaw will protect children and youth from exposure to harmful drug use in public places and it will help to keep kids drug-free for life. Healthy modelling helps to create healthy kids. Wood Buffalo has set an example for other municipalities to follow prior to cannabis legalization. We hope that many others will follow suit.”
Last month, Wood Buffalo was declared a “Smoke-Free Community” by a coalition of major provincial health and recreation organizations in anticipating the passage of the new bylaw. This distinction is shared with the cities of Lloydminster and Camrose although Wood Buffalo has the strongest bylaw.
“Wood Buffalo is now leading the charge among Alberta municipalities that are planning to address cannabis consumption prior to its legalization” said Hagen. “The bylaw is a simple and effective regulation that will protect kids while allowing people to smoke and vape on private property. To a five-year-old, smoking is smoking whether it involves tobacco, cannabis, shisha or vaping. A comprehensive public ban on smoking and vaping is needed to provide effective protection for children and youth”.
ASH is very concerned about the potential for cannabis legalization to increase public smoking and tobacco consumption. As the most widespread and deadly form of substance abuse, tobacco kills 55 times more Canadians that cannabis according to new data provided by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. Any increase in tobacco use could have significant implications for public health.
“We cannot allow cannabis legalization to impair decades of progress in reducing smoking in public places. Smoking bans are a cornerstone of the successful effort to reduce tobacco use. We simply can’t afford to lose any ground in the overall effort to create a smoke-free society. The stakes are very high.”
Founded in 1979, ASH is Western Canada’s leading tobacco control organization. ASH has helped dozens of municipalities with the development of smoking bylaws and tobacco control policies.
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CONTACT: Les Hagen at 780-919-5546
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LLOYDMINSTER LEADS THE PACK BY BANNING SMOKING AND VAPING IN PUBLIC PLACES
New bylaw includes broad restrictions on the public consumption of cannabis and tobacco
ASH NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Calgary - As Alberta communities prepare for cannabis legislation later this year, the City of Lloydminster has taken the bold step of becoming the Alberta’s first city to ban the smoking and vaping of any substance in all public gathering places including parks, public events, and commercial property. The bylaw was passed by Lloydminster City Council on Monday, June 11.
“We applaud the City of Lloydminster for making public health a top priority by banning all forms of smoking and vaping in indoor and outdoor public areas” said Les Hagen, executive director. “We encourage all Alberta communities to follow Lloydminster’s example in preparing for cannabis legalization. To a five-year-old smoking is smoking whether it involves tobacco, cannabis, cigarettes or vaporizers. The Lloydminster bylaw will protect children and youth from exposure to smoking, vaping and the public consumption of harmful drugs. Tobacco cannot be overlooked in any legitimate effort to protect youth from substance abuse and Lloydminster City Council gets this concept”.
“Today is another proud moment for the City of Lloydminster” said Lorelee Marin, a local health champion and the chair of the Lloydminster Area Drug Strategy. “The Lloydminster Youth Council made a very strong presentation to City Council to encourage them to go the extra mile in protecting children and youth from cannabis, tobacco and other harmful substances. These young people are helping to create a healthy community by engaging directly with their local politicians and they are getting results”.
Two years ago, the City of Lloydminster received a Barb Tarbox award from the Alberta Government for licensing tobacco retailers and charging the highest license fees in Canada starting at $750 per store. The license fees are being channeled into tobacco prevention and education campaigns within the community.
“Lloydminster continues to provide strong leadership in reducing and preventing tobacco use” said Les Hagen. “While many Canadian communities are grappling with the imminent implications of cannabis legalization they can all look to Lloydminster for direction and success”.
In addition to Lloydminster, the Alberta cities of Camrose, St. Albert, Fort McMurray/Wood Buffalo, and Edmonton are all considering broad restrictions on smoking and vaping to increase the public health impact of their cannabis bylaws.
Unfortunately, Calgary and Banff have decided to focus exclusively on cannabis consumption while overlooking the most widespread and deadly form of substance abuse—tobacco. By doing so, Calgary and Banff have also created major loopholes for medical cannabis users and for people who choose to vape cannabis in public. These loopholes will likely undermine their cannabis consumption bylaws.
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Contact:
Les Hagen at 780-919-5546
Lorelee Marin at 780-870-2379
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ALBERTA POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON TOBACCO AND CANNABIS
ASH NEWS RELEASE
Monday, May 14, 2018
Calgary - Two Alberta post-secondary institutions are leading the country with innovative health policies to address the use of tobacco and cannabis on their campuses. Bow Valley College and Burman University have both implemented comprehensive policy measures to reduce tobacco use among staff and students and to prepare for cannabis legalization on their campuses. The policies were recognized in new report cards on post-secondary tobacco policies that were prepared by ASH. Both institutions received national leadership awards at a news conference held today at Bow Valley College.
“Bow Valley College and Burman University have emerged as national leaders in their efforts to reduce tobacco use and to prepare for cannabis legalization” said Les Hagen, executive director. “Both institutions have created completely smoke-free campuses that include any substance that is smoked or vaped on their properties. Both institutions have also prohibited tobacco industry funding and investments. There are no other post-secondary institutions in Canada that have taken such a broad approach to tobacco and cannabis and that’s why they are both getting an “A” on our new tobacco policy report cards”.
“Bow Valley College recognizes the detrimental effects of smoking on health and wellness for all who come into environments where smoke is present” said Bow Valley College President Laura Jo Gunter. “It is important to us to have a smoke-free campus and allow for people to gather in our buildings and on our properties free of concern for smoke inhalation.”
"Burman University prioritizes the overall health of our students, faculty, and staff on our campus. We are proud to have policies in place that thoroughly reflect our priorities” said President Dr. Loren Agrey.
The ASH report cards rank the tobacco policies of every publicly-funded post-secondary institution in Alberta with formal tobacco or smoking policies. The report cards provide an analysis of smoking restrictions, enforcement, signage, smoking cessation programs for students and staff, and tobacco industry funding and investments. The grading system reflects published best-practices for post-secondary tobacco policies.
The report card grades ranged from “D” to “A” depending on the depth of the institution’s policies. No institution with a formal tobacco or smoking policy received an “F”.
“We urge all post-secondary institutions across Canada to follow the lead of Bow Valley College and Burman University in preparation for cannabis legalization” said Hagen. “It will be much easier for universities and colleges to address the smoking and vaping of any substance than it will be to single out cannabis. A broad approach will also have a greater impact on public health since tobacco kills at least 45 times more Canadians than cannabis according to current estimates. Any measure to control cannabis use can be easily justified to control tobacco use”.
“Post-secondary institutions can play important role in prevention and cessation with effective policies and programs that promote a smoke/vape free environment and supporting smokers to stop” said Dr. Brent Friesen, Medical Officer of Health for the Tobacco Reduction Program at Alberta Health Services.
Smoking rates among Albertans and Canadians aged 20 to 24 are the highest of any age group. Tobacco use kills 45,000 Canadians and 3,800 Albertans each year. Cannabis is estimated to kill between 500 and 1,000 Canadians each year.
Bow Valley College recognizes the cultural practices of Indigenous students, staff and visitors by designating a space for sacred smudging on campus.
ASH is Western Canada’s leading tobacco control organization.
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Contact: Les Hagen @ 780-919-5546
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ALBERTA GOVERNMENT DEFIES GLOBAL HEALTH TREATY BY ENGAGING PRIVATELY WITH TOBACCO LOBBYISTS
ASH NEWS RELEASE
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Edmonton – Although ushering in new legislation to increase the transparency of political lobbying, the Alberta government has been meeting behind closed doors with tobacco lobbyists in open defiance of a global public health treaty.
“The NDP caucus railed against insider lobbying by tobacco companies while serving in opposition” said Les Hagen, executive director. “However it appears that closed-door meetings with tobacco lobbyists have continued despite assurances to the contrary. The Alberta government is openly defying a global public health treaty every time it meets in secret with tobacco lobbyists. When doing so, the government is neglecting its responsibility to protect and preserve the health of Albertans and to maintain transparency and accountability”.
Ratified by the federal government in 2004, the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires participating countries to refrain from meeting behind closed doors with tobacco companies and their lobbyists. Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention is intended to reduce tobacco industry interference with the development of public health policies to reduce tobacco use. The Alberta government is bound to this treaty as a Canadian jurisdiction. The FCTC represents the world’s first public health treaty.
“No government is immune to the coercive influence of the tobacco lobby and its front groups” said Hagen. “The Framework Convention is intended to protect governments and their citizens from the deceptive practices of the tobacco industry. Unfortunately, the Alberta government appears to be ignoring its global treaty obligations in order to preserve relations with Big Tobacco. Ironically, the same government is suing the tobacco companies for 10 billion dollars for decades of deceptive practices.”
The Notley government has not approved any significant tobacco control policies in almost three years. Passed by the Legislative Assembly in 2013, the Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act remains largely unimplemented and unenforced. The unimplemented sections include crucial restrictions on tobacco sales to minors, a much-needed ban on all flavoured tobacco products, and essential protection for all Albertans from secondhand smoke at work. Alberta continues to have the most affordable cigarettes in Canada due to suppressed tobacco taxes. There have been no provincial tobacco tax increases since 2015. Tobacco taxes are highly effective in reducing youth tobacco use.
“The tobacco industry appears to have the upper hand with the Alberta government” said Hagen. “The health of Albertans continues to be compromised by the influence of this rogue industry. We urge the Premier and her Cabinet members to stand up to the tobacco giants by fully implementing stalled tobacco legislation and by putting an end to the disturbing practice of welcoming tobacco lobbyists into its backrooms. Tobacco companies don’t need any help from the provincial government in targeting Alberta youth with their addictive and deadly products. Why does the government feel compelled to meet with an industry whose products kill 3,800 Albertans annually and that it’s suing for ten billion dollars for decades of deceptive practices? This conduct is very disturbing.”
ASH is asking all concerned Albertans to visit ProtectAlbertaKids.ca to urge the Premier, Cabinet members and any colluding MLAs to stop pandering to tobacco lobbyists, to fully implement the stalled tobacco legislation and to bring tobacco affordability levels in line with those of neighboring provinces.
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Contact Les Hagen @ 780-919-5546
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WHERE DO YOUR MUNICIPAL ELECTION CANDIDATES STAND ON CANNABIS AND TOBACCO?
ASH NEWS RELEASE
Friday, October 13, 2017
Edmonton - The results are in and 159 candidates from 20 major Alberta municipalities have responded to a recent ASH election survey on cannabis and tobacco. The ASH candidates’ survey was conducted between October 2 and 11 and all of the individual responses are now posted online at www.ash.ca.
“Cannabis legalization has been a major issue during this election and local voters need to know where their candidates stand on this hot topic” said Les Hagen, executive director. “The survey has identified champions and opponents of cannabis and tobacco regulation and we hope that voters will consider these responses prior to marking their election ballots on October 16” said Hagen.
ASH was very pleased with the number of respondents and with their overall responses to the survey.
“We are relieved to discover that only 25% of respondents feel that tobacco regulation should take a back seat to cannabis regulation” Hagen added. “We are also pleased to learn that more than 70% of the candidates surveyed feel that tobacco and cannabis smoking should be banned in public areas. Smoking bans must be expanded to include cannabis or it may lead to the renormalization of smoking in public places which could set back our collective efforts to reduce tobacco use.”
The survey also asked candidates about the licensing and zoning of tobacco and cannabis sales. About three out of four respondents feel that the sale of cannabis should be licensed and zoned by their municipality. Just over half of respondents want their municipality to license and zone tobacco sales. At present, only six Alberta municipalities specifically license tobacco sales and there are no known zoning restrictions on tobacco sales in the province.
“The new councils will be scrambling to develop local bylaws to regulate the sale and use of cannabis in the months ahead” Hagen added. “We encourage all municipal councils to pursue consistent restrictions on all forms of smoking in public areas. Children and youths should not be exposed to any form of smoking in public. Repeated childhood exposure to smoking behavior contributes to smoking initiation during adolescence. We need to give all kids a fighting chance to remain smoke-free for life.”
ASH is also urging municipalities to license and zone the sale of tobacco especially if they are planning to license and zone the sale of cannabis.
“Tobacco kills 37 times more Canadians than cannabis and tobacco should not take a back seat to cannabis. At a minimum, municipal councils should license all tobacco retailers and require all new tobacco retailers to conform with any zoning restrictions that are applied to cannabis retailers.”
Tobacco kills 3,000 Albertans annually and it is the most widespread and deadly form of substance abuse in Canada. Founded in 1979, ASH is Western Canada’s leading tobacco control organization.
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Contact: Les Hagen at 780-919-5546
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ASH APPLAUDS ONTARIO GOVERNMENT FOR BANNING MENTHOL TOBACCO
Tuesday, May 25, 2015
Edmonton - Action on Smoking & Health is applauding the Ontario government for passing legislation to ban most forms of flavoured tobacco including menthol cigarettes. Today, the Ontario government gave third reading to Bill 45, the Making Healthier Choices Act. Ontario is the second province to ban menthol tobacco and other flavoured tobacco products. Nova Scotia passed similar legislation last month.
“We congratulate the Ontario government for providing youth with first class protection from flavoured tobacco products” said Les Hagen, executive director. “This legislation will protect thousands of youth from addiction, disease and premature death and it sets a benchmark for other provinces to follow. In passing this bill, Ontario is making the health of its young people a top priority and it is putting an end to the tobacco industry’s devious efforts to target youth through appealing flavours.”
In 2013, the Alberta government was the first in North America to pass legislation to prohibit all forms of flavoured tobacco products. Unfortunately, the Prentice government decided to exempt menthol tobacco last fall following intense lobbying by the tobacco industry. The industry registered two-dozen lobbyists to fight the menthol ban including some with very close ties to the Prentice government.
“The Prentice government dropped the ball on menthol and left thousands of Alberta youth unprotected from flavoured tobacco products” said Hagen. “Health groups and opposition parties roundly criticized this decision, including Rached Notley and the New Democrat opposition. We urge the Notley government to right this terrible wrong and ban menthol tobacco as soon as possible. Protection delayed is protection denied”.
The flawed Alberta flavoured tobacco regulations will take effect on Monday, June 1. As it stands, the regulations completely exempt menthol flavoured tobacco and flavoured pipe tobacco. Health groups are very concerned that this huge loophole will result in more youth using menthol tobacco.
“Sixty-five hundred Alberta youths are using menthol cigarettes and we fear that number may rise if youth switch from prohibited flavoured tobacco products to menthol tobacco. There are 6,500 good reasons why the Notley government needs to ban menthol tobacco promptly. There are 6,501 good reasons if you include the sharp reaction to the menthol exemption from Rachel Notley and the New Democrats.”
Menthol tobacco is a starter product that increases nicotine addiction among youth. Menthol soothes the throat, opens the airways and facilitates nicotine absorption. Youth smokers who use menthol smoke 60 percent more cigarettes than youth who do not smoke menthols. One third of youth smokers are using menthol cigarettes compared with only 1 in 20 adults.
Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of disease, disability and premature death in Alberta resulting in 3,000 deaths annually.
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Contact: Les Hagen @780-919-5546