Anti-smoking measures to be considered

The city’s Board of Health will decide Monday whether to back a new provincial tobacco control strategy that would limit the supply of cigarettes to the public.

Toronto Public Health is asking the board to support the report from the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group because smoking rates have stopped declining. There are 2.1 million Ontarians who smoke and the health costs for treating tobacco-induced illness have reached $1.6 billion a year.

“The smoking rate in Toronto was 24% (a few years ago) and has come down to 19%, but we now need to take a closer look at some of the populations that continue to smoke to make sure they have supports to quit smoking,” said Carol Timmings, director of chronic disease prevention of Toronto Public Health.

“From a public education point of view, we want people to understand the risks of smoking, that’s our public health responsibility. We also want to control the exposure of second hand smoke.”

The 43-page report builds on the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy, launched in 2004.

“We’ve done a good job of protecting non-smokers from second-hand smoke and beginning to address youth protection and retail issues. Now it’s time to build on those gains and address the source — the supply of and demand for tobacco products,” said Michael Perley of TSAG.

The group’s recommendations to the province include banning flavoured tobacco products and only permitting companies to sell cigarettes in plain packages with the exception of government-approved health warnings.

The report also looks at moving towards a system of designated retail sales outlets which would allow Ontario to reduce the number of tobacco retailers and locations permitted to sell cigarettes, particularly in areas where young people congregate.