Smoke clears

Province told ‘thanks a billion’ for effective anti-tobacco strategy

Three consecutive years of reduced tobacco consumption in Alberta has earned the provincial government kudos from a coalition of six health organizations.

The Coalition For a Smoke-Free Alberta presented Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky a Tobacco Reduction Achievement Award following data that reveals Albertans have smoked one billion fewer cigarettes since 2007 than would have been smoked if consumption rates had remained the same as 2006 levels.

“That is a significant achievement,” says Donna Hastings, executive vice-president, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut. “To put this number into perspective, one billion cigarettes placed end-to-end would stretch around the world twice. The Alberta government deserves full marks for its earnest efforts to reduce the impact of tobacco use on our quality of life.”

Since 2007, the province has approved the following tobacco reduction measures:

• Two tobacco tax increases totalling $1 per pack of 25 cigarettes.
• Legislation to make almost all workplaces and public places 100 per cent smoke-free.
• Prohibiting tobacco retail displays or “power walls.”
• Banning tobacco sales in pharmacies, health care settings and post-secondary institutions.
• Measures to reduce contraband tobacco.
• Legislation to recover negligent Medicare costs from the tobacco industry.
• The renewal of the Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy.

Tobacco sales data released by Alberta Finance indicates that per capita consumption fell by an average of 7.1 per cent since 2007. In contrast, tobacco consumption increased each year in the four years leading up to 2007.

“The results speak for themselves,” says Bob Ascah, Board Chair of the Canadian Cancer Society, AB/NWT Division. “Alberta has made great progress on tobacco reduction in a very short period of time and we have set a strong course for the future.”

The Coalition For a Smoke-Free Alberta is made up of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta/NWT Division, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut, Alberta Health Services, The Lung Association – Alberta/NWT and the Alberta Public Health Association.