Click on an issue to learn more about our current priorities:

Reducing Youth Access to Tobacco Products

According to a national retail compliance survey commissioned by Health Canada in 2014, Alberta has the highest rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors of any province. In Alberta, 22 percent of tobacco retailers tested demonstrated a willingness to sell tobacco products to minors versus 15 percent nationally. More...

Reducing tobacco affordability for youth

The staggering impact of tobacco use on the quality of life of Albertans and the tremendous burden of tobacco use on our healthcare system and our economy demands effective strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco use. The retail price of tobacco and its relative affordability is a key determinant of tobacco consumption. More...

Regulating the use of Electronic Cigarettes

E-cigarettes are growing in use and popularity particularly among young people. Evidence suggests they have the potential to increase youth tobacco dependence and contribute to the possible re-normalization of smoking in public areas. In fact, youth e-cigarette use in Alberta has tripled in the last several years. More...

Improving the Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy

Five years after its renewal, the ATRS is woefully underfunded, remains largely unimplemented and is unlikely to meets its targets. More...

Regulating Waterpipe use in Public Establishments and Workplaces

Waterpipe use is growing in popularity in Alberta. Public venues designed for smoking waterpipes are becoming more widespread, exposing many Albertans‐‐including hospitality workers‐‐to secondhand smoke and enticing youth to experiment with alternative forms of smoking. More...

Achieving Equity to Eliminate Tobacco‐Related Disparities

Progress in tobacco reduction is one of the most significant public health successes of the past few decades, however the benefits of this success have not been felt equally across Canadian society. Research shows that as tobacco use has decreased in the general population, it has also become disproportionally concentrated within the least‐privileged population groups in our province. As a result, tobacco use is a significant contributor to the health equity gap between socio‐economic groups in Alberta. More...

Reducing the impact of recreational cannabis legalization on tobacco use

The Alberta government is currently considering how to regulate the distribution, sale and use of recreational cannabis in Alberta. A public health framework should be applied to cannabis regulation to protect public health, to reduce harm and to avoid the unintended consequences of cannabis legalization. More...

 

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