Nova Scotia Commits to Comprehensive Tobacco Strategy

Premier John Hamm and Health Minister Jamie Muir today announced $1 million in funding for Nova Scotia's first comprehensive tobacco strategy. The strategy is aimed at helping Nova Scotians stop smoking or refuse to start.

Premier Hamm and Mr. Muir also announced their commitment to introduce legislation respecting smoke-free public places and workplaces in the spring session of the legislature. If passed, this will make Nova Scotia one of only two Canadian provinces with this type of legislation.

"This is all about the health of Nova Scotians," said Mr. Muir. "The tobacco strategy is a first for this province. Too many of us are sick from smoking, and many more of us are just plain sick of tobacco. We're attacking our high rates of smoking and committing to introduce strong smoke-free workplace and public place legislation this coming spring."

Mr. Muir congratulated municipalities such as Berwick, Wolfville and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality for recently passing smoke-free public places by-laws. He also encouraged these and other municipalities, such as the town of Kentville and municipality of the County of Kings, to continue their efforts to achieve the same bylaws.

"We're endorsing this strategy because Nova Scotia's rates of smoking are the highest in the country," said Premier Hamm. "This translates into one of the highest rates of chronic disease in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest overall cancer death rates for both men and women in the country, 17 per cent above the national average. This cannot continue."

Premier Hamm and Mr. Muir made the announcements at a conference today in Clementsport, which was attended by community groups committed to curbing tobacco use in Nova Scotia. At the conference, they commended the groups' intensive year-long efforts in developing a tobacco strategy aimed at effectively reducing the high rates of smoking in the province.

The tobacco strategy is based on seven key elements:

• Pricing and Taxation
• Smoke-Free Legislation and Policy
• Treatment and Cessation
• Community-based Programming
• Youth Smoking Prevention
• Media and Public Awareness
• Monitoring and Evaluation

"You have been tireless in your dedication to bettering the health of your communities," said Mr. Muir to the conference delegates. "I want to emphasize that the premier and I are behind your strategy completely. It is sound, and it is right."

Mr. Muir will take the time between now and the spring session to consult with the hospitality industry to enlist their input and support. This legislation is about health, but it needs the cooperation of business, he said.

"In light of the current fiscal challenges, making priorities in the department has gone from being extremely difficult to extremely agonizing," said Mr. Muir. "The premier and I are pleased to have been able to secure $1 million this year to start a strategy that will make Nova Scotians healthier and ultimately reduce our health care costs."

The tobacco strategy was developed by the Department of Health over the past year in consultation with as many as 20 community groups committed to reducing the use of tobacco. The groups recommend a strategy that addresses the following components at once: public policy, smoke-free environments, public awareness, health services, and community-based action.