Overview
Smoking and vaping remains a serious public health issue that causes considerable health harms to many Albertans and results in significant costs to the health care system.
During the last 8 years, Alberta has seen a 37.5% decrease in the overall smoking rate.
Beginning December 15, 2022, stakeholders were engaged to identify initiatives, priorities, and evaluation criteria for inclusion in the strategy.
The new Tobacco and Vaping Strategy covers the next 5 years. It builds upon the successes of Alberta’s previous tobacco reduction strategies dating back to 2002, will drive further reductions in tobacco use, and for the first time, vaping product use, particularly amongst youth.
Vision
All Albertans have the opportunity to experience better health and wellbeing free from the health harms attributable to the use of commercial tobacco, vaping and emerging tobacco and nicotine products.
Objectives
The objectives of the strategy are to:
- acknowledge the negative health and financial impacts of commercial tobacco and vaping on Albertans and affirm a commitment to reducing their use
- identify strategic directions as a framework for collective and collaborative action with stakeholders and key partners
- facilitate the development of a collective body of key partners with a mandate to assess provincial tobacco and vaping reduction, prevention and cessation efforts and provide recommendations for future action
Guiding principles
The strategy will be used to guide us as we:
- use proven tobacco reduction practices
- understand and address equity and health disparities related to commercial tobacco and vaping products and the factors that cause these disparities
- support individual and community capacity
- rely on evidence to shape policy direction
- integrate promising practices to promote innovation
The Tobacco and Vaping Reduction Strategy strives to:
- initiate a public education campaign aimed primarily at youth
- develop online sales instructions for retailers, pertaining to their role in limiting sales to youth, in the online retail environment
- develop a guidance document for educators in partnership with Alberta Health Services and school officials to assist with the rise in vaping product use in schools
- continue funding the Tobacco and Vaping Enforcement Team
- continue to respect the use of ceremonial tobacco by First Nations, Métis and Innuit people in traditional spiritual and cultural practices
- establish a provincial advisory committee to develop reduction goals, monitor progress, and evaluate the current state of smoking and vaping in the province
Strategic directions
Prevention
Help Albertans, particularly youth, avoid using tobacco and vaping products.
Protection
Protect Albertans from the harmful effects of tobacco and vaping products.
Cessation
Maximize cessation initiatives and expand coverage to include vaping products.
Knowledge translation and capacity building
Support linkages between prevention, protection and cessation efforts and increase transparency of tobacco and vaping product reduction initiatives.
Resources
News
- Clearing the air: Reducing tobacco and vaping use (January 22, 2024)
- Addressing the health harms of smoking and vaping (June 2, 2020)