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Current Abstracts: Our monthly list of selected journal articles and reports on tobacco topics, with an emphasis on Canadian authors and research

Reading Lists: Our reading lists focus on hot topics in tobacco control to help get you started on your research and information needs.


Tobacco and Public Health: From Theory to Practice features accessible, comprehensive and evidence-based Canadian content that is geared to individuals working in tobacco control.


OTRU Update: The Future of Household Telephone Surveys on Tobacco: Methodological and Contextual Issues

Special Report: The Future of Household Telephone Surveys on Tobacco: Methodological and Contextual Issues

Special Report: Anti-Contraband Policy Measures: Evidence for Better Practice (full report)

OTRU Update: Database Resources Available from the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit

Expert Panel Report: Expert Panel on Tobacco Smoke and Breast Cancer Risk Releases Report


6th National Conference on Tobacco or Health
Montreal, Quebec, November 1-4, 2009

More events

OTRU Conference

Tobacco Control for the 21st Century

The Future of Household Telephone Surveys on Tobacco: Methodological and Contextual Issues

Household telephone surveys provide an important tobacco-control tool for research, monitoring and evaluation, and policy-making, but declining response rates of surveys and various measurement issues are undermining the quality and utility of survey data. This research update highlights the issues and makes recommendations based on discussions of the concurrent working session of the Ontario Tobacco Control Conference: Tobacco Control for the 21st Century: Challenges in Research and Evaluation.

New Special Report: The Future of Household Telephone Surveys on Tobacco: Methodological and Contextual Issues

The full report of the working session, The Future of Household Telephone Surveys on Tobacco: Methodological and Contextual Issues is also available as an OTRU Special Report.

New Special Report: Anti-Contraband Policy Measures: Evidence for Better Practice

This OTRU Special Report provides a knowledge synthesis about the contraband tobacco market globally and the policies in place to help curb it. Given the many different forms of contraband and the ease with which the source can change in response to policy, there is no single solution that will apply to every jurisdiction. The findings review policies have and have not been effective under various circumstances and the potential reasons why.

Full Report: Anti-Contraband Policy Measures: Evidence for Better Practice
Summary: Anti-Contraband Policy Measures: Evidence for Better Practice - Summary Report

Database Resources Available from the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit

This update outlines the changes made to two resources for the design and conduct of studies related to tobacco and tobacco control - the Directory of Public Use Data on Tobacco Use in Canada and the Searchable Database of Questionnaire Items from Population Surveys of Tobacco Use in Canada. These resources can be downloaded from the databases page (http://www.otru.org/databases.html).

Synopsis of Current Funding Opportunities

As a service to the tobacco control research community, OTRU is providing a brief synopsis of current funding opportunities at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation that could potentially replace those offered by the Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative (CTCRI) until spring of this year. We have included detailed information as of May 2009 on the objectives and funding level of the original CTCRI programs paired with programs from other agencies that may fulfil the same function.

Synopsis of Current Funding Opportunities (PDF)

Ashley Studentships and OTRU Small Project Grants Recipients Announced

OTRU would like to congratulate the latest recipients of the Ashley Studentships for Research in Tobacco Control and the OTRU Small Project Grants for Canadian Researchers. Thank you to all students and investigators who submitted excellent applications to the competitions.

New From the Library: Tobacco Product Availability Reading List

This reading list is a brief selection of journal articles, online reports and other web-based material on the topic of Tobacco Product Availability. Its purpose is to provide readers with an introduction to and overview of available literature on the topic.

Expert Panel on Tobacco Smoke and Breast Cancer Risk Releases Report

Active Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Linked to Breast Cancer


Based on a comprehensive review of all available evidence, including important recent evidence, the report of the Canadian Expert Panel on Tobacco Smoke and Breast Cancer Risk concludes that there is now enough scientific evidence to link both active smoking and secondhand smoke to breast cancer.

Full Report
Related Backgrounder
Related Press Release April 23, 2009


For OTRU Research Study Participants

If you are currently participating in an OTRU research study, details about confidentiality, your privacy and information about the study are available
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