Abstract Prior research has suggested that a set of unique characteristics may be associated with adult cigarette smokers who are able to quit smoking using e-cigarettes (vaping). In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to identify and rank the impor

The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU) and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) are launching The Expand Project, a social marketing campaign and research initiative to address smoking (and vaping) among queer and trans young adults in Toronto, Thunde

OTRU has been awarded funding to work in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society to develop a social marketing campaign to better understand cigarette smoking and smoking culture among young adults who identify as LGBTQI2S+. This newsletter desc

This report presents a synthesis of findings from public opinion research to review current approaches to vaping advertisements and marketing. The report touches on motivating factors for vape use, which precedes sections detailing participants’

This report presents a synthesis of findings from public opinion research to review the role of vape flavours in vaping use. The report identifies the influence of flavours in initial and continued vape use for groups with varying exposure to vaping

This report presents a synthesis of findings from public opinion research that review causes for first-time use of tobacco and vaping products. This includes motivating factors for use (device features, available flavours, social benefits, cost, and

OTRU continues to generate new knowledge to inform cessation policies and practices through the Research on Advancing Cessation Treatment (REACT) study. This newsletter highlights the findings from the ongoing knowledge synthesis, baseline survey for

While vaping, or e-cigarette use, might help adults quit smoking, the rapid uptake of these products by youth is alarming and raises concerns about the net public health benefit of vaping. OTRU’s RECIG-WP project conducted focus groups to gather insi

The use of e-cigarettes—or vaping to quit—has become one of the most frequently used cessation methods among smokers trying to quit smoking cigarettes. In 2017, 32% of current or former smokers in Canada reported using an e-cigarette as a cessation a

Abstract Background: Recently, the US Institute of Medicine has proposed that raising the minimum age for tobacco purchasing/sales to 21 years would likely lead to reductions in smoking behavior among young people. Surprisingly few studies, however,

Abstract The province of Ontario, Canada, implemented a full menthol cigarette ban on January 1, 2017. To date, there has been no population-wide, systematic evaluation of the association of the implementation of a menthol ban with smoker behavior. A

Abstract Background: The province of Ontario, Canada implemented a ban on menthol in all forms of tobacco products that came into effect January 1st, 2017. This presentation examines changes in behaviour among a cohort of menthol smokers as part of t

This newsletter provides an overview of OTRU’s Knowledge and Evaluation Support initiative and highlights one project supported by this initiative: the That’s Risky social marketing campaign. This campaign’s main objective was to increase awareness t

Abstract Introduction: Common short screening measures of dependence that use number of cigarettes per day may not be appropriate for use in populations of occasional smokers. Aims: In this study, we investigate whether perceived addiction (PA) predi

Abstract Despite extensive research on social norms, the sources of norm formation are not well understood. Social exposure to a behavior (defined as the composite of ways through which people see that behavior in their social, physical, and symbolic

To view the Quitting Smoking in Ontario infographic in a larger size, right-click on the graphic and choose to open the image in a new tab. You can also download the poster information in PowerPoint format (each item on one slide). Poster References

Abstract Background: Health policy-making, a complex, multi-factorial process, requires balancing conflicting values. A salient issue is public support for policies; however, one reason for limited impact of public opinion may be misperceptions of po

Abstract Aims: It has been hypothesized that the smoking population is represented by an increasingly ‘hardcore’ group of smokers who are resistant to quitting. Many definitions of ‘hardcore smokers’ have been used, but their predictive validity is u

Abstract Aims: To examine the use and role of planned quit attempts by smokers and their impact on abstinence. Design: Retrospective, using longitudinal data from the Ontario Tobacco Survey. Setting: Ontario, Canada. Participants: A total of 551 adul

Research Letter Previous research has classified smokers and non-smokers on the basis of their attitudes and behaviours towards smoking and smoking restrictions.1–3 Work by Poland et al,1 using data from 1996, concluded that Ontario smokers clustered

Abstract Introduction: An unintended consequence of indoor smoking restrictions is the relocation of smoking to building entrances, where non-smokers may be exposed to secondhand smoke, and smoke from outdoor areas may drift through entrances, exposi

Abstract The availability of low-cost cigarettes undermines tobacco control’s most effective measure to reduce smoking prevalence: keeping cigarette prices high by raising tobacco taxes.1 The discount cigarette market share has grown considerably sin

Abstract This paper identifies factors that influence where people smoke outdoors and examines the impact of smoking on people who use outdoor public places. Direct observations of smoking at 12 outdoor public places and semi-structured interviews wi

Abstract Introduction: As smoking prevalence declines, some suggest that so-called “hardcore” smokers will come to represent a growing and irreducible proportion of current smokers (“hardening hypothesis”). Different definitions of a “hardcore” smoke

Abstract Objective: To examine the relationship between physicians’ tobacco-related medical training and physicians’ confidence in their tobacco-related skills and smoking-related interventions with parents of child patients. Design: Mail

Abstract Population-based samples of smokers are necessary for tobacco behavior monitoring and surveillance and for evaluating tobacco control programs and policies. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of a simple, one question screener as a

Abstract Background: Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is now available without prescription, and pharmacists have an opportunity to be the primary health care professionals advising patients who want to try this smoking cessation aid. Undergraduate