Tobacco Control

The government of B.C. seeks to improve the health of British Columbians and reduce the rate of chronic illness caused by smoking and tobacco use. The program focuses its work in three key areas: stopping youth and young adults from starting to use tobacco, protecting people from exposure to second-hand smoke and encouraging and assisting tobacco users to quit their use of tobacco products. The program partners with health authorities, communities, schools and non-governmental groups to support and deliver prevention, protection and cessation programs.

Learn about laws around the sale, promotion and use of tobacco:

• Legislation
• Enforcement

B.C.’s Tobacco Control Strategy

British Columbia takes a comprehensive approach to controlling tobacco. This approach is described in British Columbia’s Tobacco Control Strategy: Targeting Our Efforts (PDF, 774KB). The strategy has a focus on three key areas:

• Prevention programs - to prevent youth and young adults from starting to use tobacco.
• Cessation programs - to encourage and assist tobacco users to reduce and quit their use of tobacco products.
• Protection programs - to protect British Columbians, particularly infants and children, from exposure to second-hand smoke.

Partnerships

The Tobacco Control Strategy is delivered in partnership with:

• Regional health authorities:
  • Tobacco reduction co-ordinators work to reduce tobacco use in their communities.
  • Enforcement officers enforce the Tobacco Control Act in their communities.
• Ministry of Finance - administers the sale of tobacco through the Tobacco Retail Authorization and the Tobacco Tax.
• BC Lung Association - administers QuitNow.
• BC Pharmacare - administers the B.C. Smoking Cessation Program
• WorkSafeBC - governs smoking and second-hand smoke in the workplace under the Environmental Tobacco Smoke section of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.
• Health Canada’s Tobacco Control Programme - administers the Tobacco Act.
• Non-governmental organizations.