Ottawa Council on Smoking and Health Smoke-Free Ottawa Campaign Presented by Carmela Graziani to the Carleton University School of Journalism and Communication November 3, 2010

History Hodgepodge of bylaws in Nepean, Kanata and Ottawa banning smoking in workplaces with DSRs effective Hodgepodge of bylaws in Nepean, Kanata and Ottawa banning smoking in workplaces with DSRs effective May 31, municipalities within the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton amalgamated into the new City of Ottawa on January 1, municipalities within the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton amalgamated into the new City of Ottawa on January 1, 2000 Before amalgamation, RMOC recommended that the new City of Ottawa adopt its own bylaw Before amalgamation, RMOC recommended that the new City of Ottawa adopt its own bylaw

Step One: Campaign Goals Raise awareness about the health effects of second- hand smoke (SHS) and the need for a smoke-free bylaw Raise awareness about the health effects of second- hand smoke (SHS) and the need for a smoke-free bylaw Mobilize the silent majority who supported a bylaw Mobilize the silent majority who supported a bylaw Lobby Ottawa City Council to approve a 100% smoke-free bylaw based on: Lobby Ottawa City Council to approve a 100% smoke-free bylaw based on: Widespread public support Widespread public support Irrefutable scientific evidence regarding SHS Irrefutable scientific evidence regarding SHS

Step Two: Partnerships Support from: Support from: Dr. Robert Cushman, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Cushman, Medical Officer of Health Alex Munter, Health Committee Chair Alex Munter, Health Committee Chair Community partners (cancer, heart, lung, physicians) Community partners (cancer, heart, lung, physicians) Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association

Step Three: Resources Some OCSH volunteers were experienced tobacco control advocates Some OCSH volunteers were experienced tobacco control advocates OCSH members dedicated innumerable volunteer hours OCSH members dedicated innumerable volunteer hours Funding from health agencies Funding from health agencies

Step Four: Key Messages Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Canada; kills 37,000 Canadians every year Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Canada; kills 37,000 Canadians every year There is no safe level of exposure to SHS: There is no safe level of exposure to SHS: Third-leading cause of preventable death in Canada Third-leading cause of preventable death in Canada Contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 69 cancer-causing chemicals Contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 69 cancer-causing chemicals Kills more than 1,000 Canadians every year  cancer, heart attacks, strokes, asthma, COPD, lung infections, ear infections, SIDS Kills more than 1,000 Canadians every year  cancer, heart attacks, strokes, asthma, COPD, lung infections, ear infections, SIDS

Step Four: Key Messages $49 million in annual hospital costs $49 million in annual hospital costs Involuntary exposure in workplaces & public places Involuntary exposure in workplaces & public places Majority of Ottawa residents did not smoke and supported a bylaw (poll results) Majority of Ottawa residents did not smoke and supported a bylaw (poll results) Encourage smokers to quit Encourage smokers to quit Ottawa lagged behind other Canadian cities that had adopted gold-standard bylaws (e.g. Victoria, Waterloo) Ottawa lagged behind other Canadian cities that had adopted gold-standard bylaws (e.g. Victoria, Waterloo)

Step Four: Key Messages No designated smoking rooms: No designated smoking rooms: No ventilation technology existed then (or exists today) that can reduce toxins in SHS to an acceptable risk level No ventilation technology existed then (or exists today) that can reduce toxins in SHS to an acceptable risk level Protect hospitality workers Protect hospitality workers Harmonize existing smoke-free bylaws Harmonize existing smoke-free bylaws Create a level playing field for all businesses Create a level playing field for all businesses

Step Five: Communication Strategy

Public opinion surveys and newspaper polls Public opinion surveys and newspaper polls Brochure Brochure Buttons Buttons Letters and fact sheets to city council Letters and fact sheets to city council Letters to the editor Letters to the editor Editorial board meeting with The Ottawa Citizen Editorial board meeting with The Ottawa Citizen Postcard campaign (3 print runs; 7,000 collected) Postcard campaign (3 print runs; 7,000 collected)

Step Five: Communication Strategy

2000 municipal election: 2000 municipal election: Supporters attended all candidates meetings; asked candidates if they supported a bylaw Supporters attended all candidates meetings; asked candidates if they supported a bylaw Recorded and rated candidates’ responses Recorded and rated candidates’ responses Published an ad in The Ottawa Citizen Published an ad in The Ottawa Citizen Meetings with mayor and 22 councillors Meetings with mayor and 22 councillors Bus and radio ads Bus and radio ads

Step Five: Communication Strategy 10 City of Ottawa public consultations: 10 City of Ottawa public consultations: Organized supporters to speak at each meeting Organized supporters to speak at each meeting Distributed buttons, postcards Distributed buttons, postcards News conference before Health Committee meeting News conference before Health Committee meeting Health Committee meeting (15 hours) Health Committee meeting (15 hours) OCSH President delivered 6,000 postcards OCSH President delivered 6,000 postcards Organized speakers Organized speakers Agreed to recommend a100% smoke-free bylaw (no DSRs) in a vote of 7 to 2 Agreed to recommend a100% smoke-free bylaw (no DSRs) in a vote of 7 to 2

Step Five: Communication Strategy One week before Ottawa City Council voted on the smoke-free bylaw: One week before Ottawa City Council voted on the smoke-free bylaw: Ongoing media monitoring, media interviews and letters to the editor Ongoing media monitoring, media interviews and letters to the editor Newspaper ad urging the public to contact the mayor and city councillors Newspaper ad urging the public to contact the mayor and city councillors Sent councillors postcards, s from website, position statement Sent councillors postcards, s from website, position statement

Success! Ottawa City Council unanimously passed the smoke- free bylaw for all workplaces and public places on April 25, 2001 Ottawa City Council unanimously passed the smoke- free bylaw for all workplaces and public places on April 25, 2001 Restaurants, bars, bingos, billiard halls, bowling alleys, casinos, taxis Restaurants, bars, bingos, billiard halls, bowling alleys, casinos, taxis No DSRs No DSRs Effective August 1, 2001 Effective August 1, 2001

Success!

But…It’s Still Not Over! PUBCO legal challenges: PUBCO legal challenges: Newspaper ad: Smoke-Free and Loving It Newspaper ad: Smoke-Free and Loving It Legal opinion on bylaw and news conference Legal opinion on bylaw and news conference Letters to the editor Letters to the editor Letters to city council urging continued support Letters to city council urging continued support

But…It’s Still Not Over!

Step Six: Post-Campaign Activities Debriefing to review successes and lessons learned Debriefing to review successes and lessons learned Thank you cards to supporters Thank you cards to supporters Historical records: Historical records: Database of supporters Database of supporters Agendas and minutes Agendas and minutes Updated website Updated website The Advocacy Campaign for Smoke-Free Ottawa The Advocacy Campaign for Smoke-Free Ottawa

More Smoke-Free Campaigns Smoke-Free Ontario Act (2006) Smoke-Free Ontario Act (2006) Smoke-Free Canada Motion (2006) Smoke-Free Canada Motion (2006) OCTranspo: smoke-free bus shelters/Transitway (2007) OCTranspo: smoke-free bus shelters/Transitway (2007) Ontario bans power walls (2008) Ontario bans power walls (2008) Ontario bans smoking in motor vehicles with passengers under the age of 16 (2009) Ontario bans smoking in motor vehicles with passengers under the age of 16 (2009) Ontario bans fruit and candy flavoured cigarettes and cigarillos (2010); but tobacco industry circumvents law by changing size and removing filters Ontario bans fruit and candy flavoured cigarettes and cigarillos (2010); but tobacco industry circumvents law by changing size and removing filters

More Smoke-Free Campaigns Second-hand smoke in multi-unit dwellings Second-hand smoke in multi-unit dwellings Hookah pipes/waterpipes Hookah pipes/waterpipes Health Canada refuses to adopt new cigarette package warnings (current warnings = 10 years old; tobacco industry influence?) Health Canada refuses to adopt new cigarette package warnings (current warnings = 10 years old; tobacco industry influence?) Outdoor spaces: Outdoor spaces: Patios, parks, beaches, sportsfields Patios, parks, beaches, sportsfields Nine meter buffer zones around public and workplace entranceways, hospitals, university/college campuses Nine meter buffer zones around public and workplace entranceways, hospitals, university/college campuses

Smoke-Free Outdoor Spaces Campaign

OCSH Media Event on Patios & SHS Ryan Kennedy: Waterloo researcher, measured SHS on patios around Ottawa Ryan Kennedy: Waterloo researcher, measured SHS on patios around Ottawa New strategy: media advisory and media release on Marketwire New strategy: media advisory and media release on Marketwire News conference on August 25, 2010 to release results  unprecedented news coverage News conference on August 25, 2010 to release results  unprecedented news coverage

OCSH Media Event on Patios & SHS

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