Ottawa Council on Smoking and Health Smoke-Free Ottawa Campaign 2000-2001 Presented by Carmela Graziani to the Carleton University School of Journalism

Ottawa Council on Smoking Ottawa Council on Smoking and Healthand Health

Smoke-Free Ottawa CampaignSmoke-Free Ottawa Campaign2000-20012000-2001

Presented by Carmela Graziani Presented by Carmela Graziani to the Carleton Universityto the Carleton UniversitySchool of Journalism and School of Journalism and

CommunicationCommunication

November 3, 2010November 3, 2010

History History

Hodgepodge of bylaws in Nepean, Kanata and Hodgepodge of bylaws in Nepean, Kanata and Ottawa banning smoking in workplaces with DSRs Ottawa banning smoking in workplaces with DSRs effective effective May 31, 2001

11 municipalities within the Regional Municipality of 11 municipalities within the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton amalgamated into the new City of Ottawa-Carleton amalgamated into the new City of Ottawa on January 1, 2000Ottawa on January 1, 2000

Before amalgamation, RMOC recommended that the Before amalgamation, RMOC recommended that the new City of Ottawa adopt its own bylawnew City of Ottawa adopt its own bylaw

Step One: Campaign GoalsStep One: Campaign Goals

Raise awareness about the health effects of second-hand Raise awareness about the health effects of second-hand smoke (SHS) and the need for a smoke-free bylawsmoke (SHS) and the need for a smoke-free bylaw

Mobilize the silent majority who supported a bylawMobilize the silent majority who supported a bylaw

Lobby Ottawa City Council to approve a 100% smoke-Lobby Ottawa City Council to approve a 100% smoke-free bylaw based on: free bylaw based on: Widespread public support Widespread public support Irrefutable scientific evidence regarding SHSIrrefutable scientific evidence regarding SHS

Step Two: PartnershipsStep Two: Partnerships

Support from: Support from: Dr. Robert Cushman, Medical Officer of Dr. Robert Cushman, Medical Officer of

HealthHealth Alex Munter, Health Committee ChairAlex Munter, Health Committee Chair Community partners (cancer, heart, lung, Community partners (cancer, heart, lung,

physicians) physicians) Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Restaurant,

Hotel and Motel Association

Step Three: ResourcesStep Three: Resources

Some OCSH volunteers were experienced Some OCSH volunteers were experienced tobacco control advocatestobacco control advocates

OCSH members dedicated innumerable OCSH members dedicated innumerable volunteer hoursvolunteer hours

Funding from health agenciesFunding from health agencies

Step Four: Key MessagesStep Four: Key Messages

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Canada; kills 37,000 Canadians every yeardisease 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 CanadaThird-leading cause of preventable death in Canada Contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 69 Contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 69

cancer-causing chemicalscancer-causing chemicals Kills more than 1,000 Canadians every year Kills more than 1,000 Canadians every year cancer, cancer,

heart attacks, strokes, asthma, COPD, lung infections, heart attacks, strokes, asthma, COPD, lung infections, ear infections, SIDSear infections, SIDS


$49 million in annual hospital costs $49 million in annual hospital costs Involuntary exposure Involuntary exposure in workplaces & public placesin workplaces & public places Majority of Ottawa residents did not smoke and Majority of Ottawa residents did not smoke and

supported a bylaw (poll results)supported a bylaw (poll results) Encourage smokers to quitEncourage smokers to quit Ottawa lagged behind other Canadian cities that had Ottawa lagged behind other Canadian cities that had

adopted gold-standard bylaws (e.g. Victoria, adopted gold-standard bylaws (e.g. Victoria, Waterloo)Waterloo)


NoNo designated smoking rooms: designated smoking rooms: No ventilation technology existed then (or exists No ventilation technology existed then (or exists

today) that can reduce toxins in SHS to an today) that can reduce toxins in SHS to an acceptable risk levelacceptable risk level

Protect hospitality workersProtect hospitality workers Harmonize existing smoke-free bylawsHarmonize existing smoke-free bylaws Create a level playing field for all businessesCreate a level playing field for all businesses

Step Five: Communication StrategyStep Five: Communication Strategy


Public opinion surveys and newspaper pollsPublic opinion surveys and newspaper polls BrochureBrochure www.smokefreeottawa.comwww.smokefreeottawa.com ButtonsButtons Letters and fact sheets to city council Letters and fact sheets to city council Letters to the editorLetters to the editor Editorial board meeting with The Ottawa CitizenEditorial board meeting with The Ottawa Citizen Postcard campaign (3 print runs; 7,000 collected)Postcard campaign (3 print runs; 7,000 collected)




2000 municipal election: 2000 municipal election: Supporters attended all candidates meetings; asked Supporters attended all candidates meetings; asked

candidates if they supported a bylawcandidates if they supported a bylaw Recorded and rated candidates’ responsesRecorded and rated candidates’ responses Published an ad in The Ottawa CitizenPublished an ad in The Ottawa Citizen

Meetings with mayor and 22 councillors Meetings with mayor and 22 councillors

Bus and radio adsBus and radio ads


10 City of Ottawa public consultations:10 City of Ottawa public consultations: Organized supporters to speak at each meetingOrganized supporters to speak at each meeting Distributed buttons, postcards Distributed buttons, postcards

News conference before Health Committee meetingNews 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 Agreed to recommend a100% smoke-free bylaw (no

DSRs) in a vote of 7 to 2DSRs) in a vote of 7 to 2


One week before Ottawa City Council voted on the One week before Ottawa City Council voted on the smoke-free bylaw:smoke-free bylaw: Ongoing media monitoring, media interviews and Ongoing media monitoring, media interviews and

letters to the editorletters to the editor Newspaper ad urging the public to contact the mayor Newspaper ad urging the public to contact the mayor

and city councillors and city councillors Sent councillors postcards, emails from website, Sent councillors postcards, emails from website,

position statement position statement

Success!Success!

Ottawa City Council unanimously passed the smoke-Ottawa City Council unanimously passed the smoke-free bylaw for all workplaces and public places on free bylaw for all workplaces and public places on April 25, 2001April 25, 2001

Restaurants, bars, bingos, billiard halls, bowling Restaurants, bars, bingos, billiard halls, bowling alleys, casinos, taxisalleys, casinos, taxis

No DSRsNo DSRs Effective August 1, 2001Effective August 1, 2001

Success!Success!

But…It’s Still Not Over!But…It’s Still Not Over!

PUBCO legal challenges:PUBCO legal challenges:

Newspaper ad: Smoke-Free and Loving ItNewspaper ad: Smoke-Free and Loving It Legal opinion on bylaw and news conferenceLegal opinion on bylaw and news conference Letters to the editorLetters to the editor Letters to city council urging continued support Letters to city council urging continued support

But…It’s Still Not Over!But…It’s Still Not Over!

Step Six: Post-Campaign ActivitiesStep Six: Post-Campaign Activities

Debriefing to review successes and lessons learnedDebriefing to review successes and lessons learned

Thank you cards to supportersThank you cards to supporters

Historical records:Historical records: Database of supportersDatabase of supporters Agendas and minutesAgendas and minutes Updated websiteUpdated website The Advocacy Campaign for Smoke-Free OttawaThe Advocacy Campaign for Smoke-Free Ottawa

More Smoke-Free CampaignsMore 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 OCTranspo: smoke-free bus shelters/Transitway

(2007)(2007) Ontario bans power walls (2008) Ontario bans power walls (2008) Ontario bans smoking in motor vehicles with Ontario bans smoking in motor vehicles with

passengers under the age of 16 (2009) passengers under the age of 16 (2009) Ontario bans fruit and candy flavoured cigarettes and Ontario bans fruit and candy flavoured cigarettes and

cigarillos (2010); but tobacco industry circumvents cigarillos (2010); but tobacco industry circumvents law by changing size and removing filterslaw by changing size and removing filters

More Smoke-Free CampaignsMore Smoke-Free Campaigns

Second-hand smoke in multi-unit dwellings Second-hand smoke in multi-unit dwellings Hookah pipes/waterpipesHookah pipes/waterpipes Health Canada refuses to adopt new cigarette package Health Canada refuses to adopt new cigarette package

warnings (current warnings = 10 years old; tobacco warnings (current warnings = 10 years old; tobacco industry influence?)industry influence?)

Outdoor spaces: Outdoor spaces: Patios, parks, beaches, sportsfieldsPatios, parks, beaches, sportsfields Nine meter buffer zones around public and workplace Nine meter buffer zones around public and workplace

entranceways, hospitals, university/college campusesentranceways, hospitals, university/college campuses

Smoke-Free Outdoor Spaces Smoke-Free Outdoor Spaces CampaignCampaign

OCSH Media Event on Patios & SHSOCSH Media Event on Patios & SHS

Ryan Kennedy: Waterloo researcher, measured SHS Ryan Kennedy: Waterloo researcher, measured SHS on patios around Ottawaon patios around Ottawa

New strategy: media advisory and media release on New strategy: media advisory and media release on MarketwireMarketwire

News conference on August 25, 2010 to release News conference on August 25, 2010 to release results results unprecedented news coverage unprecedented news coverage

OCSH Media Event on Patios & SHSOCSH Media Event on Patios & SHS

Contact UsContact Us

Telephone: 613-580-2889Telephone: 613-580-2889

Email: Email: [email protected]@smokefreeottawa.com

www.smokefreeottawa.comwww.smokefreeottawa.com

Documents

Ottawa Council on Smoking and Health Smoke-Free Ottawa Campaign 2000-2001 Presented by Carmela Graziani to the Carleton University School of Journalism