Smoking in the Workplace
- Tobacco use is responsible for over 30% of cancer related deaths and kills over 3,400 Albertans a year. The most effective means of reducing this burden is strong legislation that restricts smoking in public places and workplaces, bans the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies and bans the display of tobacco products at retail locations and includes an increase in tobacco taxes.
- There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke and yet the majority of working Albertans are not protected by smoke-free workplace laws. All of Alberta's major Health, Labour and Business groups' support 100% smoke-free workplace legislation that will protect all Albertans from the dangers of second-hand smoke.
- The Campaign for a Smoke-Free Alberta is pleased to know that a majority of Albertans support tobacco reduction legislation. In a recent Ipsos-Reid poll four out of five Albertans sampled support a complete ban on smoking in workplaces and public establishments.
- Alberta lags significantly behind the rest of Canada in passing legislation to protect workers from the dangers of second-hand smoke. Eight provinces and territories have passed laws to make virtually all workplaces completely smoke-free.
- The Campaign for a Smoke-Free Alberta supports the Health Minister Dave Hancock in his efforts to see that tobacco reduction legislation is passed. We encourage citizens to contact their MLAs and issue their support of the upcoming tobacco reduction legislation. Please call 310-0000 to contact your MLA or click here to contact your MLA.
