Flavoured Tobacco Menthol (Motion #62-14)

Moved by: Kett, Noland. Approved October 16, 2014, Sudbury & District Board of Health.

Motion

WHEREAS in 2013, approximately 5.6% of students in Grades 7 to 12 in the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area reported having smoked cigarettes daily in the past year (3.4% Ontario); and

WHEREAS the overall prevalence of smoking in the SDHU area is significantly higher than that for the province (26.4% versus 19.2%; daily or occasional smokers of ages 12 and over, 2011-2012); and

WHEREAS 1 in 4 Ontario youth in Grades 9-12, who report smoking, say they smoked menthol cigarettes; and

WHEREAS evidence suggests that at least some of the youth smoking menthol cigarettes choose to do so because they didn’t like the flavour of regular cigarettes; and

WHEREAS the United States Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that while menthol in cigarettes is not a toxic ingredient, menthol makes already toxic cigarettes more appealing cigarettes and is therefore a public health risk above that seen with non-menthol cigarettes; and

WHEREAS the Sudbury & District Board of Health has a longstanding history of action and advocacy to prevent tobacco use and promote tobacco use cessation; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Sudbury & District Board of Health strongly endorse the Ontario Medical Association’s call on government to re-introduce tobacco legislation banning candy and fruit-flavoured cigarettes while adding to it a ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes and tobacco products; and

FURTHER that this motion be shared with appropriate local, public health and government partners.

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This item was last modified on June 12, 2015