What is the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS)?
The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy was announced by the Minister of Health in April 2001. This new five-year Strategy represents a comprehensive, integrated and sustained approach to tobacco control in Canada. It builds on – and expands the scope of – recent national tobacco control initiatives. The Government of Canada has set the following targets to be achieved over the next ten years: • a reduction in the number of people who smoke from 25 to 20 per cent of the population; • a decrease in the number of cigarettes sold by 30 per cent; • an increase in retailer compliance with tobacco-sales-to-youth laws from 69 to 80 percent; • a reduction in the number of people involuntarily exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in enclosed public spaces; and • exploration into how to mandate modified tobacco products to reduce hazards to health. The Prevention, Cessation and Education component of FTCS focuses on four key areas: • protection (protecting non-smokers, especially youth, from the
