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1 ----- TLA Monthly Update September 01-30, 2014 Circulation 13,395, Alberta Health Minister Mandel talks e-cigarette regulation Matt Dykstra Edmontonsun.com/The Edmonton Sun/Ottawasun.com/calgarysun.com/ cnews.canoe.ca/ winnipegsun.com/ torontosun.com The Alberta government will push forward with a ban on flavoured tobacco "as soon as possible" while also dealing with the use of "dangerous" electronic cigarettes, says rookie Health Minister Stephen Mandel. When asked if he supports restrictions on the marketing or sale of e-cigarettes in Alberta, Mandel said he doesn't think the government has decided on a course of action but personally endorsed more regulations. "I would hope that we take the same position on those as we did on other tobacco products and push that through. That would be my position and I hope that the Alberta Government would support that. It's my position that these are dangerous drugs, from what I've been told, and dangerous materials and we should deal with them in that way," he said. Leigh Allard with the Lung Association of Alberta and Northwest Territories encouraged the other health ministers to follow Alberta's lead. - Alberta flavoured tobacco ban could see future in coming weeks Radio Daniel Stilwel inews880/630ched.com/k-litefm.com A smoking bill has been in the works that the legislature since last year, but it may soon be coming to fruition. Executive Director Les Hagen of Action on Smoking and Health says Bill 206 will ban all flavoured tobacco products including menthol. Menthol is the most popular tobacco flavouring among Canadian youth. So, menthol absolutely has to be addressed and it s a shame that the federal government is exempting the most popular flavour among Canadian youth, says Hagen. Hagen says flavoured tobacco products have the biggest impact on one particular age group. Flavourings on tobacco are like training wheels for kids: it makes tobacco products more enticing and alluring, it makes them easier to use, and in the case of menthol it actually increases nicotine addiction and makes it harder to quit, says Hagen. (CSFA) Call for flavoured tobacco ban as health ministers meet Macleans.ca/baytoday.ca/journalpioneer.com/nanaimodailynews.com/ngnews.ca/westlocknews.ca/humb oldtjournal.ca/thompsoncitizen.net/yorktonnews.com/1150ckoc.ca/barrheadleader.com/winnipegfreeepres s.com/athabascaadvocate.com/680news.com/yorktonthisweek.com/turodaily.com/thewesternstar.com/pa herald.com/panow.com/sootoday.com/brandonsun.com/foxrocks.ca/theguardian.pe.ca/infotel.ca/weyburn review.com/pricegeorgecitizen.com/newstalk1010/610cktb.com/chroniclejournal.com/vancouversun.com/ newstalk980.com/tbnewswatch.com/bigdog1009.ca/ cumberlandnewsnow.com/ max1049.ca

2 Health groups want other governments to follow Alberta s lead and pass legislation to ban flavoured tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. Alberta s law was passed last December and is to be phased in over time, starting later this year. On Monday, federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose said her government is proposing regulatory amendments that would further restrict access to flavoured tobacco products. Flavoured tobacco is on the agenda at the provincial-territorial health ministers conference, which starts today in Banff, Alta. The Canadian Cancer Society says for such a ban to be effective, it must include menthol cigarettes. Menthol is the most popular flavour among youth, Angeline Webb, a society spokeswoman, says in a release. We cannot allow tobacco companies to make tobacco more attractive, addictive and harmful to youth. "We don't need another patchwork of inconsistent and inadequate provincial and federal laws," said Leigh Allard of the Lung Association of Alberta/NWT. Mandel pushes for tougher e-cigarette rules, as retailers skirt national ban Reid Southwick The Calgary Herald/Calgaryherald.com onal/ /story.html As Alberta s new health minister called for tougher rules on electronic cigarettes, Calgary retailers continued to openly defy a federal ban on the sale of the nicotine-loaded vaporizers. After meeting with provincial and territorial health ministers, Stephen Mandel said Alberta should treat e-cigarettes as dangerous materials, though he wasn t sure whether the government would back him. I would hope that we would take the same position on those as we did on other tobacco products and push that through, Mandel said in a conference call with reporters, following meetings at the provincial-territorial health ministers conference in Banff. (It) would be my position and I hope that the Alberta government would support that. Any time someone is puffing on something in a public place that closely resembles smoking, which is what using e-cigarettes does, you re sending a message to a child that smoking is tolerated; in fact, smoking is approved, said Les Hagen, executive director of Alberta-based Action on Smoking & Health. (CSFA) - Should flavoured tobacco be banned across Canada? Sean Lennox Ecanadanow.com Groups call for flavoured tobacco ban as health ministers meet in Alberta Last December, the government of Alberta introduced legislation to ban flavoured tobacco products. The ban also included menthol cigarettes. Health groups are now urging other governments to follow suit. Flavoured tobacco will a major talking point at this week s health ministers conference in Alberta. The hope is to draw on the province s 2013 law and use it as a model for similar legislation in other provinces and territories. The Canadian Cancer Society says for such a ban to be effective, it must include menthol cigarettes. Menthol is the most popular flavour among youth, Angeline Webb, a society spokeswoman, says in a release. We cannot allow tobacco companies to make tobacco more attractive, addictive and harmful to youth. (CSFA)

3 Flavoured tobacco ban Shayne Ganam Global Edmonton, 6PM, 5AM, Noon-Global Calgary Noon, 6AM/globalnews.ca The Canadian Cancer Society applauds the move by Northlands. A lot of progress has been made in tobacco reduction because of social acceptability of smoking has been reduced because of smoking bans. The use of e-cigarettes indoors has the potential to re-normalize the smoking behaviour. Antismoking advocates are urging other provinces to follow Alberta s lead when it comes to banning flavoured tobacco. Particularly when it comes to menthol cigarettes. Menthol is the most popular flavour among kids. One-third of youth tobacco users use menthol compared to 1 in 15 adults. The federal regulation excludes menthol cigarettes. Health Canada is proposing changes where products would see further restrictions. As for Alberta, the bill which bans the sale of flavoured tobacco is still waiting for final proclamation. (CSFA) Ministers want federal action on flavoured tobacco btedmonton Provincial and territorial health ministers want the federal government to do more about flavoured tobacco and the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes. Alberta Health Minister Stephen Mandel said his province is still working on the regulations of a law that was passed last December that would ban flavoured tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. Mandel suggested the Alberta government will soon make the regulations public. There are always challenges to different aspects of it but the important part is to make sure they focus on ensuring that those kind of products that would be damaging to children are taken off of the market as quick as possible. Health groups want other governments to follow Alberta s lead and pass similar legislation. (CSFA) Health groups call for flavoured tobacco ban Metronews.ca/Edmontonjournal.com Alberta/ /story.html?cid=dlvr.it-twitter-edmontonjournal Provincial and territorial health ministers want the federal government to do more about flavoured tobacco and the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes. B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake said it appears that tobacco companies are determined to skirt regulations designed to prevent the sale of flavoured tobacco products to young people. He noted the federal government wants to close a loophole in the rules regarding some products, but provinces want even more restrictions. Alberta Health Minister Stephen Mandel said his province is still working on the regulations of a law that was passed last December that would ban flavoured tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. Mandel suggested the Alberta government will soon make the regulations public. There are always challenges to different aspects of it but the important part is to make sure they focus on ensuring that those kind of products that would be damaging to children are taken off of the market as quick as possible. (CSFA)

4 Mandel wants e-cig s banned Daryl McIntyre CTV Edmonton, 6PM, CTV Calgary 5PM, 6PM, Calgary.ctvnews.ca ctvedmonton.ca Anti-smoking groups admit that e-cigarettes are useful in helping adults kick the tobacco habit demon but with vapour flavours having names like beanie baby and funk daddy punch, they worry the devices are targeting children. In the absence of federal or provincial laws, municipalities are scrambling to deal with e-cigarettes. At a gathering of health ministers in Banff Tuesday, Stephen Mandel indicated his desire to impose tight regulations on e-cigarettes Alberta-wide, saying he expects a strong support for the move. (CSFA) Mandel wants flavour ban Ostrikoff / Mcdonald Global Lethbridge, 6PM Stephen Mandel joined health ministers for a meeting in Banff today. Topics on the agenda, a proposal to ban flavoured tobacco products. Rona Ambrose say s they ll have more regulations to restrict access. Alberta is expected to have a bylaw that bans flavoured tobacco. (CSFA ) Health ministers want more federal action on tobacco, e-cigarettes Thestarphoenix.com/thebrandonsun.com/athabascaadvocate.com Monday, September 30, 2014 Provincial and territorial health ministers want the federal government to do more about flavoured tobacco and the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes. Alberta Health Minister Stephen Mandel said his province is still working on the regulations of a law that was passed last December that would ban flavoured tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. Mandel suggested the Alberta government will soon make the regulations public. "There are always challenges to different aspects of it but the important part is to make sure they focus on ensuring that those kinds of products that would be damaging to children are taken off of the market as quick as possible." Health groups want other governments to follow Alberta's lead and pass similar legislation. (CSFA) Flavour Ban wanted Ryan Jespersen BT Edmonton/btedmonton.cca Wednesday, September 24, 2014 Health groups are vowing to make flavoured tobacco products an issue in the upcoming provincial election. The Campaign for a Smoke Free Alberta is calling for a complete ban on all flavoured tobacco products including menthol. Bill 206 is proposed to do just that. (CSFA)

5 Phasing out coal plants Tara Nelson CTV Calgary 6PM, 5PM 11PM Calgary.ctvnews.ca Wednesday, September 24, The province is working to phase out coal-fired electricity plants. A report by The Alberta Lung Association and others shows 700 visits to the emergency room, 80 hospital admissions, 100 premature deaths each year can be attributed to coal plant pollution. Resident launching support group for lung related ailments Staff Fort McMurray Today/Fort McMurray Radio (CFVR FM, CJOK FM, CKOS-FM, CKYX FM) Monday, September 22, One McMurrayite is hoping to start a support group for those suffering from lung related ailments. Cindy Petipas, a 57-year-old Fort McMurray resident, is on the transplant list for a double-lung transplant and says she doesn t want other patients in her situation to feel alone. I need something like this and I know Fort McMurray needs something like this, said Petipas in a release. A patient support group is a wonderful thing that should be here. In partnership with Petitpas, The Lung Association of Alberta and Northwest Territories is looking to residents to kick start a support group in the region. People who don t know about this illness or don t have this illness don t understand what you are going through, she continued. As a part of its Powered By Breathing campaign, The Lung Association hopes to screen 75,000 Albertans for lung illnesses. What you need to know about the respiratory illness EV-D68 Tamara Elliot Global Calgary/globalnews.ca 5, 6, 11PM Wednesday, September 17, Parents are on alert, as more children across Canada end up hospitalized after contracting the mysterious respiratory illness EV-D68.So far 18 children in Alberta have been treated after contracting the bug, which can also affect adults. While EV-D68 is concerning, it s important to note that about 70 children have been hospitalized by rhinovirus the virus which causes the common cold. Colds go around quite easily at school, and children are picking up those colds and that s something that can easily trigger an asthma attack, explains Kristen Matthews from the Lung Association of Alberta. Proclaim Bill 206 Cara Fullerton Global Calgary, Noon, 8AM, Global Edmonton, 8AM, 11:30PM Thursday, September 11, 2014

6 Anti-smoking groups are calling on Jim Prentice to step in and proclaim a ban on flavoured tobacco. Last November, MLA's passed Bill 206 that banned the sale of flavoured tobacco but government has yet to take the final step and proclaim it. 2,400 Alberta youth have begun using flavoured tobacco. (CSFA) - Alberta kids using flavoured tobacco exceeds national average Radio Kevin Robertson 630 CHED/CHQT/mymcmurray.com Wednesday, September 10, 2014 An anti-smoking group is using a recent survey to emphasize their call to completely ban flavoured tobacco in Alberta. The survey found that over 20,000 kids from Grades 6-12 said they use flavoured tobacco, or about 53% of those who admitted to smoking. The national average is 49%. A legislative ban is almost in place in our province, in Bill 206. It s been sitting on the shelf since December of last year, and just needs to be proclaimed to become law. Les Hagen from Action on Smoking and Health is hoping that Jim Prentice will be the one to push it forward. (CSFA) Canadian Cancer Society 'troubled' by teens' flavoured tobacco use The Edmonton Sun/edmontonsun.com/metronews.ca Wednesday, September 10, The number of high school students who have used flavoured tobacco products is "troubling" and new legislation banning the sale of it is needed immediately, the Canadian Cancer Society says. In the 2012/13 Youth Smoking Survey, 50% of high school students who had used tobacco products in the 30 days before being polled said they had used flavoured tobacco products, which can include cigarillos, water pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff and menthol cigarettes. The survey of 47,203 students in every province except Manitoba and the territories was conducted between Nov and June 2013 by researchers at the University of Waterloo and released Wednesday by the society. (CSFA) - Flavour ban wanted Gord Steinke globalnews.ca/global Edmonton, 5PM, 6PM, 11:30PM, 8AM (11TH) Wednesday, September 10, 2014 A coalition of health groups are pushing for the premier-designate to ban the sale of flavoured tobacco. A new study commissioned by Health Canada showed half of young smokers used flavoured tobacco like menthol. Since the bill was passed, 2,500 Alberta teens started smoking. "If we are concerned about stopping chronic disease, we need to move forward with this Bill and protect kids." (CSFA) Flavoured tobacco popular with Canadian teens: survey

7 cbc.ca/edmonton/calgary Wednesday, September 10, Half of the teenagers who smoked in the past month used a flavoured tobacco product, according to a survey on youth smoking habits in Canada. The survey, done by the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo, on behalf of Health Canada, discovered that 50 per cent of high school students who had used tobacco within the past 30 days used flavoured products. (CSFA) Youth smoking issue needs real leadership Dan Singleton Olds Albertan/Innisfail Province/Sundre Round-up Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Health care advocates are calling on the provincial government to finally proclaim three pieces of legislation designed to protect Alberta young people from the dangers of tobacco. Jianna Marin spokesperson for the Campaign for a Smoke Free Alberta says failure to proclaim the bills creates a serious health risk for young people across the province. Alberta youth deserve first class protection from tobacco. said Marin. If fully implemented, these bills will provide such protection. There is no reason to delay these bills any longer. (CSFA) - Putting an end to kid-marketed tobacco Daniele Alcinii Sherwood Park /sherwoodparknews.com Tuesday, September 9, 2014 In Alberta alone approximately 46,000 high schoolers are using tobacco products and more than half of those adolescents are smoking flavoured tobacco products according to Flavour Fraud a youth led campaign aimed at securing a ban on all flavoured tobacco products. In my interview with Jianna Marin spokesperson for Flavour Fraud it was assumed that Bill 206 had been pushed to the back burner due to the Alberta governments search for a new Progressive Conservative leader. (CSFA) - Campaign aims to ban candy tobacco Daniele Alcini Sherwood Park /sherwoodparknews.com Friday, September 5, 2014 A new health promotion initiative is calling on the provincial government to take action by proclaiming a bill aimed at curbing youth smoking. Last fall, the Government of Alberta effectively approved Bill 206, in which it would place a ban on all flavoured tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos. The bill, however, has yet to be proclaimed. A study conducted last year by Health Canada found that 52 per cent of Canadian high school students, or more than 169,000 youth, that have previously used tobacco products have also tried its candy-flavoured variety. In Alberta, approximately 46,000 high schoolers are currently using tobacco products, while more than half of those adolescents are smoking flavoured tobacco products, according to Flavour Fraud. When it s flavoured tobacco, they feel that it s not as harmful as normal tobacco and it won t have the same effect on them, said Jianna Marin,

8 spokesperson for Flavour Fraud, the youth-led campaign aimed at securing a ban on all flavoured tobacco products. (CSFA) Groups lament lack of policy discussion in PC race Calgaryherald.com/cbc.ca/reddeeradvocate.com/edmontonjournal.com/globalnews.ca/ princegeorgecitizen.com/nanimodailynews.com/beaconnews.ca/windsorstar.com courierislander.com/vancouversun.com/starphoenix.com Friday, September 5, 2014 Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership candidates are being criticized for not dealing with basic issues in the campaign to be the province s next premier. The Canadian Cancer Society said Prentice and McIver failed to respond to questions about whether they would ban people under 18 from using indoor tanning beds equipment linked to a rise in deadly melanoma cases. The society also wants a commitment that Alberta s new leader will quickly proclaim a law passed last December that would ban flavoured tobacco. Evie Eshpeter, a policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society, noted that the Tory cabinet could have proclaimed the law at a meeting Wednesday, but didn t. She said now all the society can do is wait to see who wins the leadership and try to set up a meeting with the new premier. (CSFA) Bill 206 gets support from leadership candidates Christopher Brown Lloydminster Source/lloydminstersource.com Tuesday, September, 2, 2014 It s been called one of the strongest anti-tobacco legislations in the country, possibly even the continent and two weeks ago in Bonnyville three people running for the leadership of the PC Party put their approval on the bill. Bill 206, the Tobacco Reduction Act, which restricts the sale of flavoured tobacco products, has been sitting on a shelf in the legislative assembly since it was given royal assent in December The bill needs to be proclaimed a law before it goes into effect, so a local group, Lloydminster Flavour Gone, has been pushing the Alberta government to proclaim the bill to get it into force. Jianna Marin, a co-founder of Lloydminster Flavour Gone, said that the news of the three men endorsing the bill was great news and one step closer to getting the bill into law. (CSFA)