OTTAWA, Oct. 9 /CNW/ - Health Canada today launched a new campaign designed to raise awareness that second-hand smoke kills. The campaign begins on October 14, 2002, and focuses on second-hand smoke in the workplace. This initiative is part of Health C

The new advertising campaign delivers hard-hitting and compelling messages. "This is intentional," said the Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health. "Second-hand smoke is a serious health issue. Like mainstream smoke, second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 50 known carcinogens. Some tobacco companies say that second-hand smoke bothers people. Health Canada says it kills." The television advertisement tells the story of Heather, a 57 year-old woman who has never smoked, but who spent her career working in the hospitality sector. Heather is now dying from lung cancer - a result of her exposure to second-hand smoke. There has been significant progress made to protect Canadians from second- hand smoke. Many provinces, territories and municipalities have passed regulations and by-laws to address smoking in the workplace and in public places. However, not all of these places fall under the same regulations, and there are still many places in Canada which are not regulated at all. Health Canada and the provinces, territories and municipalities are working collaboratively on this issue. The second-hand smoke workplace campaign follows on the second-hand smoke home campaign which ran earlier this year. It will be followed by a second-hand smoke youth campaign which will be launched next month. The Government of Canada has invested over $480 million in Health Canada's Tobacco Control Strategy over a period of five years. Funding has been allocated to key areas of tobacco control, including the areas of prevention, cessation, protection and harm reduction. Mass media activities have been identified as an effective way to reduce tobacco use. For more information on second-hand smoke, Canadians are invited to visit: www.GoSmokefree.ca or call 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232).

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