British Columbians Support Tougher Tobacco Control Measures

Vancouver, BC - A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Cancer Society finds that the majority of British Columbians support implementing tougher tobacco control measures in the province. Overall, 71% of British Columbians support a ban on all smoking in workplaces and public establishments, including the elimination of designated smoking areas. The majority also support establishing regulations that would prohibit the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products in `pharmacies' (66%) and `on university and college campuses' (60%).

There is also high support for adopting measures aimed at reducing youth smoking. In total, 86% of British Columbians support banning prominent displays of cigarettes in stores if this could help reduce youth smoking. Another 81% support increasing tobacco taxes by 40 cents per package if this could help decrease youth smoking.

Meanwhile, fully 87% of British Columbians support allocating a small portion of money from the sale of tobacco products to a fund that would subsidize the cost of cessation products for smokers who wish to quit.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid telephone poll conducted between February 14 and 20, 2006. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,750 adult British Columbians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult British Columbian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population .These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual British Columbian population according to the 2001 Census data. Majority (71%) of British Columbians support making all workplaces and public establishments completely smoke-free

Overall, 71% of British Columbians support establishing a complete ban on smoking in workplaces and public establishments, including the elimination of designated smoking areas. Of this, over half (59%) say they `strongly support' a complete ban on smoking in these areas, while another 12% say they `somewhat support' this ban. Just over one-quarter (28%) of British Columbians are opposed to a complete ban on smoking in workplaces and public establishments (13% `somewhat oppose', 15% `strongly oppose').

• British Columbians living in the Fraser Valley are the most likely to support a complete ban on smoking in workplaces and public establishments (79%, compared to an average of 70% elsewhere in the province).
• Women (75%) are more likely than men (68%) to support banning all smoking in workplaces and public establishments.
• British Columbians with a higher level of formal education are more likely to support a complete ban on smoking in workplaces and public establishments (76% of university/college graduates, compared to 69% of those with some college or university education).
• Non-smokers (77%) are more likely than smokers (48%) to support banning all smoking in workplaces and public establishments.

At least six-in-ten British Columbians support prohibiting the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies (66%) and on university/college campuses (60%)

The majority of British Columbians support prohibiting the sale of tobacco products at pharmacies and universities or colleges. In total, 66% of British Columbians support the provincial government establishing regulations that would prohibit the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in `pharmacies'. Of this, 47% say `strongly support' and 19% say `somewhat support'. Conversely, roughly one-third (32%) of British Columbians are opposed to regulations banning the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies, with 17% saying `somewhat oppose' and 15% saying `strongly oppose'.

Another six-in-ten (60%) British Columbians support the provincial government establishing regulations that would prohibit the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products on `university and college campuses'. In this case, 41% say `strongly support' and another 19% say `somewhat support'. Meanwhile, 38% of British Columbians are opposed to banning the sale of cigarettes on post-secondary campuses, including 22% that say `somewhat oppose' and 17% that say `strongly oppose.'

• British Columbians who are the most likely to support prohibiting the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies include women (70% vs. 61% of men) and non-smokers (69% vs. 48% of smokers).
• British Columbians who are the most likely to support prohibiting the sale of tobacco products on university and college campuses include residents of the Fraser Valley (68% vs. an average of 58% elsewhere in the province), women (64% vs. 56% of men), and non-smokers (65% vs. 38% of smokers).

More than eight-in-ten support banning prominent displays of cigarettes in stores (86%) and increasing tobacco taxes (81%) if these initiatives would help reduce youth smoking

There is a high level of support for initiatives aimed at reducing youth smoking. Overall, 86% of British Columbians support banning prominent displays of cigarettes in stores if this would help reduce youth smoking. Of this, 47% say they would `strongly support' banning prominent displays of cigarettes in stores even without having been told that such a ban could reduce youth smoking. Informing respondents that banning prominent displays of cigarettes could reduce youth smoking increases support by another 39%.

Meanwhile, a total of 81% of British Columbians support increasing tobacco taxes by 40 cents per package if this could help reduce youth smoking. Of this, 48% say they would `strongly support' a 40-cent per package increase in tobacco taxes even without being told that such an increase could reduce youth smoking. Informing respondents that increasing tobacco taxes by 40 cents per package could reduce youth smoking increases support by another 33%.

• Support for banning prominent displays of cigarettes in stores is highest among residents of the Fraser Valley (91% vs. only 79% of those living in the North), women (89% vs. 83% of men), those between the ages of 18 and 34 (91% vs. 81% of those aged 55 plus), those with a higher level of formal education (89% of university/college graduates vs. 83% of those with a high school education or less), households with children (91% vs. 84% of those without children), those earning higher incomes (91% of those earning $80,000 or more vs. 85% of those earning less than $30,000), and non-smokers (89% vs. 74% of smokers).
• Support for increasing tobacco taxes is highest among residents of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley (81% and 81% respectively vs. 76% of those in the North), women (82% vs. 76% of men), those with a higher level of formal education (83% of university/college graduates vs. 75% of those with a high school education or less), those earning higher incomes (85% of those earning $80,000 or more vs. 74% of those earning less than $30,000), and non-smokers (87% vs. 50% of smokers).

Most (87%) British Columbians support subsidizing the cost of smoking cessation products

Fully 87% of British Columbians support allocating a small portion of money from the sale of tobacco products to a fund that would subsidize the cost of cessation products for smokers who wish to quit. Of this, 65% say `strongly support', while another 22% say `somewhat support'. Conversely, only 13% of British Columbians oppose using money from the sale of tobacco products to help subsidize the cost of cessation products, including 5% saying `somewhat oppose' and 8% saying `strongly oppose'.

• Vancouver Island residents are the most likely to support subsidizing smoking cessation products (91%, compared to an average of 85% elsewhere in the province).
• Women (90%) are more likely than men (82%) to support subsidizing smoking cessation products.
• Support for subsidizing smoking cessation products is higher among middle-aged respondents (88% of those aged 35 to 54, compared to 83% of those aged 55 plus).
• Support for this initiative is similar among both smokers (90%) and non-smokers (85%).

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Catherine Gunther
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
(604) 893-1697
[email protected]

Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos-Reid employs more than 300 researcher professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels. Ipsos Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada - including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion in the country - all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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