To mark National Non-Smoking Week, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced today that Canada's New Government will contribute $158,000 to support the expansion of smoking cessation programs for smokers admitted to hospital. The hospital-based programs were developed by The University of Ottawa Heart Institute with funding from Health Canada. In October 2005, the Champlain Hospital-Based Smoking Cessation Network was launched in 12 hospitals in the Champlain region of Ontario. These hospitals found that 44 per cent of patients who followed a cessation program while in hospital reported not smoking six months after hospitalization. "Canada's New Government supports programs that deliver results to improve the health and quality of life of all Canadians," said Minister Clement. "I congratulate the people behind this outstanding initiative, which has already made a real difference in the lives of thousands of people." The new phase of the project will see the smoking cessation programs expanded to eight other hospitals in New Brunswick and British Columbia. "We're delighted that our leadership in this important area of preventative practice is being recognized in this way. It is a pleasure to be able to work with our colleagues in other centres as we implement the "Ottawa Model" in communities across Canada," said Dr. Andrew Pipe, Director, Prevention & Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa Heart Institute. The Minister's announcement comes during National Non-Smoking Week, an annual event designed to educate Canadians about the dangers of smoking, to help smokers quit, and to assist in the attainment of a smoke-free Canada. Great progress has been made in tobacco control in recent years. Smoking rates in Canada are currently at their lowest ever, according to the most recent Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS). The results, which came from data collected between February and June 2006, show just over 4.5 million people, representing 18 per cent of the population age 15 years and older, were current smokers. While the achievements so far are impressive, much remains to be done. Smoking is still the most preventable cause of disease and premature death in Canada. More than 37,000 people die prematurely each year in Canada due to tobacco use -- at least 800 non-smokers die every year from exposure to second-hand smoke.

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