News Release

Conservative Party Announcement on Cigarillos and Tobacco Product Marketing Good News for Canadians: Lung Association

September 17, 2008

(Ottawa) – The Lung Association was pleased today by the Conservative Party of Canada´s announcement that, if elected, they would move to crackdown on cigarillos and tobacco product marketing.

The Conservative Party committed to:

- Mandating that cigarillos be sold in packages of no less than 20;
- Prohibit the use of flavours and additives in tobacco that would appeal to children and youth; and,
- Ban all tobacco advertising and promotion (in print and electronic media) that may be viewed and read by youth.

"These are positive steps forward in the fight against tobacco," said Paul Thomey, Chair of Tobacco Issues for The Lung Association, "Strong measures such as these not only will protect Canada´s children from the harmful effects of smoking, but will also serve to undermine the tricks used by Big Tobacco to market their products to the youth of this country".

An estimated 37,000 Canadians will die this year from smoking-related diseases and approximately 1,000 die annually from second-hand smoke. Smoking and tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of lung disease and death in Canada.

In order to encourage all parties to make lung health a priority in this election, this week The Lung Association will launch a national campaign to empower Canadians to advocate for action on lung health. Canadians are encouraged to visit www.lung.ca on Thursday afternoon for more details and to make their voice heard in the fight against lung disease.

Established in 1900, The Lung Association is one of Canada´s oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading national organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung heath issues.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Cameron Bishop
Director of Government Affairs and Media Relations
The Lung Association
613-569-6411, ext, 223


For more information contact:
Cameron Bishop
Director of Government Affairs and Media Relations
The Canadian Lung Association
Phone: 613-569-6411, ext. 223

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Subject Headings:

• Air Pollution
• Air Quality
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Avian Flu
• Breathing Problems
• Bronchitis
• Christmas Seals
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)
• Dust Diseases
• Emphysema
• Environmental Health
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• Farmers' Lung
• Hay Fever
• Health Education
• Health Research
• Infectious Diseases
• Influenza
• Lung Cancer
• Lung Disease
• Lung Health Framework
• Lung Research
• Patient Education
• Pneumonia
• Pollution
• Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Respiratory Diseases
• Respiratory Medicine
• Respiratory Rehabilitation
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
• SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
• Secondhand Smoke
• Sleep Apnea
• Sleep Disorders
• Smoking
• Smoking Cessation
• Smoking Prevention
• Tobacco
• Tobacco Smoke
• Tuberculosis