Access resources for individuals, parents and families, communities, schools, health professionals and more on tobacco and vaping prevention, reduction and quitting.
The Tobacco & Vapour Prevention & Control Program protects the public from the harms of tobacco use, vaping, second- and third hand smoke. We work with communities, First Nations, schools, health professionals, and community partners to prevent and reduce tobacco and vapour use.
Contact the Tobacco and Vapour Prevention and Control Program at tobaccoandvape@interiorhealth.ca for more information or questions.
These resources can help you reduce or stop using tobacco or vapour products.
These programs can help you quit smoking.
Protect yourself and your family from the toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke and vapour by keeping your home and vehicle smoke and vapour-free. It’s against the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act to smoke or use vapour products in a vehicle with a child under 16.
Babies breathe faster and have less developed immune systems than adults, so they are more affected by tobacco smoke and vapour. Babies are more likely to have
Take these actions if someone in your household smokes:
For more information, see the Babies Need Breathing Space brochure and Safe Sleep for Your Baby.
The best thing you can do is model a tobacco and vape-free lifestyle. Ensure that the spaces where your children live, learn and play are free of tobacco smoke and vapour. Create a smoke and vape-free home and vehicle, and make sure that your child’s other caregivers do the same. Support smoke and vape-free schools, playgrounds and playing fields in your community.
If you use tobacco, consider quitting. If it’s not time for you to quit yet, talk with your child about your experience with smoking. Parents who smoke can still make a difference by talking about how difficult it is to quit and that you hope they will not start.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and illness, and 85 per cent of smokers today started before they were 18 years old. All other recreational addictive drugs are banned for use during school hours, except tobacco. Vaping has also become a significant concern for schools.
Our Toolkit – Vaping School Properties provides resources to school district staff and others who are working to address the use of vapour products among youth.
School compliance information is available to advise both public and private schools of their responsibilities for showing reasonable care and diligence with the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act and Regulation and the E-Substances Regulation.
The following resources are also available:
Creating smoke-free environments is a great way to improve the health of your community. Smoke-free outdoor spaces are highly effective in helping children and youth grow up to be non-smokers. These environments also support people who are trying to quit. Communities with smoke-free bylaws have lower smoking rates, less toxic litter that can be swallowed by children or pets, and fewer wildfires.
For information about adopting or strengthening smoke-free bylaws, please contact our
Public support for smoke-free outdoor areas is on the rise. This isn’t surprising as more than 85 per cent of British Columbians do not use tobacco. In fact, over 60 communities in B.C. have restrictions on smoking in public spaces that are stronger than the provincial Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act.
Traditional tobacco use is a beneficial activity and not linked to negative health outcomes. Commercial tobacco use rates among Aboriginal people is 40 per cent rate.
We take a health equity lens, meaning that we understand some groups are more affected by smoking than others. The smoking rate among the LGBTQIA2S+ community ranges from 24 per cent to 45 per cent, and is highest among bisexual individuals.
Mental health & substance use is a complex issue and we know this group has been historically targeted by tobacco companies. Smokers make up about 80 per cent of people with alcohol or opioid issues, 90 per cent of people with schizophrenia and 49 per cent of people who are diagnosed with depression.
As we know, smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in B.C. Helping people reduce and quit is vital to reducing the burden of disease. The single best thing a person can do for their health is to quit smoking.
