News and press releases

A new advertising concept
The slogan “You love your kids. Don’t smoke around them.” is a clear reminder that we shouldn’t smoke around children. It also focuses on the fact that parents who smoke are loving parents, and even if they are dealing with cigarette addiction, they can take action to protect their children from second-hand smoke. And there is indeed addiction, since even if 87% of parents acknowledge that it is dangerous to smoke near children, 25% of them report smoking regularly or occasionally in the house with children present, and 17% in the car. Consequently, Smoke-Free Family is essential in order to motivate and support these parents to help them change their behaviour.

Effective actions
The harmful effects of toxic tobacco smoke on children’s health are clearly proven, yet many myths still persist, specifically regarding mitigation measures. “Smoking under a range hood or near an open window, or when children aren’t there, show good intentions, but these measures are not enough to protect children’s health. The only truly effective strategies are to make the home and car 100% smoke-free zones at all times, and to smoke far from children and pregnant women when outdoors,” says Danièle Prévost, Senior Director, Clinical Setting, Communications and Health Content at Capsana. The smokefreefamily.ca website and the campaign’s Facebook page provide useful tips and practical advice for parents.

Toxic smoke
Second-hand smoke is particularly harmful to the health of babies and children. Since they breathe more quickly than adults, they absorb a higher quantity of chemical substances relative to their small size. And because their lungs and immune system are not yet fully developed, frequent exposure to second-hand smoke can cause or exacerbate health problems such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma, as well as sudden infant death syndrome.

Motivation to butt out
According to a Léger survey conducted in 2017 among parents who smoke, the Smoke-Free Family campaign motivates 45% of them to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked every day, and 17% of them to quit. Hence the importance of providing free support resources on the smokefreefamily.ca website, including the iQuitnow helpline (1-866-527-7383).

About Smoke-Free Family
Smoke-Free Family is an initiative of Capsana presented in collaboration with a network of public and private organizations, including Quebec’s Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, the Quebec Directions régionales de santé publique, and the Jean Coutu Group. To find out more, visit smokefreefamily.ca.

About Capsana
Capsana is a social enterprise owned by the ÉPIC Foundation, which is associated with the Montreal Heart Institute, and the Fondation PSI. Its mission is to help individuals take an active role in their health. To find out more, visit capsana.ca.