Beginning in April 1996, all federal, provincial, and territorial legislators were asked to take part in structured computer-assisted telephone interviews, which lasted an average of 25 minutes. Legislators were asked about a wide range of topics, including the role of government in tobacco control, contacts with tobacco-related interest groups, attitudes toward tobacco and tobacco control policy issues, and personal tobacco experiences.

Across Canada, a total of 553 legislators (115 federal, 438 provincial/territorial) were interviewed, yielding an overall response rate of 54%.

We hope that these findings from the Canadian Legislator Study will be useful in identifying priorities for tobacco control interventions, and in guiding your activities in support of effective public programs and policies to control tobacco use in British Columbia and the rest of Canada.

Please feel free to distribute copies of this report to other interested persons or organizations.

Response rates varied by province/territory as well as by party. 45 British Columbia MLAs participated in this study, yielding a response rate of 61%.

The response rate affects the accuracy and the representativeness of the data. The opinions expressed by the British Columbia MLAs surveyed may not reflect the opinions of all British Columbia MLAs.

6 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed felt that the government has a major responsibility regarding programs and policies to prevent young people from starting to smoke.

4 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed felt that the government has a major responsibility regarding programs and policies to help people quit smoking.

7 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed strongly agreed that most smokers are addicted to nicotine.

6 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed said that it is very difficult for daily smokers to quit.

Half of the British Columbia MLAs surveyed strongly agreed that second hand smoke can cause lung cancer in non-smokers.

But 6 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded did not know that tobacco causes a lot more deaths among Canadians than does alcohol.

6 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed reported that a constituent had contacted them about tobacco-related issues by mail, phone, or in-person, over the past two years.

4 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from non-profit health organizations about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

3 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded felt that, on the whole, there was not enough contact with representatives from non-profit health organizations on tobacco-related issues.

2 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from medical associations about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

3 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded felt that, on the whole, there was not enough contact with representatives from medical associations on tobacco-related issues.

Almost none of the British Columbia MLAs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from the tobacco industry about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

(i) Regulation as a hazardous product

9 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed supported the regulation of tobacco as a hazardous product.

(ii) Sales of cigarettes to minors

8 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded felt that stricter rules about selling cigarettes to minors would reduce the number of young people who smoke.

7 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed supported strong penalties for store owners the second time they were convicted of selling cigarettes to minors (strong penalties consisted of either a $1000 fine or not allowing stores to sell cigarettes at all).

(iii) Cigarette taxes

6 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded felt that a price increase of fifty cents to one dollar per cigarette package would reduce the number of young people who start to smoke regularly.

Half of the British Columbia MLAs who responded felt that a price increase of fifty cents to one dollar per cigarette package would reduce the amount that adults smoked.

6 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed supported an increase of fifty cents to one dollar per package of cigarettes.

(iv) Packaging of cigarettes

3 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded believed that plain packaging would reduce the number of young people who smoked.

(v) Restrictions on smoking

All of the British Columbia MLAs surveyed supported some form of smoking restrictions in the workplace. 7 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed felt that smoking should be completely banned in workplaces.

(vi) Sponsorship and advertising

4 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed felt that the association of tobacco company names with cultural events made tobacco seem like an ordinary consumer product. 4 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed felt that the association made no difference in the way people saw tobacco products.

Half of the British Columbia MLAs surveyed supported a ban on the sponsorship of cultural events by tobacco companies.

9 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded said that the government should regulate tobacco advertising, rather than allow the tobacco industry to develop its own set of guidelines.

Half of the British Columbia MLAs surveyed reported that they were likely or very likely to be persuaded by representatives from medical associations when taking a position in caucus on legislation about tobacco.

3 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed reported that they were likely or very likely to be persuaded by voters in their riding when taking a position in caucus on legislation about tobacco.

3 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed reported that they were likely or very likely to be persuaded by representatives from non-profit health organizations when taking a position in caucus on legislation about tobacco.

Almost none of the British Columbia MLAs surveyed reported that they were likely or very likely to be persuaded by representatives from the tobacco industry.

Almost none of the British Columbia MLAs said they currently smoked. 4 in 10 British Columbia MLAs surveyed said they used to smoke every day but had quit.

4 in 10 British Columbia MLAs who responded said a close friend or family member had died of a disease that may have been caused by smoking.