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 the 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 Ontario and the rest of Canada.

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

The response rate affects the accuracy and the representativeness of the data. The opinions expressed by the Ontario MPPs surveyed may not reflect the opinions of all Ontario MPPs.

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

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

8 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed strongly agreed that most smokers are addicted to nicotine.

7 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed strongly agreed that second hand smoke can cause lung cancer in non-smokers.

7 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed said that it is very difficult for daily smokers to quit smoking.

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

7 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed reported that a constituent had contacted them about tobacco-related issues by mail, phone, or in-person, in the past two years. Of the MPPs who reported contact, 8 in 10 said that most of these contacts were with constituents who supported antismoking policies.

6 in 10 Ontario MPPs 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 Ontario MPPs who responded felt that, on the whole, there was not enough contact with representatives from non-profit health organizations on tobacco-related issues.

3 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from medical associations about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

Half of the Ontario MPPs who responded felt that, on the whole, there was not enough contact with representatives from medical associations on tobacco-related issues.

3 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from the tobacco industry about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

Half of the Ontario MPPs 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.

Half of the Ontario MPPs surveyed said 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.

4 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed said 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 Ontario MPPs surveyed reported that they were likely or very likely to be persuaded by representatives from the tobacco industry.

6 in 10 Ontario MPPs who responded felt that a price increase of fifty cents to one dollar would reduce the amount that adults smoked.

6 in 10 Ontario MPPs 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.

6 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed supported a price increase of fifty cents to one dollar per package of cigarettes.

(ii) Sales of cigarettes to minors

7 in 10 Ontario MPPs who responded felt that stricter rules about selling cigarettes to minors would reduce the number of young people who smoke.

7 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed supported strong penalties for stores 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) Sponsorship and advertising

4 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed felt that the association of tobacco company names with cultural events made tobacco seem like an ordinary consumer product. 6 in 10 felt that the association made no difference in the way people saw tobacco products.

4 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed supported a ban on the sponsorship of cultural events by tobacco companies.

6 in 10 Ontario MPPs who responded said that the government should regulate tobacco advertising, rather than allow the tobacco industry to develop its own set of guidelines.

(iv) Regulation as a hazardous product

7 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed supported the regulation of tobacco as a hazardous product.

(v) Packaging of cigarettes

4 in 10 Ontario MPPs who responded believed that plain packaging would reduce the number of young people who smoked.

Of the MPPs who felt that plain packaging was within the government's jurisdiction, 6 in 10 supported mandatory plain packaging of cigarettes.

(vi) Restrictions on smoking

All of the Ontario MPPs who responded supported some form of smoking restrictions in the workplace. Half of the Ontario MPPs surveyed felt that smoking should be completely banned in workplaces.

All of the Ontario MPPs who responded supported some form of smoking restrictions in hockey arenas. 6 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed felt that smoking should be completely banned in hockey arenas.**

Almost all of the Ontario MPPs who responded supported some form of smoking restrictions in restaurants. Only 2 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed felt that smoking should be completely banned in restaurants.**

9 in 10 Ontario MPPs who responded supported some form of smoking restrictions in bars and taverns. Only 1 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed felt that smoking should be completely banned in bars in taverns.**

**Note: Only a random half of Ontario MPPs surveyed were asked questions about smoking restrictions in hockey arenas, restaurants, and bars and taverns.

2 in 10 Ontario MPPs surveyed said they currently smoked. Just over half of the current smokers said they smoked every day. Half of all Ontario MPPs surveyed said they used to smoke every day but had quit.

Half of the Ontario MPPs who responded said a close friend or family member had died of a disease that may have been caused by smoking.