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 Prince Edward Island and the rest of Canada.

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

A PEI election was called near the end of the data collection period. PEI MLAs who did not complete their interviews before the election call were approached again after the election if they had regained their seat. Newly elected PEI MLAs were not asked to participate in the study.

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

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

4 in 10 PEI MLAs surveyed strongly agreed that second hand smoke can cause lung cancer in non-smokers.

But 9 in 10 PEI MLAs who responded did not know that tobacco causes a lot more deaths among Canadians than does alcohol.

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

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

Half of the PEI MLAs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from medical associations about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

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

4 in 10 PEI MLAs surveyed had face-to-face contact with representatives from the tobacco industry about tobacco-related issues over the past two years.

6 in 10 PEI 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.

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

(ii) Packaging of cigarettes

Half of the PEI MLAs who responded believed that plain packaging would reduce the number of young people who smoked.

(iii) Sales of cigarettes to minors

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

6 in 10 PEI 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).

(iv) Restrictions on smoking

All of the PEI MLAs surveyed supported some form of smoking restrictions in the workplace. 3 in 10 PEI MLAs surveyed felt that smoking should be completely banned in workplaces.

(v) Regulation as a hazardous product

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

(vi) Sponsorship and advertising

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

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

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

6 in 10 PEI 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.

Half of the PEI 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.

1 in 10 PEI MLAs surveyed reported that they were likely or very likely to be persuaded by representatives from the tobacco industry.

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