New prevention program to address smoking in ethnic francophone communities

For Immediate Release – September 21, 2007 (TORONTO) – In Ontario, the recent arrival of large groups of French speakers from many different parts of the world has invigorated the Francophone community, but this phenomenon came with a whole new host of issues. One of them is the use of tobacco. A new program from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) aims to give ethnic francophones specially tailored resources to help them butt out

Statistics show that 35% of francophone Canadians smoke compared to 25% of anglophone Canadians and these numbers may increase as smoking rates remain high in many francophone immigrants’ country of origin. CAMH examined gaps in smoking cessation services in Toronto, Ottawa, Winsdor and Hamilton and found that areas of great concern within these communities are youth - especially young women, stress due to migration, and pregnancy.

“Until now, there has been no research into tobacco use in ethnic Francophone communities,” said Antoine Derose, Project Consultant, CAMH. “Smoking continues to be a major health issue in our communities and this project will enable community programs to target this problem, which costs the Ontario government over $1 billion per year in health care costs.”

CAMH is launching the DVD with a look ahead to the future of tobacco dependence treatment by Dr Bernard Le Foll, one of its foremost addiction research scientists on Tuesday, Sept. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at its 33 Russell Street Site (northeast or College & Spadina).

The program, funded by Health Canada, is constituted of three phases.The first phase consisted of information gathering consultations within the target communities. The second involved in the development and production of «Images de vies – version sans fumée” A video of personal accounts on the impact of tobacco. The third phase of the project comprised of the development and delivery of 8 one-day workshops to sustain an education and training for information dissemination among Ontario French-speaking communities.

Lucie Chauvette, knows only too well the effect smoking has had on her community,“Cigarettes were there. They were my crutch. I needed a crutch because I was hurt and I needed something to lean on.”

For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Michael Torres, Media Relations, CAMH at (416) 595-6015.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s leading addiction and mental health teaching hospital. Integrating clinical care, scientific research, education, policy development and health promotion, CAMH transforms the lives of people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.