Reducing tobacco and nicotine harms across Alberta.
We are a network of educators, health professionals, parents, and community organizations supporting prevention-first policy, youth protection, and stronger limits on youth-attractive nicotine products.
Our mission
Apply current public health evidence to Alberta policy. Center youth protection. Keep our work transparent.
Prevention first
Reduce the number of Alberta young people who start using nicotine products, in line with the province's Tobacco and Vaping Reduction Strategy.
Evidence informed
Use peer-reviewed research, public health guidance, and Health Canada and WHO findings as the basis for our positions.
Community supported
Work with schools, health professionals, municipal staff, and families across Alberta. No product sales. Informational public-policy materials only.
Policy priorities
Five areas where we focus our public outreach and submissions.
- 01
Restrict youth-attractive flavours
Limit flavours, packaging, and product designs that research links to youth uptake of vaping products.
- 02
Strengthen retail and online access controls
Enforce age-of-sale rules at point of sale and online, with meaningful penalties for repeat violations.
- 03
Protect school zones
Support school district policies and provincial rules that keep vapour products away from school-area retail and youth-facing promotion.
- 04
Public education
Plain language resources for families, school staff, and primary care, drawing on Health Canada and Canadian Paediatric Society guidance.
- 05
Surveillance and reporting
Track youth nicotine use, retail compliance, and emerging product categories so policy can respond as evidence develops.
Public-policy debate
Direct responses to materials published by Alberta adult-access coalitions in the Bill 208 debate.
Compliance talk is not a prevention plan
Retail compliance is necessary. It is not, on its own, a youth prevention strategy. Bill 208 fills a different gap.
Adult autonomy still does not answer youth appeal
A second reply to the May coalition responses. The framing has improved. The central question has not.
Adult access is not a magic answer
Why adult retail compliance, on its own, does not answer the public health question on youth uptake.
Recent publications
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Compliance talk is not a prevention plan
Retail compliance is necessary. It is not the same thing as a youth nicotine prevention strategy.
Analysis -
Adult autonomy still does not answer youth appeal
A second public health reply to the May coalition responses on Bill 208.
Reply -
Adult access is not a magic answer to youth vaping
A public health response to recent adult-access coalition materials, with reference to Bill 208.
Response -
Why we support Bill 208
A summary of the public health case for the bill's flavour, retail, and youth marketing provisions.
Position -
Alberta's Tobacco and Vaping Reduction Strategy at five years
What the provincial strategy set out to do, where it has made progress, and where Bill 208 fits in.
Analysis -
Memo to Alberta MLAs: youth nicotine prevention priorities
Our outreach memo to members of the Legislative Assembly on Bill 208 and related measures.
Memo -
A school and community guide to vaping prevention
Plain language guidance for school staff, parents, and community organizations.
Guide
Add your voice to Alberta's prevention community.
Whether you are a public health professional, an educator, a parent or caregiver, or a community organization, you can sign on to the network and receive our occasional updates on Alberta tobacco and vaping policy.