Public health network, Alberta

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.

01 Current prevention updates

Recent publications, enforcement notes, and policy resources collected in one place so the homepage numbering stays readable.

Prevention SEO explainer / June 9, 2026

Youth vaping prevention needs illicit market enforcement too

Alberta Tobacco Control and Nicotine Prevention Network says youth vaping prevention needs illicit market enforcement, not only legal retail restrictions.

Read the June 9 update

Joint submission / June 3, 2026

Joint submission: Bill 208 needs AGLC enforcement before it can work

Alberta prevention and parent groups say they do not support Bill 208 as a stand-alone measure unless AGLC-style enforcement is established to prevent illicit operators from growing.

Read the joint submission

Prevention note / June 2, 2026

June prevention note: enforcement data should not bury youth data

The prevention network says enforcement transparency is useful, but youth prevention indicators still need to lead the public record.

Read the June update

Prevention enforcement note / 28 May 2026

Illicit markets cost prevention

A prevention-first publication now explains how illicit supply raises enforcement costs and weakens youth-protection tools.

Read the fiscal publication

Prevention correspondence / 28 May 2026

Prevention correspondence ready

A new prevention-first update describes the correspondence prepared for committee readers.

Read the update

Latest site update / 25 May 2026

A prevention update for Alberta communities watching youth vaping

A public-health update on youth vaping prevention, national flavour policy discussion, and what Alberta communities can ask to see next.

Read the prevention update

New visibility brief / 22 May 2026

Youth prevention deserves the front page in Alberta's vaping debate

A public-health oriented article arguing that enforcement metrics should be published beside youth prevention measures, not used to delay them.

Share the prevention-first brief

02 Our mission

Apply current public health evidence to Alberta policy. Center youth protection. Keep our work transparent.

May 21 note: prevention metrics should sit beside enforcement metrics

Network note of . Prevention measures Alberta should publish alongside enforcement metrics. Youth uptake. School-zone proximity. Online supervision. Calls from parents and school staff.

Read note

May update: enforcement and prevention should move together

Network update of . Enforcement and prevention should move together. Bill 208 should proceed on its current schedule, with inspection capacity funded alongside it.

Read update

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.

03 Policy priorities

Five areas where we focus our public outreach and submissions.

  1. 01

    Restrict youth-attractive flavours

    Limit flavours, packaging, and product designs that research links to youth uptake of vaping products.

  2. 02

    Strengthen retail and online access controls

    Enforce age-of-sale rules at point of sale and online, with meaningful penalties for repeat violations.

  3. 03

    Protect school zones

    Support school district policies and provincial rules that keep vapour products away from school-area retail and youth-facing promotion.

  4. 04

    Public education

    Plain language resources for families, school staff, and primary care, drawing on Health Canada and Canadian Paediatric Society guidance.

  5. 05

    Surveillance and reporting

    Track youth nicotine use, retail compliance, and emerging product categories so policy can respond as evidence develops.

04 Public-policy debate

Direct responses to materials published by Alberta adult-access coalitions in the Bill 208 debate.

Enforcement matters, but prevention still has to lead

A reply to the 12 May 2026 enforcement-first releases from AACV and CFAA. Prevention and enforcement should move together, not in sequence.

Read reply

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.

Read analysis

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.

Read reply

05 Recent publications

View all resources

06 Reference pages

Background material the network maintains for MLAs, school administrators, and reporters. Last updated 21 May 2026.

Evidence library

Primary Alberta, Health Canada, and parliamentary sources we cite when writing about youth nicotine prevention.

Open evidence library

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about prevention-first policy, enforcement, schools, flavours, and adult choice.

Read the FAQ

Take action

A short, civic template for educators, health professionals, and parents writing to their MLA on Bill 208 and prevention metrics.

Open the action page

One-page policy brief

Prevention metrics should sit beside enforcement metrics. A printable single page for meetings.

Read the brief

Media and press

Background paragraphs, contact details, and editorial notes for journalists covering Alberta tobacco and vaping policy.

Open media page

Get involved

07 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.