Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies

Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies
A PHU informant stressed that while the TFSR policy has high awareness levels among players,
there remain lower awareness levels for the general public and spectators who attend any
hockey events in the arena:
I think it’s sort of there’s some awareness raising but I think to be honest it would
have to be a push done every year to remind people to–We’ve got them on the, I
don’t know if you noticed it on the doors (PLBTF stickers). (PHU Key Informant)
Attitudinal Findings/Support/Beliefs for TFSR Policy
All of the 15 spectators surveyed (100%) were in support of their team’s tobacco-free sports and
recreation policy. In terms of attitudes and beliefs, all respondents agreed that players, team
staff, and spectators have a right to be in a tobacco-free environment (Table 4). Most agreed that
smoking is not an important social activity and that the rights of tobacco users are not violated
by a tobacco-free policy.
It is important to keep in mind that the following data is drawn from only 15 respondents. Some
respondents agreed that it is okay to smoke outside arenas and to use chew tobacco (n=4 and
n=3 respectively). One parent respondent (male, 40-49 years) reported smoking cigarettes on a
daily basis and agreed that a tobacco-free policy goes against the rights of tobacco users. The
same respondent also agreed that it is okay to smoke outside sports events and use chew
tobacco.
Table 4: Case Study II: Women’s Team–Attitudes and Beliefs (n=15)
Agree or disagree with the following statements about TFSR policies:
Agree/Strongly
Agree n (%)
Disagree/
Strongly
Disagree n (%)
Neither n (%)
Players have a right to play in a tobacco-free environment 15 (100) 0 0
Smoking and other tobacco use is an important social activity 1 (6.7) 12 (80) 2 (13.3)
It is okay to use smoke cigarettes at indoor sports events outside of
arenas
It is my responsibility to be a role model and to discourage tobacco use
at team events
It is important to protect players and others from secondhand smoke at
sports and recreation events
Team staff and spectators have the right to be in a tobacco-free
environment
It is okay to use chew (spit) tobacco at sports and recreation events
because it does not harm others
4 (26.6) 10 (66) 1 (6.6)
13 (86.6) 1 (6.7) 1 (6.7)
13 (86.6) 1 (6.7) 0
15 (100) 0 0
3 (20) 11 (73.3) 1 (6.7)
A tobacco-free policy goes against the rights of tobacco users 1 (6.7) 13 (86.6) 1 (6.7)
Ontario Tobacco Research Unit 31