Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies

Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies
Overall, TFSR messaging has also been sustained via PHU work within other hockey leagues,
most notably through junior-level teams. The PHU key informant noted that signage and
designated tobacco-free games raise awareness about TFSR to all teams that utilise the arena.
The Junior C [team name] is one where I have the great partnership and we’ve had
gosh this is our, I think our third year of having the tobacco-free promotion game--
where we get a game designated and they put stuff on the website and president
and vice-president of that club are just huge, huge supporters of tobacco-free
sport--maybe the coaching a little, members a little less--but still some support
there and so they want you know to be in the public eye, they want photos, it’s on
their website. (PHU Key Informant)
Suggestions to Promote TFSR Policy
In terms of approaches to increase awareness and support for TFSR policies, the most common
response from the survey respondents was to increase advertising or signage (n=9). Examples of
possible approaches included signage on the back of hockey jerseys, posters on arena doors,
radio advertising and a digital billboard outside the arena.
PHU: I think the, the lessons that we have learned from it all are we need to have it
at a, at a higher level so that it’s sustainable-so sustainability is kind of a, a
concern right now and even to have an entire arena so that the signage can be
placed up in the arena because you have multiple teams and multiple leagues--
playing within arenas--so if it’s arena wide and that that, so it starts to fit into
municipal bylaws--but it’s all part of the same the part that’s going to get you to an
end result. (PHU Key Informant)
Other suggestions included:
• Reward players who don't smoke – “take one for the team”- “on game, no cigs for the
day”
• Make the outside ban (area) longer
• Something like 'Driven to Quit'–Maybe 'Playin to Quit' that would eliminate or reduce
tobacco usage
• Get rid of cigarette receptacles at the arena door
Ontario Tobacco Research Unit 38