Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies

Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation Policies
with the team, there was reduced pressure to use tobacco both within and outside the hockey
environment:
Personally I think that some players might feel like peer pressure outside of the
rink to try it but with like a rule in place saying like you’re not supposed to it makes
it easy just to not do it like just get off the ice and don’t do it. It’s pretty simple.
(Player)
One team administrator reported that there has been a substantial drop in chew tobacco use at
this case study site:
You know, us taking the policy a little bit further and, with a new coaching staff and
management staff that have been very you know they’re on top of everything--you
know I haven’t seen any this year at all. (Coach)
Few respondents addressed the impact of TFSR policy on SHS exposure levels. A PHU informant
felt that exposure outside arenas is improving but it is also part of the general expectation that
sporting spaces should be healthy spaces.
Building (arena) design is a limiting factor in assessing TFSR policy impacts on tobacco-related
litter. One PHU key informant described an older building design that could not easily
accommodate policy driven changes as there was limited space to position cigarette receptacles.
As a result, many smokers remained by the arena doors, and according to a number of key
informants and focus group participants, SHS had not dropped significantly since the inception
of the TFSR policy in 2008.
For many players the TFSR policy and associated messaging have been effective in providing
positive role modeling for youth:
Obviously there’s a lot of younger fans and especially in a town like ours where like
all the kids you know like trying to look up to the guys that are on the team so like
if they see one of the guys smoking a cigarette or something you know obviously
they’re going to think oh that’s cool or whatever but I think it’s good that no one
does it and it just sets a role, like it shows the kids like you can’t, you can’t
succeed here if you’re doing that stuff like you got to be dedicated. (Player)
Ontario Tobacco Research Unit 47