"A major federal study on substance abuse points out the need to take active measures in the prevention of tobacco use," says Health and Social Services Minister Walter McEwen.
"When everything is taken together -- health care and law enforcement costs, days lost at work, fire damage and everything else -- tobacco costs on Prince Edward Island were estimated at more than $47 million during 1992," Mr. McEwen said.
"The evidence provided in the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse points out the need for Prince Edward Island to aggressively continue its campaign to prevent tobacco addiction, particularly among young people.
Among other initiatives, Prince Edward Island has banned smoking in public sector workplaces and begun programs like Patch Plus to help people with tobacco addictions to quit. Additionally, there are numerous educational programs designed to prevent young people from taking up the habit."
Mr. McEwen said he is pleased the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse chose to include tobacco in its analysis.
"Generally, there is a tendency to focus on alcohol and illicit drugs in studies of this type. However, the cost of tobacco to the economy tends to be higher than either of these areas. I hope the findings included in the study will sharpen society's concern about tobacco. At the same time, we continue to spend a great deal of money dealing with the effects of alcohol abuse -- and particularly through the criminal justice system. That high cost -- and the effect that alcohol abuse has on our families, individuals and communities -- is reason enough to continue our efforts to prevent addictions on Prince Edward Island."