Everyone Deserves to Breathe Easy. We need to speak up so Canadians across the country can get the help they need close to home. Thanks to relentless advocacy, we acknowledged a landmark $32.5 billion settlement against tobacco companies — an important step in acknowledging decades of harm. But now, the real work begins.
Lung health has never been more urgent. Would you consider a gift that will help us protect it?
We’re getting loud about directly addressing the decades of harm caused by commercial tobacco products in Canada. Get loud with us.
The National Lung Health Alliance (NLHA) acknowledges today’s approval of Canada’s $32.5 billion Big Tobacco settlement, but Canada’s most powerful lung health advocacy network warns that the funding is nowhere near enough to cover the true cost of tobacco-related disease and addiction in Canada.
Canada’s provincial and federal governments have proven they can act decisively in a health crisis, as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic. But leadership on the world stage requires more than emergency response. It requires sustained attention, bold vision, and the courage to step forward. Right now, Canada has a chance to lead by voting YES to the Lung Health Resolution currently in front of the World Health Organization.
In a resounding victory for lung health, U.K. lawmakers have set a groundbreaking precedent by banning tobacco product sales to individuals born in 2009 or later. This monumental move has ignited a flame of hope for a future where our children breathe easier and live longer, free from the chains of smoking-related illnesses. The Lung Health Foundation celebrates this pivotal moment and urges Canadians to heed the call for change. It’s not just about imposing taxes or erecting barriers; it’s about fostering a grassroots movement that champions the well-being of our youth.
In March 2024, the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) for Ontario released an extensive report focused on substance use and its detrimental effects. The report presents a strong strategic plan aimed at addressing tobacco and vape use and its repercussions. The Alliance for a Tobacco Free Ontario (ATFO) which includes the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke, the Canadian Lung Association, the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, and the Lung Health Foundation strongly supports the report and its recommendations, particularly its holistic strategy for tackling not only tobacco and vaping use, but also other new nicotine products, essential for protecting Ontarians.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) looms as a $10 billion healthcare crisis in Canada by 2030 and, according to the Lung Health Foundation (“LHF”), is poised to dismantle the Canadian healthcare system. LHF is the nation’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering individuals living with lung conditions across Canada.
We are honoured to publish this eye-opening piece from Mika’il Visanji and Bianca Mammarella, two scientists-turned-advocates who are taking a stand against a serious lung health threat.