Building a unified plan for nicotine cessation, prevention, and chronic disease reduction
The Lung Health Foundation continues to advance protection from tobacco and vaping related harm through our work with the Ontario Nicotine Action Table (ONAT), a provincial committee that brings together diverse partners to support collaboration, knowledge exchange, and coordinated leadership in addressing commercial tobacco and nicotine use.
The Ontario Nicotine Action Table brings together leaders from across the province to advance a coordinated, evidence-based approach to nicotine prevention and cessation. Convened by the Lung Health Foundation, ONAT’s work is rooted in collaboration, equity, and the shared goal of reducing the burden of nicotine-related harm for all Ontarians.
Nicotine use remains one of Ontario’s most significant and preventable drivers of chronic disease. While cigarette smoking rates have declined, overall nicotine exposure remains a major public health concern, driven by rising youth vaping rates and the emergence of new nicotine products such as nicotine pouches.
These harms are not experienced equally. Equity deserving communities faces higher rates of nicotine addiction, greater exposure to targeted marketing, and more limited access to cessation support. Without coordinated action, the province risks losing momentum toward the national endgame goal of reducing tobacco use to below five percent by 2035.
The Ontario Nicotine Action Table is a provincial, evidence-based committee convened by the Lung Health Foundation.
ONAT brings together leaders and experts from across sectors, including:
This diverse membership ensures that prevention and cessation strategies are informed by research, lived experience, and real-world system knowledge.
The Ontario Nicotine Action Table works to strengthen and align nicotine prevention and cessation efforts across Ontario.
Key priorities include:
Together, these efforts aim to create a connected, accessible, and equitable nicotine prevention and cessation system for all Ontarians.
The primary output of the Ontario Nicotine Action Table is the Ontario Nicotine Action Plan, a unified provincial framework that outlines shared priorities and actionable solutions to prevent and reduce nicotine use.
The Action Plan was developed through a collaborative and evidence- informed process involving structured planning sessions, targeted consultations, iterative surveys, and consensus-based decision making with partners across the province.
The plan provides a roadmap for collective action and outlines the shared directions needed to strengthen prevention, improve cessation support, and address inequities in nicotine related harms.
By 2035, Ontario will reduce the prevalence of non-therapeutic nicotine use to below five percent across all age groups through equitable access to evidence-based prevention and cessation supports delivered through integrated systems of care.
The Action Plan provides shared direction for partners across Ontario. The next phase of ONAT’s work, beginning in 2026 and continuing through 2027, will focus on strengthening accountability, establishing shared measurement, and supporting sector specific implementation.
If your organization works in nicotine prevention, cessation, youth health, chronic disease prevention, or community wellness,
the Ontario Nicotine Action Table invites you to connect and collaborate.
Jessica Moffatt, Vice President of Programs, Public Affairs and Research. (jmoffatt@lunghealth.ca).
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Ontario Lung Association is a registered charity operating as the Lung Health Foundation, and is no longer affiliated with the Canadian Lung Association.
