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Play, Live, Be Tobacco-Free

Play, Live, Be Tobacco-Free is an Ontario-based movement that promotes tobacco-free activity in sport and recreation. The movement is a collaboration of public health, sport and non-profit organizations* that support local, regional and provincial decision-makers in developing tobacco-free policies. Tobacco-free policies establish safe, healthy spaces for participants, coaches, parents, leaders, spectators and officials and protect against the negative effects of tobacco product use and exposure.

*The PLBTF Collaborative is composed of the Tobacco Control Area Networks (TCANs consisting of the 36 Ontario Public Health Units {PHUs}), The Program Training and Consultation Centre (PTCC), SPORT4ONTARIO (S4O), the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO), Physical Activity Resource Centre (PARC), Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO), Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) – Smokers’ Helpline (SHL), the Ontario Lung Association (OLA), and the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Managers Network.
 

Tobacco-Free Sport & Recreation

Tobacco-free sport and recreation is about promoting health and creating environments to help prevent youth from starting to use tobacco industry products, protecting the public from tobacco exposure and helping people trying to quit. Tobacco-free sport and recreation means that participants, coaches, parents, spectators, leaders and officials refrain from using tobacco industry products, in any form, while involved in a sport or recreation activity.

Why Tobacco-Free Sport & Recreation is Important

Sport and recreation organizations play a vital role in the health and wellness of our community. Incorporating a tobacco-free policy in your organization’s programming strengthens the positive impact your organization has on the health of the community.

The benefits include:

1. Preventing youth from starting to use tobacco industry products.  Children and youth model their behaviour after the people they look up to - coaches, leaders, family, and peers.

2. Giving everyone a chance to perform at their best.  Tobacco use counters the health benefits gained by participating in sport and recreational activities.

3. Protecting the environment.  Cigarette butts are the main source of litter in cities and on beaches. It takes 15 years for a cigarette butt to biodegrade.

4. Protecting children from second-hand smoke.  There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.

5. Creating a tobacco-free culture.  It is important for youth to receive the same tobacco-free messages at their local sport or recreation activities as they experience at school and in the wider community.

6. Helping people trying to quit.  The temptation to use tobacco industry products is reduced when it is restricted in public spaces.