Forty-five thousand Canadians die from tobacco-related disease each year, yet 15 per cent of the population -- four million people -- still use tobacco, according to Health Canada. This is why the government has released Canada's Tobacco Strategy -- to lower the amount of tobacco users and reduce harmful effects caused by the habit.

The government will invest $330 million into the strategy in hopes of decreasing the smoking rate by five per cent before 2035. With this money the government will finance research, resources and services.

“We’re happy to see it being released. It definitely gives us a common focal point to look at from different levels like federally, provincially, and regionally,” said Sabrina Turgeon from Southern Health-Sante Sud.

The strategy plans to target higher risk populations such as young adults, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and Indigenous peoples.

It's an effective plan but the best way to determine a solution to a problem is to understand how and why the problem exists in the first place, Turgeon added.

“For example, another (higher risk) population is people living on low income. If you try to understand why it is so hard for people living on low income to just stop smoking, or why do they smoke in the first place, well sometimes you realize it is a coping mechanism, and it’s the most affordable escape,” in terms of rapid release and pleasure compared to going on vacation or attending yoga classes, she said.

Other reasons why Turgeon believes the plan can make a difference is because it's evidence-based, looks at different levels of approach, both individually and population-wide, and will analyze how Canadians respond to emerging tobacco products.

Additionally, the plan will attempt to give smokers access to less harmful options than cigarettes. This includes medication to ease withdrawal symptoms and vaping products.

The Tobacco and Vaping Act received royal assent in May, and will make it legal for vaping products to have nicotine, which will impose less damaging effects than smoking, Turgeon said.

Although the strategy was only released at the end of May, Turgeon explained how it will be implemented locally.

“It’s going along things we are already doing,” she said. “We’ll continue to prioritize the most at-risk populations like we’re doing already … and investing more energy where there are higher needs.”