Highlights
- Adults with lower household income are less likely to report long-term smoking cessation and more likely to report higher rates of current smoking.
- People who smoke and have access to free cessation supports are significantly more likely to make a quit attempt, use the available cessation supports and achieve long-term cessation.
- Expanding funding for smoking cessation programs province-wide can help ensure free and equitable access to cessation counselling supports and pharmacotherapy.
Lower Income and Smoking Trends
During 2015–2017, the percentage of adults who completely quit smoking at least 1 year ago (long-term cessation) was significantly lower in low-income adults.[1] Among adults in the highest income level (quintile), 61% reported long-term smoking cessation, while only 37% of adults in the lowest income level reported long-term smoking cessation (see figure).[1]
In addition to being less likely to achieve long-term smoking cessation, low-income adults are also more likely to report higher rates of current smoking. About 18% of Ontario adults (age 20 and older) reported that they currently smoke cigarettes every day or occasionally, with 26% of adults in the lowest income level reporting current smoking and only 13% of adults in the highest income level reporting current smoking.[1]
Smoking Cessation Strategies
Participation in existing provincial smoking cessation programs may be limited due to inequities in accessing cessation support. People with lower incomes may find it harder to quit smoking because they have less access to cessation services, but they may have a higher chance of quitting smoking with access to free cessation programs. Evidence suggests that people who have access to free cessation supports are significantly more likely to make a quit attempt, use available cessation supports and achieve long-term cessation than those who do not.[3]
Therefore, provincially focused efforts to expand funding for smoking cessation supports, such as counselling and pharmacotherapy, may help increase the number of people who make an initial quit attempt and the number of quit attempts people make, which could improve the overall smoking cessation rate.
In addition to free cessation supports, mass media campaigns that raise awareness about the benefits of cessation and available cessation supports can help reduce inequities in access. Investing in province-wide cessation programs and services could ensure that people are not limited by eligibility criteria (e.g., age, location of residence) that may prevent them from accessing support when needed.
Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) Supports Smoking Cessation
People newly diagnosed with cancer receive support for smoking cessation through the Regional Cancer Programs of Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario). This support includes funding to help implement a smoking cessation program in certain cancer settings. Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) also provides promotional materials to help educate people with cancer and healthcare providers about the benefits of cessation and quit supports available in the community.
For more information on available cessation supports and benefits of quitting smoking for people with cancer and healthcare providers, please visit Quit Smoking – The Benefits for People with Cancer. You can also read about Ontario’s progress on policies and programs to help reduce the prevalence of cancer risk factors and exposures, particularly among people who face health inequities, in the Prevention System Quality Index: Health Equity.