The Ministry of Health and Social Services associates itself with the Smoke-Free Family program and the Take Your Butt Outside campaign in order to offer participating family members as well as upcoming generations the chance to live in healthy, smoke-free environments. The Ministry recognizes the essential role of families in smoking prevention as well as in the protection against the harmful effects of second-hand smoke in homes and cars. Indeed, the risks associated with this smoke are now well documented and recognized. The Take Your Butt Outside campaign also offers encouragement to smokers who take advantage of this opportunity to quit smoking.

The contribution of the Ministry of Health and Social Services to the Take Your Butt Outside campaign shows its commitment to reaching the goals of the Plan québécois de lutte contre le tabagisme 2006-2010.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services invites the Quebec population to participate in this public health activity and to visit the following site: TakeYourButtOutside.ca.

The Public Health Departments of Quebec’s Health and Social Services Agencies actively work to improve the health and well being of the Quebec population. The Smoke-Free Family program represents an excellent way to promote smoke-free environments, because living without cigarette smoke means breathing healthier air! As a partner of Smoke-Free Family, we encourage all Quebec families to register, in order to, at last, take the smoke outside!

For a second consecutive year, the Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc. is proud to be associated with ACTI-MENU in the context of the Smoke-Free Family program. As part of this association, stores within the PJC Jean Coutu network will distribute 10,000 help kits.

In affiliation with ACTI-MENU, the pharmacists within the PJC Jean Coutu network would like to encourage people to live in a smoke-free environment. They also offer their support to people who are taking advantage of this opportunity to quit smoking.

Johnson & Johnson Inc. is very proud to be a founding member of the team behind campaign of Smoke-Free Family. Providing a smoke-free environment is one of the most important steps we can take for the health of our children and pets. It is important for good health for everyone in the family. As a company that has grown up with Canadians, we believe in partnerships for good health and congratulate everyone involved in this campaign.

The Canadian Cancer Society fights cancer by promoting a healthy lifestyle
We now know that cancer rates could be reduced by at least 50% through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle and the enactment of policies aimed at protecting the health of Canadians. As such, smoking, a diet deficient in fruits and vegetables, prolonged sun exposure, and a lack of physical activity are major issues for the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS).

A leader in the fight against tobacco, the CCS considers smoking its top national priority. The CCS works daily to fight cancer by lobbying for legislative amendments pertaining to tobacco control. It also lobbies all governments to pass laws aimed at banning the advertising of tobacco products to Canadian youth and protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. The CCS supports several smoking cessation programs across the country, runs help and counselling hotlines for people who would like to quit smoking, and funds innovative research projects that advance the fight against tobacco.

The CCS also actively promotes a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of exercise so as to reduce the cancer risks of Quebec men and women. The CCS recommends that people eat fruits and vegetables and exercise every day because studies show that, overall, 30 to 40% of all cancers could be prevented by being active, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight.

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. For more information on cancer, visit our website www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.