In a report on the dangers of second-hand smoke released by the Ontario Medical Association today, the doctors of the province called for immediate action from the provincial government to protect all Ontarians with a complete province-wide work and public place smoking ban. The report entitled, The Duty to Protect: Eliminating Second-Hand Smoke from Public Places and Workplaces in Ontario, proposes three immediate actions the provincial government can take to eliminate exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in all provincial work and public places:

1. Pursue measures that will require - by law - the 100% elimination of second-hand tobacco smoke in all work and public places

2. Launch a comprehensive, intensive and sustained mass media campaign about the dangers of second-hand smoke within six months, with particular focus on the need for Ontario residents not to smoke in their homes; and

3. Once legislation is adopted, a special implementation and enforcement fund should be established by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to provide resources to hire enforcement personnel, to launch local advertising promoting the new legislation, and to provide information to local residents about the new legislation.