Ontarians can breathe easier after 2018 budget released
TORONTO, March 28, 2018 /CNW/ - In Ontario, more than 2.8 million people live with chronic lung disease and have difficulty breathing. This major statistic places an enormous human and economic toll on the healthcare system. However, with details outlined in the 2018 Ontario budget, more Ontarians will have access to the medications and care they need.
The Lung Association is pleased to see the Government of Ontario investing in areas that will better protect the lung health of all Ontarians by expanding the reach of the OHIP+ pharmacare program to include those 65 and older; funding additional home care services for people aging at home; prioritizing the need for addictions care and support; investing an additional $822 million in Ontario hospitals; the introduction of the new Ontario Drug and Dental Program; proposed amendments to the Tobacco Tax Act to address unregulated tobacco; and establishing The Ontario Lung Health Advisory Council to deliver on a dedicated province-wide lung health strategy.
"These new priorities will help ensure that more Ontarians will not have to struggle for their 22,000 daily breaths," says George Habib, President and CEO of The Lung Association – Ontario. "We need to keep pushing the momentum of this budget forward in order to make Ontario the healthiest province to breathe."
The regulation of cannabis sales through the Ontario Cannabis Store will also help keep the soon-to-be legal drug out of the hands of young people, and ensure that those who do purchase it are purchasing a product that has been through stringent quality control.
The budget commitments of public health investments is a step in the right direction of addressing the local needs that will arise in the wake of cannabis legalization, including resources that will be required for educators, parents, guardians and students. The next step, however, will be for the Ontario government to invest in the implementation of a public awareness campaign that goes beyond raising awareness of the new provincial rules and includes a portion that educates youth on the lung health risks associated with smoking cannabis.
About The Lung Association – Ontario
The Lung Association - Ontario is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping all Ontarians breathe. Our community of donors, patients, researchers, volunteers and professional staff work to ensure Ontarians have healthy lungs, bodies and clean air necessary to breathe. We achieve this by promoting healthy breathing, supporting those living with lung disease and finding future solutions. All of this is done with the goal of delivering a future of better breathing for all.
SOURCE Ontario Lung Association
Media Contact: Monica Kocsmaros, Director of Marketing and Communications, The Lung Association - Ontario, [email protected], 647-293-9911
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