The Expand Project is starting and expanding conversations around commercial nicotine and tobacco usage within 2S, queer, and trans communities, with a focus on those between the ages of 18 and 29. Informed by and made for 2S, queer, and trans young adults, we share information and resources encouraging folks to reflect on their smoking and vaping use both personally, and within their communities. This includes addressing why smoking and vaping rates are higher in 2S, queer, and trans communities, and sharing safe and relevant cessation resources to help mitigate minority stress and mental health challenges.
The pilot project began in 2019 by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU) at the University of Toronto (UofT) and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), and was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Our co-creation process was collaborated on by our advisory members in both English and French, and queer and gender non-conforming creative leads from the digital marketing agency Art & Science. Egale Canada and 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations have joined as lead partners in 2024. We started off as a pilot project in Thunder Bay, Toronto and Montreal and are now in five more cities across Canada: Edmonton, St. John’s, Charlottetown, Winnipeg, and Vancouver.
