About us
Founded in 2024 by a Canadian citizen who quit smoking in 2009 thanks to Swedish Snus, the Canadians for Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (CanTHR) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public on the benefits of tobacco harm reduction, advocate for evidence-based policies which benefit public health, and to ensure the availability of reduced harm alternatives to cigarette smoking.
General (non-voting) membership in CanTHR is free, and Canadian citizens who support tobacco harm reduction (THR) are encouraged to join so that we can provide you with important information including the CanTHR newsletter, calls to action, and opportunities for engagement in your region. CanTHR is currently an unincorporated association, but federal incorporation is one of our top priorities for 2025.
Donations to CanTHR are accepted from a variety of sources, but we have no financial or policy agreements with industry stakeholders. Our policy for allocating funds is that all contributions are used for efforts that maximize consumer access to and awareness of low-risk, smoke-free nicotine and tobacco products.
Leadership
The CanTHR team works hard to promote tobacco harm reduction and ensure access to reduced harm alternatives to cigarette smoking.
Mark-James McDougall
Founder & Executive DirectorA senior web developer and McGill University graduate, Mark-James quit smoking in 2009 thanks to Swedish Snus, a decision which he firmly believes saved his life. From 2009-2016, Mark-James ran Snus Authority, a website dedicated to sharing his experiences and encouraging smokers to switch to reduced harm alternatives to cigarette smoking. Mark-James founded CanTHR in 2024 in order to promote evidence-based tobacco harm reduction strategies which benefit public health.
Todd Prochnau
Director of Public EngagementA community pharmacist and pharmacy owner of over 14 years, Todd is also a Certified Tobacco Educator (CTE) who runs a pharmacist-led tobacco cessation clinic and frequently speaks at conferences on the topic of Tobacco Use Disorder both nationally and internationally. Todd served as a Director of the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA) from 2012 to 2020 and is an RxA Past President. Todd is also a past recipient of CPhA’s Dean George A. Burbidge Award which is awarded to the individual with the highest mark on the PEBC in Canada.
Become a member
Joining CanTHR is free and registering only takes a minute or two. Filling out the form will add you to our membership database and will enable us to provide you with important information including the CanTHR newsletter, Calls to Action, and opportunities for engagement in your region.