Dr. Oyston graduated in 1980 from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, with two degrees: a medical degree and a degree in medical research. He trained as an anesthesiologist from 1983 to 1990, qualifying as a specialist in both the UK and Canada. He has also worked as an anesthesiologist in New Zealand, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. He was appointed Chief of Anesthesiology four times. He was also an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, and a peer assessor for the College of Physicians Surgeons of Ontario.

In November 2019, Dr. Oyston retired from clinical practice to work on smoking cessation advocacy and knowledge translation related to safer nicotine products for people who smoke.

He has published editorials on tobacco control topics in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia and the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Dr Brad Rodu is a professor of medicine and holds an endowed chair in tobacco harm reduction research at the University of Louisville, Kentucky USA. Since 1994 Rodu has authored 70 medical publications about tobacco, and he blogs at Rodu Tobacco Truth (http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/).