The Government of Canada Announces Project that Helps Youth Quit Smoking

News Release
2010-88
May 31, 2010
For immediate release

PICTOU - The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Central Nova (Nova Scotia), today announced, on behalf of Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, almost $220,000 in funding to the Pictou County Health Authority to develop smoking cessation programs for youth. Since August 2009, Health Canada has invested over $6.3 million in new funding to support a variety of tobacco initiatives and activities across Canada. This is in addition to our support of other on-going projects aimed at reducing tobacco use among Canadians.

"The Government of Canada remains committed to protecting all Canadians from the proven health hazards associated with tobacco use," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Today's funding is a step towards ensuring Canadians receive the help they need to quit smoking."

Funding from today's announcement enables the Pictou County Health Authority to collaborate with Chignecto Central Regional School Board and Dalhousie University to provide an evidence-based smoking cessation program to youth aged 12 to 19 years.

"I applaud the efforts of the Pictou County Health Authority and its partners to develop an innovative program to help youth quit smoking," said Minister MacKay. "It is expected that about 300 young people will benefit from this program."

Through this project, the Pictou County Health Authority hopes to help youth quit smoking, as well as to gain a better understanding of factors that influence their smoking habits. The eight-session program will reach students at high schools in Pictou, Cumberland, Colchester and East Hants counties, as well as at HomeBridge Youth Society.

"In Canada, 15 percent of youth ages 15-19 are regular smokers and we know that 90 percent of lifelong smokers start smoking when they are teenagers," said Ruby Knowles, Vice President of Community Health for the Pictou County Health Authority.

"This project will help create best practices on smoking cessation strategies for youth. The Pictou County Health Authority is excited to be creating evidence that will help inform nicotine treatment not only for Nova Scotians but for youth nationwide."

World No Tobacco Day (May 31) is a World Health Organization initiative that draws global attention to the prevalence of tobacco use and to its negative health effects. This year's theme, "Gender and tobacco with an emphasis on marketing to women," aims to create awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco marketing aimed at women and girls.

In addition to other target populations, the Government of Canada continues to reach out to pregnant women about the dangers of tobacco use and second-hand smoke. When a pregnant woman smokes, the fetus gets less oxygen and nutrients. Studies show that regular exposure to second-hand smoke may harm both the mother and the baby. It is encouraging that fewer Canadian women smoke when pregnant, but those who do smoke place themselves and their babies at increased risk.

Tobacco use is the single biggest cause of preventable disease, disability and premature death in Canada. It has negative effects on nearly every organ of the body. Every year, at least 37,000 Canadians die from the effects of smoking, while many others are diagnosed with related illnesses such as heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. For more information on Health Canada's tobacco control efforts, please visit: www.gosmokefree.gc.ca.

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Media Enquiries:
Josee Bellemare
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

Health Canada
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