Manitoba is launching a new stop-smoking project to help people at greater risk kick the habit, as part of the province’s tobacco-control strategy and other efforts that encourage youth to avoid tobacco, Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau and Education Minister Nancy Allan announced.
“Manitoba continues to lead in innovative and effective tobacco-control initiatives, but there is always more work to do,” said Rondeau. “Our strategy gives Manitobans the information and support they need to make wise choices on tobacco use, either to quit smoking or choose never to start. In fact, statistics show that smoking rates for teens aged 15 to 19 have dropped to 17 per cent from nearly 30 per cent in 1999.”
The new two-year, $280,000 project will give resources and training to four agencies working with people who have higher rates of smoking to help them stop. It will be evaluated to learn whether it has been effective in helping more Manitobans quit smoking and whether it can be used successfully in partnership with other organizations. This project will be co-ordinated by the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (MANTRA).
The ministers also announced the winning ad of the Review and Rate teen smoking-prevention program. Doesn’t Kill shows that tobacco use has a devastating effect on health and can result in people living with disfigurements caused by smoking.
“Students and teachers from across the province continue to show their commitment to this program and to preventing tobacco use among youth,” said Allan. “By working together, the school community, stakeholders, governments and all Manitobans are making a real difference.”
This year, more than 23,000 young people in grades 6 to 12 from 332 schools viewed the ads, took part in classroom discussions and voted. The winning advertisement will be aired on television during March. The names of 50 students and 10 teachers will be drawn and winners will receive a $50 iTunes gift card for participating in the program.
The four agencies involved in the two-year stop-smoking campaign will receive training and resources from MANTRA focusing on:
• women, particularly expecting and new mothers at low- or moderate-income levels, through Healthy Child Manitoba;
• people with other addictions taking part in treatment programs, through the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba;
• people with mental illnesses who are working with an organization to assist in their recovery, through the Canadian Mental Health Association; and
• people living in poverty who receive support services from a community-based organization, through the North End Wellness Centre.
“It’s most encouraging to see that resources will now be offered to vulnerable people who may not otherwise be able to access effective tools to help them quit smoking,” said Murray Gibson, executive director of MANTRA. “We are looking forward to working with these agencies and the members of the community that they serve.”
The province is also in the final stages of developing a comprehensive teaching resource called Back Off Tobacco that will help teachers include age-appropriate lessons about tobacco use from kindergarten to Grade 12. This resource, expected to be distributed to schools later in the spring, will help students develop the lifelong skills they need to say no to tobacco and other harmful products, the ministers said.
National Non-Smoking Week is Jan. 18 to 24. More information on tobacco reduction in Manitoba is available online. More information about National Non‑smoking Week is also available online.
