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Teens Tackle Tobacco

January 22, 2004 - Health Authorities Awarded Grant for Teens Tackle Tobacco Project Local efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use amongst youth will soon be bolstered by a national grant.

Tobacco Reduction Strategy Coordinators working with Colchester East Hants Health Authority, Cumberland Health Authority and Pictou County Health Authority have been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control and Pfizer Youth National Non Smoking Week - Youth Prevention Contributions. The funding will support a new project, entitled Teens Tackle Tobacco, which will involve senior and junior high school students in the districts.

"School-based programs to prevent tobacco use can make a major contribution to the future health of youth," said Krista Canning, Tobacco Reduction Strategy Coordinator for Colchester East Hants Health Authority. "Students being advocates and promoting smoke-free as the norm, helps other students realize that it is okay to speak out in favour of non-smoking."

Teens Tackle Tobacco will provide youth with information and skills to develop creative ways to deliver tobacco prevention information and skills to other youth. The tools developed by students will be compiled into an interactive toolkit, a sustainable resource for schools and communities. The overall goal of the project is to provide students with knowledge, skills and resources to empower them to remain tobacco free for life.

Research has shown that 90 per cent of adult smokers began smoking by age 18 and that 85 per cent of teens who completely smoke two or more cigarettes will become regular smokers.

"The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board is very pleased with the support of the district health authorities in our efforts to reduce smoking among our students," said Doug Benedict, Director of Education Services with the board. "Many of our school support programs aimed at helping students kick the smoking habit have a peer support element which seems to be successful."

2003/2004 is the inaugural year for the grant program which awarded one $25,000 grant and six $5,000 grants to community-based tobacco projects in Canada.

For more information contact:
Krista Canning, Tobacco Reduction Strategy Coordinator
Colchester East Hants Health Authority
(902) 893-5928
kcanning@chdha.nshealth.ca