UPDATE-Northshore teens-contraband cigarettes
Below is the original post of the Northshore Teens – Contraband series on www.OntarioNewsNorth.com.
Quit today! Scroll down for links to smoking cessation resources that can help.
Courtney Godin, a grade 10 student from White River, ON shares her feelings about the prevalance of contraband in Northshore High Schools, how the school she attends may be contributing to the problem of teen tobacco use and what might be done to help.
Northshore teens and contraband cigarettes
by Karina Hunter
(Video clip from CNW) This broadcast has sparked my curiosity and disdain. Having begun smoking at 15 yrs old myself and still struggling with the challenge of quitting in spite of continuing to attempt it, with the help of many smoking cessation aids (including patches, inhalers, gum and medication), on a regular basis, I wonder how it is that 20 years after I had my first cigarette riding in the back of a school chartered bus in Québec, the problem of kids accessing cigarettes and beginning a life-long struggle with this disgusting addiction is seems no nearer to being under control.
As is alluded to at the end of this piece, it would seem the government may need to be inspired to action, in regards to curbing the sale of contraband cigarettes to kids, through reminders of the millions in lost tax revenue resulting from contraband cigarette sales as it seems protecting the health of Ontarians is not sufficient. But certainly contraband cigarette sales to kids is not such a problem in Northwestern Ontario? I would think that our isolation is somewhat protecting teenagers in Northshore high schools from being targeted as customers by those selling contraband cigarettes?
Over the course of this week (April 11th – 19th) I will be talking with teens,
smokers and non-smokers to ask them:
- Why did they start using tobacco?
- Why do they stay clean (for those who are not tobacco users)
- What do they think could be done to curb teen smoking?
- What kind of support do they feel is missing in regards to helping them quit?
- Do PSA’s (Public Service Announcements) have an impact on them, are these discouraging kids from starting to use tobacco products, are the PSAs encouraging smoking teens to quit?
I spoke to several Manitouwadge teens this evening who informed me that though contraband cigarettes were currently available in our community, they did not believe that these were enticing teenagers to ‘light up’ as they were seen by most as “cheap” and therefore less appealing than “real” cigarettes. Unfortunately their actions gave a different message as the smokers among them admitted to having “bought” contraband cigarettes, at
some point during their life as tobacco users whether it was since they were available ‘this time’ or in the past.
Having a 15 year old son myself who had admitted at one time to have “tried” cigarrilos, (his assuring me he did not like them did nothing to quell my fears of his becoming a smoker), I am hoping that I will get a look into what I could possibly be doing for my kids (in addition to the obvious pro-active action of quitting myself to set a better example and reduce their odds of becoming smokers) to help my kids stay clean.
Quit today! Scroll down for links to smoking cessation resources that can help.
If you too are looking for answers to how to support your kids in living a tobacco-free life or hoping to learn of solutions to offering support in quitting to children who are tobacco users, visit www.OntarioNewsNorth.com this week for first hand answers from the ultimate authorities on teenage tobacco use, the teens themselves.
If you are a Northshore teenager (from any of the communities between Dorion & Dubreuilville) who would like to provide insight or opinions in regards to this story, please contact Editor@OntarioNewsNorth.com
Are you a teenager who wants to quit using tobacco these are sites at which you can find support:
Eastern Ontario Health Unit – Bureau de santé de l’est Ontario … The Quit Smoking Online program is designed to help anyone who wishes to quit smoking …
http://www.eohu.ca/segments/programs_e.php?segmentID=1&programID=4
Healthy Ontario.com Article – Your Body on Nicotine: The Inside Story …
http://www.healthyontario.com/FeatureDetails.aspx?feature_id=15
Thunder Bay District Health Unit – Thinking of quitting?
http://www.tbdhu.com/Tobacco/Cessation/
Resources for quitting – developped with teens for teens
http://www.healthunit.org/youthescape/resources/resources.htm
How to help your teen quit smoking (MAYO Clinic)
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teen-smoking/TN00016
Keep your teen from starting to smoke or help them quit today
http://life.familyeducation.com/smoking/teen/34457.html
An Excellent Quit Smoking Program
What If You Could Stop Smoking?
A University-based quit information center. Online pamphlets loaded with advice on: considering quitting; planning to quit; preparing for the day; staying smoke-free; dealing with relapse. Also online questionnaire, and access to help from experts.
The Internet’s leading cold turkey quit smoking resource!
US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute offering tobacco cessation support, quit plans, quit coaches, etc. for those who want to quit and need help.
An excellent web site with great links and information about the effects of smoking.
Quit Smoking Cigarettes – Information About Tobacco
Excellent listing of tobacco prevention and cessation links.
University of Wisconsin – River Falls – Information About Tobacco
Directory of Quit Smoking Resource Groups.
Loads of quit smoking advice including Q&As on tobacco, disease information, support programs, educational materials for schools and links.
Launched in 1995, QuitNet is the Web’s original quit smoking site. QuitNet operates in association with Boston University School of Public Health.
Providing a comprehensive package of proven scientific methods to help you quit smoking and offers expert information and peer support.
