Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (June 24/02) - A non-smoking bylaw could ban smoking completely in Iqaluit's restaurants and bars.

At a public meeting last Thursday, Mayor John Matthews explained the city's options.

Food service employees are 50 per cent more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population. Inuit women have among the highest rates of lung cancer in the world. Rates of respiratory illness among Inuit children of Baffin Island have reached epidemic proportions Studies show employees exposed to second hand smoke take more time off work. Nunavut has the smoking rate in Canada, at between 60 and 65 percent. The youth smoking rate is even higher -- between 68 and 75 per cent.

Tobacco's toll

"We could go cold turkey and say no smoking as of a certain date," he said. "It's tough love but it does work and we've seen examples of that in some cases."

The city could also phase in a 100 per cent ban by gradually increasing the amount of floor space designated for non-smokers. Another option is allowing establishments to choose whether to go non-smoking. However, children would not be allowed in restaurants that allow smoking.

At previous public meeting last February for business owners, many supported a non-smoking bylaw. But they favoured a slow, phasing-in period and some said problems could arise if the city bans smoking completely in bars.

But at the public meeting last Thursday the majority of people supported going cold turkey. Many want smoking banned outside buildings as well, where children go to find cigarette butts to smoke.

Carol Gregson said she recently saw a four-year old child pick up a soggy cigarette butt and pretend to smoke it.

Another resident, Steve Genn, said the bylaw should apply to all businesses to ensure a level playing field. "If it's across the board, no one's going to suffer from it," he said.

Using the example of the complete ban on smoking in aircraft, Genn pointed out that people eventually adapt to change.

"For a year after (the rule) people were dragged off airplanes kicking and screaming," he said. "But now you wouldn't even think about it."

Peter Ivalu, a smoker, said he supports a widespread ban. "We have to be consistent and we have to be firm," he said. "Yes, I smoke myself, but I don't like to go to places where a lot of people are smoking."

Steven Ejesiak, who quit smoking six days ago, wants more programs to help people quit. But he warned that banning smoking in bars could lead to problems. "People will smoke even worse at home, where they have children," he said.

Nunavut's chief medical officer, Ann Roberts, was also among the 30 people at the meeting. She said she favours a phased-in approach with a deadline. But she pointed out that smoking is addictive, and so support and cessation programs must be strengthened during the period leading up to the total ban. "People have to have somewhere to land," she said. "There has to be some mercy for smokers."

The city will hold more consultations with the public and business owners before city council debates the bylaw.

Elsewhere in Nunavut, similar attempts to limit the opportunities to light up may face more opposition. Sela Campbell, manager at the Siniktarvik hotel and restaurant in Rankin Inlet, said a non-smoking bylaw in the community would do deep damage to the business. "I would be totally against it," said Campbell. "Around 90 per cent of our people smoke."

Campbell also said the restaurant would lose hours from their staff because most smoke and "they'd all be going outside," said Campbell.