Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 30/02) - Teen smoking rates are astronomical in the NWT compared to the Canadian average.

According to Alberta Lung Association statistics, 27 per cent of youths age 12-19 in the NWT smoke compared to 19 per cent nationwide.

The gap widens when you look primarily at aboriginal children between 12 and 19. According to statistics, two-thirds of youth in that demographic are smokers.

For the past six years Northern teens have been involved in tobacco reduction conferences in the South, but this year it was felt the conference should come North.

The Building Leadership for Action in Schools Today (BLAST) conference was held at Weledeh school Oct. 25-27.

"The conference is centered around tobacco reduction," said Kristie MacIntyre, BLAST co-ordinator with the Alberta Lung Association.

"We're hoping to give youth some leadership skills that will empower them to create programs in their communities."

"Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of lung disease. If we can keep kids from starting smoking or give them the information they need to work with to make wise life decisions, we can decrease the chances of lung disease later in life," said MacIntyre.

Students helping students

Ashley Arychuk is a Grade 9 student from Deh Gah school in Fort Providence and she was hoping to take some valuable information away from the conference to bring back to her school.

"Students need to know about tobacco and how it can be addictive and what it can do to you," she said.

According to Arychuk, in her Grade 9 class of 20 students there are only four who do not smoke.

"Hopefully we can put something together for students so they don't start to smoke," said Arychuk.

According the GNWT's chief medical officer, Andre Corriveau, smoking is more than just a health risk for youth.

"There is actually evidence for nicotine to be a gateway drug. A lot of people who tend to have addictions tend to be smokers who started at an early age," said Corriveau.

Although smoking rates among teens and Northern adults are high, Corriveau believes starting tobacco reduction campaigns for youth can make impacts in the right direction.

"If you haven't started smoking by the age of 18 it's very unlikely you will start," he said.

"It's surprising how much kids can have an impact in their own communities and with their peers."

The GNWT is hoping this first conference will show success.

"It's a bit of an experiment in a sense. We're looking, if it is a success, we will make it a regular thing and bring it to other areas in the territory," said Corriveau.

"We hope that these kids will become advocates. Then if we come back with another BLAST conference we will have some momentum," said Corriveau.