Nipping butts in the bud

Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 09/06) - An anti-smoking program launched through NWT schools last year is continuing in 2006 with an art contest.

NNSL Photo/graphic

A government program will use the arts to discourage children from smoking. - NNSL file photo

The GNWT, with funding from the federal government's Federal Tobacco Control Strategy, has contracted Yellowknife-based Tait Communications and Consulting to continue its Don't Be A Butthead Campaign.

The program is intended to keep children from ever starting the noxious and addictive habit.

"We're trying to combine arts with encouraging kids to think about and talk about the smoke-free lifestyle," said Leanne Tait of Tait Communications and Consulting.

Her company conceived and implemented last year's initiative, which brought the no smoking message into NWT classrooms.

Entries for the contest will be accepted as of Jan. 16. The contest closes on April 14, at which time the eligible entries will be gathered together for a public tour of the Territories.

Throughout May, the various art works will be showcased and judged in Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife.

The winners will be announced on May 31 to mark World No Tobacco Day.

Contest rules

There are two classes of entry for NWT students. The junior class is open to all students in Grades 3-7. The senior class is open to all students in Grades 8-12.

Each class will have one winner in each of four categories: video, music, visual art and spoken or written word. For details consult the contest website.

To be eligible, entries must address one or more of the messages listed below.

Tobacco companies lie to you and don't care if smoking kills you.

For your health, appearance, money and freedom, making the choice never to smoke is the best choice you can ever make.

There's an easy way to smoke: don't ever start.

There are ways to resist the pressure to smoke.

Choosing never to smoke is the smartest, coolest choice.

Hard facts on smoking

Tobacco use kills over 47,000 people in Canada each year.

This is four times the number of people that die from AIDS, traffic accidents, suicide, murder, fires, and accidental poisoning combined.

While in other parts of Canada the rate of smoking is dropping, the rate of smoking in the NWT remains high - twice that of the rest of Canada.

On average, young people in the NWT start smoking daily at age 13 and by the time they reach the age of 15, 42 per cent of youth smoke.

In the smaller communities, that number climbs to over 60 per cent. One of the biggest reasons young people begin to smoke is because they see people around them smoking, such as parents, peers and role models.

Studies show that if children remain smoke-free until the age of 18, the likelihood they will start drops dramatically.

- Source: Don't Be A Butthead Campaign