Yellowknife (Jun 05/06) - A new campaign against pot and driving hit the North last month.

The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) and the Canadian Public Health Association launched the program after a similar one in the south got started in November.

The campaign features the image of an older and a younger professional pilot about to smoke up in an aircraft cockpit. The campaign in southern Canada focused more on driving and smoking pot, but the North's lack of extensive roads did not mean ignoring the north half of Canada, said Tracy O'Hearn, NAHO director.

"There aren't a lot of cars and trucks, but people do operate quite a range of vehicles: ATVs, boats and Ski-Doos. This is an opportunity to broaden their thinking," O'Hearn said.

O'Hearn want to get the discussion going on why the two aren't a good combination.

The campaign provided materials about driving and getting high to schools across the North, which O'Hearn hopes will be re-used in September with the start of a new school year.