SPENCE BAY - Youth from Taloyoak travelled to Iqaluit in November to share ideas about not smoking, and they have returned to their home community full of ideas.

Delphine Peetooloot, left, and Charlie Qayutinuaq were the two Taloyoak representatives at the Minister's Youth Action Team on Tobacco conference in Iqaluit in November. Now they have returned home to spread their non-smoking message to their peers. - photo courtesy of Gina Pizzo-Lyall

It resulted in the Minister's Youth Action Team on Tobacco (MYATT) handing out fines and playing floor hockey in Taloyoak.

To celebrate Weedless Wednesday - the national day to kick smoking - last week Delphine Peetooloot and Charlie Qayutinuaq hosted smoke-free events at Netsilik school.

"Nobody was allowed to smoke... next, we are going to do some activities for the whole community," explained 18-year-old Qayutinuaq.

Students caught smoking during the hockey tournament were subject to a 25 cent fine. Teachers were on the hook for an entire dollar. Combine that with $16.25 it costs for a pack of 25 cigarettes in Taloyoak, and the money adds up.

MYATT members have stayed in touch via monthly teleconferences following their Iqaluit gathering, and Qayutinuaq sees that as a major advantage.

"It is good to talk to the others, it keeps a strong sense of community with us," said Qayutinuaq.

Nunavut has some of the highest smoking and youth smoking rates in Canada, and that won't change overnight. Qayutinuaq is patient.

"We just have to keep trying, until smoking goes down," he said.