Health News For South West
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Elgin St Thomas Public Health
Cutting Off the “Social Supply” of Smokes
Family and friends need to stop being the go-to supplier for under-age smokers. A friend or relative may think they are “just being nice” for buying, or giving cigarettes to a teenager; however setting someone up for an addiction or disease is a “bad way to be nice.”
“Bad ways to be nice” is a campaign to help stop people from supplying tobacco products to teenagers.
While 9.3% of Elgin St. Thomas youth (12-19) admit to being a smoker, most of them say they get their cigarettes from a “social source”, be it their parents, an older sibling, a relative or a friend. A local youth told us, “my mom gives them to me and sometimes I get them from my friends.”
To quote Laura Dougherty, a Health Promoter for Elgin St. Thomas Public Health, “All of our indicators inform us that underage teens are getting their cigarettes from family members and friends. In Ontario, tobacco is related to 12,000 deaths per year, costing the health care system over 1 billion dollars per year. Even with the best intentions, giving a cigarette to a teen is a bad way to be nice.”
Elgin St. Thomas Public Health is encouraging those who are providing tobacco products for a teen they know to visit BadWaysToBeNice.com. The website offers ideas on how to “say no” to requests for cigarettes.
You can also go to Elgin St. Thomas Public Health facebook page to watch the new video from the “Bad ways to be nice” campaign to see real people’s reactions when a young child asks them for a cigarette. Should your reaction be any different for a teen?
About the Campaign
The “Bad ways to be nice” campaign was developed by the Central East Tobacco Control Area Network. The campaign has been adopted by the South West Tobacco Control Area Network, which includes the Huron County Health Unit, Windsor Essex Health Unit, Middlesex London Health Unit, Elgin St Thomas Public Health, Chatham Kent Health Unit, Perth District health Unit, Lambton County Community Health Services, Grey Bruce Health Unit and Oxford County Public Health.
Media Contact:
Laura Dougherty
Health Promoter
519-631-9900 ext 1324
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