Anti-Smoking Strategy To Target Urban Natives

Anti-Smoking Strategy To Target Urban Natives

Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 13:28

The Conservative government has announced it’s giving $45,000 to the University of Saskatchewan to help develop a new tobacco control strategy to reach high-risk populations.

Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar MP Carol Skelton notes tobacco-related illnesses and diseases are urgent issues for several high-risk groups — including the Aboriginal population, which Skelton points out has smoking rates that are more than double the rate for the rest of the country.

Skelton says the strategy will focus on controlling tobacco use in the urban Aboriginal population (both First Nations and Metis), and among immigrants, children, youth and seniors.

The university is expected to identify practices that can help reduce tobacco misuse and increase smoke-free environments.

Elders will also have a say in developing the strategy.

Skelton says the new framework might eventually be used by Aboriginal people and other high-risk populations across Canada.

The Conservatives took a lot of heat last year for cutting funding to existing tobacco-control programs for Aboriginal people. The Tories argued the Liberal-designed policies weren’t effective.