Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to announce a new Tobacco Cessation Initiative in support of our Territorial Tobacco Strategy.
The most recent youth survey has shown an encouraging trend downward in the number of young people who are starting to smoke. I believe our successful programs such as the “Don’t Be a Butthead” campaign and the school-based tobacco media program “Smoke Screening” are contributing to the decreasing numbers.
We are now about to put more supports in place for smokers who want to quit. Beginning on March 1, 2009, we will be launching the NWT Quitline, a toll-free service that will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is in addition to our current Tele-Care Health Line. Translation services will be available in all NWT languages. The NWT Quitline will have funding support from Health Canada for 2009-10 in the amount of $44,000.
This initiative is also in line with federal plans for 2010, which call for a 1-800 number to be printed on all cigarette packs that would direct the caller to a cessation line in their own province or territory. When that initiative is up and running, we will be ready.
The NWT Quitline will be staffed by registered nurses or cessation counsellors who are specifically
trained to help people quit smoking. It will feature personalized call back options based on the client’s needs.
A caller can receive up to five calls from a counsellor to support their own quitting process at times that are convenient for them. Phone line counselling will also be supplemented by a mail-out of support materials.
The launch of this support line is an important step towards fulfilling our cessation goals identified in the Territorial Tobacco Strategy. We expect that this additional tool will help us to continue the downward trend in our population’s addiction to tobacco. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.