By Juliet Kadzviti

Smoking rates in northern Saskatchewan higher than national average

Jan 18, 2016 | 5:03 PM

If you’re a resident of northern Saskatchewan, odds are you’re also a smoker.

National non-smoking week, which began Jan. 17, is designed to help people kick the habit. The northern half of the province is particularly affected by high smoking rates Elaine Kaloustian, director of communications for the Mamawetan Churchill River Health Region said.

 “Over 40 per cent of off-reserve residents aged 12 and over in northern Sask. are daily or occasional smokers, compared to 20 per cent in Canada as a whole,” Kaloustian said.

Smoking cessation programs in the region help deter these high statistics James Irvine, medical health officer, for the Population Health Unit said.

Irvine said the “fairly significant rates” of smoking can be impacted by different economic situations.

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“The successes of reduction in tobacco abuse in the general population, has not seen the same degree of success in a number of different groups. One of those groups is low income populations,” he said.

“Something like poverty can have very significant impact on smoking rates and other stressors and things like that may be involved. If we look at first nations women in different income groups, there is a very clear relationship- the lower the income, the higher the rate of smoking,” Irvine said.

He said a more collaborative approach to quitting would help communities.

“I think this is where it is important that programs get specifically designed, involving northern communities for their action (to stop smoking),” he said.

jkadzviti@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @princealbertnow