BACKGROUNDER 2006HEALTH0001-000025 Ministry of Health Jan. 19, 2006 NATIONAL NON-SMOKING WEEK ACTIVITIES ACROSS B.C. Vancouver Coastal Health • ‘Take it Outside’ campaign, in partnership with the Clean Air Coalition – includes distribution of smoke-free home and vehicle decals. • Kids Need Breathing Space campaign – brochures and smoke-free home and vehicle decals mailed to all pre-schoolers. • SWAT Rally (Students Working Against Tobacco) – distribution of baby bibs with smoke-free messages to community at Robson Square on Jan. 21. See www.swatbc.ca for details. • www.cigarette-slayer.com – Relaunch of youth website. • Tobacco Expose video contest – closes on Jan. 31. Visit www.cigarette-slayer.com for contest details. Winning videos will be showcased at Whistler and Squamish theatres. • ‘Going Smoke-Free’ cessation programs promotion at North Shore Recreation Centres. • GLBT mass media campaign (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community) – ‘Proud to Quit’ mass media campaign and cessation groups. • Stop Smoking Before Surgery (SSBS)/Vancouver Smoking Cessation Program promotion – ‘Is smoking compromising your health?’ Call 604 714-5615 for more information. • Speaking engagements, displays at community centres and libraries including the Vancouver Library, main entrance, on Jan. 18, 2006. Fraser Health • Tobacco Control information and resources available online at www.fraserhealth.ca/HealthInfo/PublicHealth • Tobacco-Free Sports Campaign, sponsorship of the BCHL hockey game between the South Surrey Eagles and Langley Hornets at South Surrey on Jan. 20, and between the Chilliwack Chiefs and Surrey Eagles on Jan. 21. • Mail campaign of tobacco-related resources to all Public Health Units themed “Where you work, live and play … even better.” Interior Health • Great Canadian Smoke-Out on Almanac with host Mark Forsythe on CBC radio – Jan. 18. • Dr. Paul Hasselback on morning show Jan. 18, 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., on SILK FM 101.5. • “Better Health Through Less Tobacco” newsletter, with school trivia contest, distributed to all schools in Interior Health. “Kids Need Breathing Space” door hangers/activity package sent to schools in some areas. • “Expand Your Smoke-free Zone – Everyone Needs Breathing Space!” newsletter feature in: o @interiorhealth staff newsletter o Public Health News o Stan and Fran newsletter o MHO newsletter • Tobacco-Free Zones presentations and launch of signage and posters in East Kootenay and Kootenay Boundary regions. -more- - 2 - • Poster launch and hockey nights with Minor Hockey Associations in Thompson/Cariboo /Shuswap, including Kamloops Blazers, Williams Lake Timberwolves, Merritt Centennial, Salmon Arm Silverbacks. • Proclamation of National Non-Smoking Week in Kamloops and Merritt with banners promoting QuitNow. • School, college and university presentations and events including the Great Canadian Smoke-out at UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College campuses (Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Penticton and Kamloops) and Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops). Vancouver Island Health Authority • Presentation of smoke-free bibs to babies born at the Victoria General Hospital, Nanaimo Regional Hospital and the Campbell River Hospital on Weedless Wednesday. • QuitNow displays at hospitals in Victoria, Royal Jubilee, Nanaimo and Malaspina. • Smoking Cessation Forum: “On the Multidisciplinary Approach to Treatment and Disease” at Royal Jubilee Hospital, Begbie Hall with Dr. Niels Schwarz, Dr. Bayla Schecter, Dr. Frank Egan and Dr. Cheryl Cuddeford, Jan. 19, 7-9 p.m. • Smoking Cessation Clinics at Colwood, Harris Green, Tillicum and Saanich Centre London Drugs on Jan. 11, 12, 18 and 19. Call each store for details. • Kick the Nic classes at local schools. • Smoke-Free Places for Kids brochures and National Non-Smoking Week posters to Cormorant Island, Port Hardy and Port McNeil Hospitals for the public. • Smoke-Free Places for Kids brochures distributed to youth at Sacred Wolf Friendship centre in Port Hardy for the Honour Your Health Challenge. Northern Health Authority • Northern Health’s main campaign for National Non-Smoking Week is the “Kids Need Breathing Space” smoke-free homes and cars campaign, in partnership with Clean Air Coalition of BC. • Smoke-free home and car decals available at health units and other locations. • Display booth and decals handed out at Prince George Cougar and Spruce Kings junior hockey games and at mall displays. • All Northern Health vehicles will have a smoke-free car decal displayed and internal promotion of campaign to Northern Health staff through “Northern Notes” newsletter • Sponsoring a variety of community National Non-Smoking Week events through Northern Health's “True North Strong and Smoke-Free” grant program, including: o Quesnel Pregnancy Outreach program – Weedless Wednesday event for pregnant women and their partners; o School poster contests – various locations; o Hockey and spit tobacco project – Ft St James; o Conference on tobacco misuse – Nazko; and o Tobacco-free bingo – Takla Landing. • Tobacco trivia contest on radio in Quesnel in partnership with Interior Health. • Promotion of Northern Health’s Nicotine Intervention Counselling Centre program at Weedless Wednesday event in Prince Rupert. -30- Media Public Affairs Bureau contact: Ministry of Health 250 952-1887 For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. .