Education : Students Get ‘Reel” with Tobacco

Iqaluit, Nunavut (January 23, 2012) – Students from across Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon are participating in Get Reel, a video campaign to create anti-tobacco ads, as part of this year’s pan-territorial Smoke Screening initiative.

For the eighth year, the governments of Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon are promoting this educational anti-tobacco program for youth, Smoke Screening 8, which exposes students to international and local northern anti-tobacco messages through film and social media.

A new hands-on component this year is the Get Reel competition that involves students in Grades 6 to 12 filming and editing their personal anti-tobacco advertising messages.

Students from Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon will be able to view their submissions alongside those of other students from across the three territories, as well as the international television ads that make up the program.

“Tobacco is the main cause of preventable illness and death across the North,” said Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak, speaking on behalf of all three northern premiers. “Rates of smoking in each of the territories are at least double the national average, and Nunavut has the highest rate with more than 60 per cent of those 12 and older smoke. Preventing youth from starting to smoke is a key component of the tobacco reduction efforts in all three territories.”

In addition to the new video component of the program, educators in northern schools will work with students to discuss the harmful effects of tobacco, review anti-tobacco advertisements from around the world and vote on their favourite international ad. The best advertisement, as voted by the students, will be aired on northern television.

For more information on entering the contest: register and participate.

Smoke Screening 8 materials were sent to schools earlier this month.

Media contact:

Umesh Sutendra

Communications

NWT Health and Social Services

867-920-3368

umesh_sutendra@gov.nt.ca.

Ron Wassink

Communications Specialist

Department of Health and Social Services

867-975-2272

rwassink@gov.nu.ca.

Patricia Living

Director, Communications

Yukon Health and Social Services

867-667-3673

patricia.living@gov.yk.ca.