November 18, 1999
(Health and Community Services)

Teen Tobacco Team to advise health minister

Young people in this province will have a voice on how to tackle tobacco issues, thanks to an announcement by the health minister this morning. Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced at Holy Cross Junior High in St. John's today, the formation of a Teen Tobacco Team. The team will work with the minister and department officials to provide input and consultation in developing a Youth Tobacco Strategy for the province.

"I believe it is very important to discuss tobacco issues directly with our young people if we are going to develop effective strategies for dealing with smoking among youth," said the minister. "The Teen Tobacco Team will assist in the development of policy, programs, services and public education initiatives, and they will ensure that the work to reduce youth smoking in this province will remain focused, realistic and effective."

Ten youth between ages 13 and 18 will be chosen from all six health care regions within the province. Several community organizations are currently assisting officials in choosing team members who will be announced in the next few weeks.

"The work on the Youth Tobacco Strategy will be done in consultation with the Alliance for the Control of Tobacco, and will fit in with the Provincial Tobacco Strategy which we expect in the near future," said the minister. "Smoking kills nearly 1,000 people in this province every year. With our children smoking as early as 11 years old, I am only too pleased to concentrate our efforts on youth. I look forward to working with the Teen Tobacco Team."

The provincial government has been active on initiatives aimed at reducing or stopping people of all ages from smoking tobacco. In January of this year, Premier Tobin and Minister Aylward announced the establishment of the Provincial Tobacco Reduction Coalition (now called the Alliance for the Control of Tobacco). The alliance has been working on a tobacco strategy for the province which is expected before Christmas. In May, as a result of consultation with various stakeholders, the minister also introduced legislation to amend the Tobacco Control Act. With the new amendment all tobacco vendors are required to have a licence to sell tobacco. The Tobacco Control Act prohibits vendors from selling or giving tobacco to those under 19 years of age.

Media contact: Glenn Bruce, (709) 729-1377.

1999 11 18 10:45 a.m.