Smokers urged to kick butt

Photo: Contributed

Nursing students Jasmine Johaneson, Mairi Horth and Priya Sian

Third-year UBC Okanagan nursing students are urging residents to kick butt for National Non-Smoking Week.

Students Jasmine Johaneson, Mairi Horth and Priya Sian are doing a community practicum with the Canadian Cancer Society this week and are raising awareness of the dangers of flavoured tobacco and smoking in general.

"We are eager to bring attention to National Non-Smoking Week," they say.

While B.C. has Canada’s lowest smoking rate (13 per cent), the cancer society would like to see that reduced to single digits. Smoking is still the leading cause of death and disability in the province.

It is the only legal product that kills one out of every two people when used as intended, the students remind smokers.

They say youth are especially susceptible to experiment with flavoured tobacco and almost half of young smokers in B.C. use these products. They carry the same health risks and are just as addictive as regular tobacco. Additives reduce the harsh effects for youth who are experimenting with tobacco, making it easier for them to become addicted.

"Cancer shouldn’t be available in strawberry," they say.

The students also recommend increased tobacco taxes and regulation of e-cigarettes.

"As future health care professionals, it is worrisome that the health effects of using e-cigarettes are unknown. Minimal research has been done in determining whether e-cigarettes are an effective or safe method in aiding people to quit smoking."

They would also like to see more smoke-free outdoor public places.