AHS celebrates World No Tobacco Day next week

SLAVE LAKE – Alberta Health Services (AHS) is raising awareness about World No Tobacco Day, observed annually on May 31. AHS staff will be sharing their messages with Albertans across the province next week and hosting a number of activities with community partners.

In Slave Lake, AHS staff will be participating in the following events:

• AHS-Addiction and Mental Health staff, in partnership with Wellness Coaches from High Prairie School Division, will be putting ribbon messages on the fences in front of Roland Michener Secondary School and EG Wahlstrom School on May 29.
• Public education displays will be set up from May 29 to June 2 at Northern Lakes College, 1201 Main St. S.E., and in the lobby of the Government Centre, 101 3 St. S.W. Members of the public are encouraged to drop by and review information about support services available in the town and surrounding areas.

AHS tobacco information and resources are also available at health clinics, pharmacies and dental offices in many communities in the Slave Lake area. Free quit kits are available at all five pharmacies in Slave Lake, as well as the AHS-Addiction and Mental Health office, 101 3 St. S.W. For more information about quitting tobacco, contact the Slave Lake AHS Addiction and Mental Health office at 780-849-7127.

AHS offers a variety of programs and services to help Albertans quit all forms of tobacco (including electronic), by telephone, group cessation programs and one-on-one counselling. Online supports and resources are also available from www.albertaquits.ca to help Albertans double their chances of quitting. All supports are free of charge and available to all Albertans.

Established by the World Health Organization, World No Tobacco Day has been an annual observance on May 31 for more than 20 years. It aims to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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