AHS celebrates National Non-Smoking Week

LETHBRIDGE — National Non-Smoking Week runs Jan. 20 to 26, and Alberta Health Services (AHS) is partnering with communities to raise awareness of tobacco cessation services.

Residents are invited to attend the following displays and events, which aim to raise awareness and understanding of tobacco and tobacco-like products, as well as highlight the many ways Albertans can prevent and reduce tobacco use:

• Jan. 21-24: Display in the atrium of Chinook Regional Hospital. AHS staff will be available at the display Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon to answer questions.
• Jan. 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Display at Medicine Hat College. AHS staff will be available to answer questions and offer support.
• Jan. 23 (morning): ‘Positive Ticketing’ campaign at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. People who smoke in the designated areas at the hospital will be given a business card- sized “ticket” from Alberta Quits, with a phone screen cleaning cloth attached. People smoking in non-designated areas will be given information about where smoking is permissible.

Please visit albertaquits.ca for information on free tobacco cessation services and resources available to residents in AHS South Zone.

Reducing and stopping tobacco use has multiple health benefits for all Albertans. People who quit substantially reduce their risk of heart disease, lung cancer, chronic lung disease and other tobacco-related illnesses.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2017:

• 15 per cent of Canadians smoked regularly, an increase from 13 per cent in 2015.
• 15 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older had tried an e-cigarette, an increase from
• 13 per cent in 2015.

An annual event across Canada for more than 30 years, National Non-Smoking Week aims to raise awareness about the health risks of tobacco, in all its forms, as it provides education on the resources and support services available for those who wish to reduce or quit tobacco use.

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.