She had been smoking for 25 years, averaging a pack a day, but it was the words of a child that helped one Rankin Inlet resident drop the habit for good.
“I tried quitting quite a few times before that,” recalled the resident, who preferred to remain anonymous while sharing her personal story.
A young person in her life had learned at school about smoking and the damage it can do. She was then asked a difficult question.
“The child asked why I’m trying to die and leave them,” she recalled. “I felt very guilty and uncomfortable. It made me really think.”
Still, it wasn’t easy to quit based on that alone. She tried to give up the habit right away but spent the next two years bouncing between different treatment options, such as Nicorette.
“None of them worked on me, so after two years of trying, I just picked a date to give it a shot to go cold turkey,” she recalled. “That’s the only thing that worked for me.”
It’s been six-and-a-half years since she’s smoked now.
“I feel better, just generally feel better,” she said about the positive effects since. “I still get tempted in social settings, but other than that, I really don’t like the smell anymore.”
She tries not to preach to those around her to follow her lead, though.
“I just know how hard it is to quit, and how it’s a personal choice and people need to decide for themselves,” she said. “Nobody can do it for them, so I just let it be. People are going to do what they’re going to do.”
Her words of advice for those on a similar journey: “Don’t give up. Sometimes it takes many, many tries to quit.”
In the territory’s 2019-2020 Tobacco Control and Smoke-Free Places Act annual report, tobacco use rates showed a territory-wide 74 per cent among people ages 12 and up, with some communities reaching as high as 84 per cent, significantly higher than the national rate.
According to that report, smoking tobacco increases the risk of developing tuberculosis by a rate of 3.5 times.
And it’s not just a personal issue. According to nuquits.ca, cigarette butts are the most common litter in the world and take about 18 months to break down and then 12 years to completely degrade.
In Nunavut, retailers cannot sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 19, “yet many young people still get tobacco through social sources,” writes nuquits.ca, which include parents and family members.
Regardless of the age of the giver or even with a caregiver’s permission, it is against the law to provide tobacco to anyone younger than 19 years old.
For Tobacco Reduction Month, the Department of Health is encouraging Nunavummiut to start the new year by quitting tobacco.
According to a news release from the department, within two days of quitting, food tastes better and smell improves; in three days, lungs relax and breathing becomes easier; within six months, those who quit will have more energy; and after one year tobacco-free, the risk of a heart attack is half that of someone who smokes.
Nunavummiut can message a counsellor on the Tobacco Has No Place Here Facebook page or call 1-866-368-7848 at any time.
Medications are also available to address cravings and withdrawal from nicotine, such as patches, gum, lozenges, mouth sprays or inhalers. A health centre or pharmacy can offer advice on accessing these products.
25 ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᖃᓂᑖᓂᑦ ᐃᓗᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᓯᒡᒐᓖᑦ ᐅᑉᓗᑕᒫᒧᑦ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᕙᒃᖢᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓄᑕᕋᐅᑉ ᐅᖃᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᕐᒥᑦ ᓄᖅᖃᐅᑎᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᓂᖅ.
“ᓯᕗᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᓄᖅᖃᕋᓱᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᖃᑉᓰᖅᑕᖅᖢᖓ,” ᐃᖅᖃᐅᒪᔪᖅ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ, ᑭᓇᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᔭᐅᔪᒪᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᐅᓂᑉᑳᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑑᑉᓗᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᖓᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᕋᐃᔪᖕᓇᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᐱᖅᖁᑎᒥᑦ.
“ᓄᑕᕋᐅᑉ ᐊᐱᕆᓚᐅᖅᑖᖓ ᓲᖅ ᑐᖁᓇᓱᖕᒪᖔᕐᒪ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᒪᒡᓗᒋᑦ,” ᐃᖅᖃᐅᒪᔪᖅ. “ᐊᒃᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᙱᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖢᐊᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ. ᐃᓱᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᕙᒻᓂᑦ.”
ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓱᓕ, ᓄᖅᖃᑲᐅᑎᒋᓂᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑖᒻᓇᑐᐊᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒍ. ᓄᖅᖃᕋᓱᑲᐅᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐆᒃᑐᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᖅᖃᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᓂᑯᕆᐊᑦ-ᒥᑦ (Nicorette).
“ᓇᓕᑐᐃᓐᓇᖏᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ, ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ ᓄᖅᖃᕋᓱᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᖢᖓ, ᐅᑉᓗᕐᒥᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᓄᖅᖃᕆᐊᒥᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᖓ,” ᐃᖅᖃᐅᒪᔪᖅ, “ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ.”
ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓖᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ ᓇᑉᐸᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᓕᖅᑐᖓ.
“ᐱᐅᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᓕᖅᑐᖓ, ᐱᐅᓂᖅᓴᖅ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᑦᑕᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᓂᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᙵᓂᑦ ᓄᖅᖃᐅᑎᖕᒪᒍ. “ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᓃᓕᕌᖓᒪ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᔪᒪᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖓ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᓯᐊᒍᑦ, ᓇᐃᒪᑉᓗᒍ ᐱᐅᒋᔪᖕᓃᖅᑕᕋ.”
ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔪᐃᓇᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒃᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᓄᖅᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ.
“ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔪᖓ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᖅᖃᐅᑎᓂᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖕᒥᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᒪᒍᑎᒃ ᓂᕈᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖕᒥᖕᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. “ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᖕᒥᖕᓂᑦ ᐱᔪᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᒋᙱᒥᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᕋ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᒪᔭᖓᓐᓂᑦ.”
ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔨᓂᕆᔭᖏᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᕐᓚᖓᒎᖅᑐᓄᑦ: “ᐆᒃᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥᐊᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᓄᖅᖃᕋᓱᒡᓗᑎᑦ. ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᐃᖅᑕᕐᓗᓂ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓄᖅᖃᕋᓱᒃᖢᓂ.”
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ 2019-2020-ᒥᑦ ᑐᐹᑯᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᑦᑕᐃᓕᕝᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓂᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᖅᓯᐅᑎ ᐅᓂᑉᑳᖓᓐᓂᑦ, ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᓲᓂᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᓗᒃᑖᕐᒥᑦ 74 ᐳᓴᓐᑎᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᓄᑦ 12-ᓂᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓄᓪᓗ, ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᑉᓗᑎᒃ 84 ᐳᓴᓐᑎᒧᑦ, ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᑲᓪᓚᐅᔪᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᓗᒃᑖᒧᑦ ᓈᓴᐅᑎᐅᔪᒥᑦ.
ᐅᓂᑉᑳᒥᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᖏᒡᓕᒋᐊᖅᓯᔪᖅ ᐳᕙᒡᓗᖕᓂᖅᑖᕈᖕᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓈᓴᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ 3.5-ᖏᖅᑕᖅᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ.
ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ. nuquits.ca-ᒥᑦ, ᓯᒡᒐᓖᑦ ᖃᒥᑕᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐅᒐᔪᓛᖑᔪᑦ ᑕᒪᐅᖓᒥᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᐊᒃᑕᑯᓂᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 18 ᑕᖅᖀᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᐸᑕ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓯᖁᑉᑎᓕᓵᓲᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 12 ᐅᑭᐅᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᐸᑕ ᓄᖑᑦᑎᐊᓕᑕᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ.
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ, ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᓲᑦ ᑐᐹᑯᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᔪᖅᑐᑦ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒧᑦ 19 ᑐᖔᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᓄᑦ, “ᑭᓯᐊᓂᐊᒥᓱᐃᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᐃᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᕈᔾᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᑦ nuquits.ca, ᐃᓚᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᖄᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ.
ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᕋᓗᐊᖅᐸᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᔪᖅ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑲᒪᔨᐅᔪᒧᑦ ᐱᔪᖕᓇᖅᑎᑕᐅᑉᓗᓂ, ᒪᓕᒐᕐᒥᑦ ᓯᕿᒥᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᑐᓂᓯᓗᓂ ᑐᐹᑯᓂᒃ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒧᑦ 19 ᑐᖔᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᒧᑦ.
ᑐᐹᑯᑐᓗᐊᖅᑕᐃᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᖅᕿᕆᔭᐅᔪᒧᑦ, ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᔪᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓂᑦ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᖅᖃᐅᑎᓂᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᑐᐹᑯ.
ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᒥᑦ ᓴᖅᕿᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᔪᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᐅᑉᓘᒃ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᐸᑕ ᓄᖅᖃᖅᖄᖅᑎᓪᓗᑎᑦ, ᓂᕆᔭᑎᑦ ᒪᒪᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᐃᒪᓂᖅ ᐱᐅᓯᕚᓪᓕᖅᖢᓂ, ᐳᕙᑎᑦ ᖃᓱᓂᖅᓴᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓂᖅᓵᖅᑐᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖅᖢᓂ; ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓖᑦ ᑕᖅᕿᓂᑦ, ᓄᖅᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐆᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ; ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᒥᑦ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᕈᖕᓃᖅᓯᒪᓕᕐᓗᓂ, ᐆᒻᒪᓯᑦᑐᖕᓇᕐᓂᖅ ᓇᑉᐸᕈᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᖓᓂᑦ.
ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᐅᔾᔨᔨᒧᑦ (ᑐᐹᑯᐃᑦ ᐃᓂᖃᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᑕᒡᕙᓂ [Tobacco Has No Place Here]) ᒪᒃᐱᖅᑐᒐᖓᓐᓂᑦ Facebook-ᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐅᖃᓗᒡᓗᑎᒃ 1-866-368-7848-ᒧᑦ ᖃᖓᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ.
ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓴᐅᑏᑦ ᒪᓂᒪᖕᒥᔪᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᑦ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᔪᒪᓕᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᖑᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᖅᖃᐅᑎᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᓯᒡᒐᓖᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓂᑭᑏᓐᒥᑦ (nicotine) ᐱᔪᓂᒃ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᓂᐱᑎᑕᐅᓲᑦ ᐅᕕᓂᖕᒧᑦ, ᑕᒧᐊᑦᑐᐊᑦ, ᐅᖁᒻᒥᐊᒐᐃᑦ, ᖃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓱᐴᖅᑎᑕᐅᓲᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓗᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓗᒻᒧᑦ ᐊᓂᖅᓵᕐᓗᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓲᑦ. ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓴᐅᑎᑖᕐᕕᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᐳᓗᐊᑦᑎᓱᐃᕈᑎᓂᒃ.