Health Board Supports provincial Smoke Free Schools Act

A  recent report shows many high school students in the Northeast region are smoking or using related products.

With that in mind the local Health Unit Board has decided to support Bill 139 the Smoke Free Schools Act of Ontario.

Shannon Mantha is the interim Executive Director of Community Services with the Health Unit  and she says this is the health unit’s main job and purpose to prevent youth from smoking as this will prevent more chronic disease in the community in the future.

Medical Officer of Health Doctor Jim Chirico says the end goal is to have smoking extinct.

He says there have been tremendous advances in the last number of years because there is a movement to move smoking out of public areas.

The goal of Bill 139 is for the Government to establish a public education program about the health risks associated with the use of tobacco.