Nunavik’s health board announces winners of (Stay) Quit to Win challenge
Participants were challenged to quit smoking earlier this spring
Smoking challenge participants each got a “challenge box,” pictured here. Inside is a participant guide with advice, a calendar to track one’s progress, a list of resources to prepare for quitting, a stress ball, a water bottle, mini posters and a #StayQuitToWinNunavik sticker and bracelet. (Photo courtesy of the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services)
Several Nunavimmiut have won First Air tickets and an Apple Watch among other prizes for quitting smoking.
From April 1 to May 13, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services invited Nunavimmiut aged eight years and older to join the (Stay) Quit to Win Challenge.
Participants were challenged to quit smoking, and those who were successful had their names drawn for prizes.
There were 260 participants in this year’s challenge, 75 per cent of whom were women and 25 per cent men, according to a press release issued on Tuesday, June 25.
For the first time, this year’s challenge allowed non-smoking participants to sign up to support a participant who smokes as a “quit buddy.” In total, there were 145 smoking participants, 65 of whom had quit buddies.
Kuujjuaq had the most challenge participants with 25 per cent, while Puvirnituq had 14 per cent and Inukjuak 12 per cent.
The average age of challenge participants was 28 years. Most had smoked for six years or more and smoked an average of 10 cigarettes per day, according to the release.
Each participant also received a “challenge box.” Inside was a participant guide with advice, a calendar to track their progress, a list of resources to prepare for quitting, a stress ball, a water bottle, mini posters, and a #StayQuitToWinNunavik sticker and bracelet.
This year’s winners are:
Adult smokers:
First prize (First Air tickets): Mary Lucassie of Aupaluk
Second prize (Apple Watch): Alicie Ainalik Simigak of Ivujivik
Third prize (kitchenware): Nellie Kutchaka of Inukjuak
Youth smokers:
First prize (First Air tickets): Tiivimasiu Qisiiq of Kangiqsujuaq
Second prize (Apple Watch): Akenisie Amamatuak of Akulivik
Third prize (bicycle): Annabelle Natachequan of Kuujjuaraapik
Adult Quit Buddy:
Winner (Air Inuit tickets): Nellie Tookalook of Umiujaq
Youth Quit Buddy:
Winner (Air Inuit tickets):Kulluayuk Alaku of Salluit
Now if only this can be done for alcohol and drugs. More so alcohol. Let’s say we give a challenge to those from our communities that are causing all the trouble when a few cans of bud are consumed. We give them a prize! Say show them that life is wonderful on the land. There more to life than your local co-op, or bootlegger. When it comes to cigarettes, it’s sad to go by the schools and see future potential athletes in groups of two, three or more smoking and puffing. More so sad when you see little kids as young as 5 or 6, or younger, picking up butts that adults and teenagers just threw off in the road somewhere. When I see our northern young people competing in games, I want them to compete not just in local, but more national competition where smokers are zeroed out. Our health too, over all in homes and around our workplaces need major cleanup from smokers blowing out, and throwing butts.