January 18-24 (Weedless Wednesday January 21)
National Non-Smoking Week is Canada's largest, most experienced and successful
public education campaign on controlling tobacco use. The important goals
of National Non-Smoking Week are:
• To educate Canadians about the many dangers associated with
tobacco use
• To prevent people from becoming addicted
• To help smokers quit and
• To ensure a smoke-free environment for non-smokers
Weedless Wednesday promotes a smoke-free day and reminds smokers of programs
that are available year-round to help them become non-smokers. Please contact
Smoke-Free Nova Scotia for information about treatment and support services
available in Nova Scotia by calling 864-9633 (in Metro Halifax) or 1-866-777-7374
(toll free).
In Nova Scotia, this year's campaign will focus information on the true
cost of tobacco.
Every day tobacco kills more than five Nova Scotians through lung, heart
and cancer diseases. S econd-hand smoke kills an estimated 200 Nova Scotians
each year. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death-if you
don't smoke you help to prevent disease.
The Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS) confirms that smoking
in Canada during the first half of 2002 is an estimated 21% of the population.
In Canada, smoking rates are the highest in the 20-24 age group at 31%.
In Nova Scotia the number of smokers aged 20 - 24 is an alarming 40%.
Tobacco costs the Nova Scotia health care system approximately $180 million
a year to treat tobacco-related illnesses. When added to the medical expenses,
tobacco costs the Nova Scotia economy more than half a billion dollars
due to productivity losses.
Smoke-Free Colleges Will Produce A Smoke-Free Workforce
Today's college students are tomorrow's workforce
It costs Nova Scotia employers an estimated $250 million more a year (or
$2,280 per smoking employee) to employ smokers rather than non-smokers
based on Conference Board of Canada estimates. This cost includes on-the-job
productivity losses, increased absenteeism costs, increased life insurance
premiums and building maintenance costs.
Productivity
In order to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke, most workplaces now
require workers to leave their desks to smoke outside or in a designated
area. This decreases smokers' productivity. D ocumented productivity losses
due to workplace smoking include an injury rate double the non-smoking
rate due to loss of attention, coughing and other distractions.
Absenteeism
Smokers are absent 50% more often than nonsmokers on average. Costs for
these absences include temporary replacements and lowered productivity
and morale among employees who are on the job and must cope with the absences.
Insurance
Smoke-free workplaces would save Nova Scotia employers $8.5 million in
lower insurance premiums. Some insurers, recognizing the disparity in mortality
rates between smokers and nonsmokers, are offering up to 45 percent discounts
on premiums for term-life coverage for nonsmokers with medical examinations.
Maintenance
Smoke-free workplaces would save Nova Scotia employers $10 million a year
in avoided maintenance costs of their businesses. Furniture and drapes
last longer and have to be cleaned less often. Many chores done on a monthly
basis can be scheduled semiannually or annually.
More and more employers are recognizing the value of employees who do
not use tobacco products. Today, colleges can help produce future non-smoking
employees by adopting smoke-free policies. Partner with local District
Health Authority to help limit tobacco advertising and promotions on campus.
Contact Smoke-Free Nova Scotia for information about treatment and support
services available in communities throughout the province.
To find out how you can help reduce the cost of tobacco in Nova Scotia,
please contact Smoke-Free Nova Scotia in metro Halifax at 864-9633 or toll
free at 1-866-777-7374 . Check us out on the web at www.smokefreens.ca
