Blue light outside Inuit homes sign of tobacco enlightenment

May 31, 2010 – Ottawa, Ontario – Inuit homes will glow a brilliant blue in the coming year to signal a commitment to go smoke-free, said National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, during the launch of two new programs aimed at reducing smoking rates and improving the health of families, infants and new mothers.

“These programs are about reducing the extraordinarily high prevalence of smoking among Inuit, which contributes to a rate of lung cancer among Inuit that is the highest in the world – and rising,” said Simon. “They are about providing support and encouragement to Inuit, and helping families realize that they can take control of their health and their lives.”

The projects include a Blue Light Campaign, in which families are given a blue light bulb to install on their porch to signal that their home is smoke free. The light means either that there are no smokers in the household, that the household’s smokers have always smoked outdoors or that they have begun smoking outdoors to reduce the impact of second-hand smoke on others in the family.

Second-hand smoke is a significant challenge in Inuit communities, given the long, cold winters that keep people indoors for extended periods, the severe overcrowding in many homes and very high smoking rates.

A second project, called Born Smoke-Free, is aimed at women who are pregnant or might become pregnant. Some studies have found smoking rates of 80% or more among pregnant women. In Iqaluit, researchers determined that 85% of infants had been exposed to tobacco in the womb.

“Recognizing these alarming statistics does not mean casting judgment,” said Simon. “Our goal is to promote Inuit-specific, culturally affirming and community-empowering initiatives to reduce the use of tobacco among Inuit.”

The programs have operated in several Nunatsiavut and Nunavik communities, and will now be extended to select communities in Nunavut and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories, as well as one additional Nunavik community. The programs will also target Inuit households in Ottawa through the Ottawa-based Tungasuvvingat Inuit.
The launch of the programs coincides with the annual World No Tobacco Day, a World Health Organization initiative that this year puts the focus on tobacco use among women.