Blind River council approved a proclamation for a smoke-free environment after it heard a presentation Tuesday evening from the local STEALTH group of young people.
The group was made up of Grade 11 W.C. Eaket Secondary School student Justin Roy, St. Mary’s Grade 8 student Susan Riley, Youth Engagement Coordinator with Algoma Public Health Corina Artuso and Public Health nurse Lauren Iles.
Artuso pointed out to council that the local STEALTH (Students, Tolerance, Education, Awareness Leading Tomorrow’s Heros} group is made up of students promoting a smoke-free community along with other health related issues.
“This is not an anti smoking committee,” Artuso said. “They look at preventing people from smoking. This is about the youth in your community.”
Roy said the group at his school recently picked up about 576 cigarette butts near school property, indicating that smoking continues to be a health problem.
Riley acknowledged that it was the first time she had been part of a public presentation on behalf of the group. Mayor Sue Jensen congratulated the Grade 8 student for taking part in the presentation.
Artuso was asked whether vapor cigarettes were also part of the long-term plan to combat smoking of regular cigarettes.
She said the provincial government has yet to treat the use of vapor cigarettes as a cleaner alternative to regular cigarettes.
“There’s a lot of information we don’t understand,” she said as the product being used as a safe alternative. “We are taking a guarded approach.”
“For young people it can be a gateway for smoking. It’s not something we promote,” she added.
Council voted in favor of the proclamation that will run from May 28 to June 1 and applauded the group’s work in the community.