Health Region Links With Experts in Kicking the Habit

By 250 News

Northern Health  is  linking its staff and nicotine counselors with some international experts this week to learn the latest information on how to help people kick the nicotine habit.

More than 23% of the population of Northern B.C.  smokes, that  is well above the provincial average of 17%.  Stats also indicate that between 1993 and 2003,  more than 2,900 deaths in Northern B.C. were related to smoking.

Dr.Lorna Medd, Northern Health Medical Officer says the training will give counselors some new information about the most effective strategies to help people quit. "Tobacco use rates in Northern BC are among the highest in the province and this special training is part of ongoing work to help change that."

The Nicotine Intervention Counselling Centre (NICC) training sessions  run through to Friday of this week with Dr. Lowell Dale MD, Associate Director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, and Ms. Denise Jolicoeur MPH, a program director with the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control, sharing their expertise.

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