WEEDLESS WEDNESDAY MAY GO UP IN SMOKE

Youth Group Seeks Name Change for Annual Quit Smoking Day

The Halton Youth Action Alliance (HYAA) is working to get the title
of the annual quit smoking day -- Weedless Wednesday -- changed for 2008.

The group believes the title is misinterpreted by youth and is
drawing attention to marijuana.

In early January, the HYAA surveyed 56 youth aged 13 to 18 in Halton
to explore their understanding and awareness of the term Weedless
Wednesday. The results of the survey indicated that:

- - 95 per cent hadn't heard of Weedless Wednesday

- - 88 per cent didn't think the title Weedless Wednesday represented
the ideas behind the day

- - 81 per cent thought the day had to do with marijuana.

The group sent a letter to the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control
(CCTC) that identified their concerns on the issue and included
results of the survey and some suggestions for alternative titles
such as QUIT (Quit Using It Today), TGIF (Tobacco Goes Invisible
Friday) and Wheezeless Wednesday.

The youth alliance will be following-up with the CCTC to discuss the
recommendations. The group suggested in its letter that a contest be
held in high schools across the country to come up with an
alternative title for Weedless Wednesday.

The HYAA is comprised of 21 high school youth employed by Halton
Region to support youth tobacco prevention efforts in the community.

"It is of great value that we have the peer leaders on staff to
assist us in making sure the health messages we are promoting are
clear to all Halton residents including youth," said Halton Medical
Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal.

National Non-Smoking Week and Weedless Wednesday are co-ordinated by
the CCTC. The public education campaign takes place during the third
week of January and has been running since 1977.

Weedless Wednesday is a day set aside during National Non-Smoking
Week to encourage people to have a smoke-free day. The idea behind
the day is to promote a one-day-at-a-time approach to quitting smoking.

For more information on the HYAA call 905-825-6000 or visit www.halton.ca.