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Inspired to quit

Words of a child lead one Rankinmiut to drop the habit
Stewart Burnett
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Smoking can be easy to start and a lifelong journey to quit. For some, it takes some extra inspiration. File photo α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα”­α•†α…α“•α“΅α•α“—α“‚ ᐊα”ͺᕐᓇᙱᑦᑑα”ͺᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— αŠα‘―α“‚ ᓄᖅᖃᕋᓱᓕᕐᓗᒍ. αƒα“šα–α“α“„α‘¦, α±α’‹αŠα•ˆα’ͺα“‚α–…α‘–α’ƒα‘²α“α“‚α•ˆα‘Žα–ƒα•†αŠα–ƒα–…α‘α‘¦.

She had been smoking for 25 years, averaging a pack a day, but it was the words of a child that helped one Rankin Inlet resident drop the habit for good.

β€œI tried quitting quite a few times before that,” recalled the resident, who preferred to remain anonymous while sharing her personal story.

A young person in her life had learned at school about smoking and the damage it can do. She was then asked a difficult question.

β€œThe child asked why I’m trying to die and leave them,” she recalled. β€œI felt very guilty and uncomfortable. It made me really think.”

Still, it wasn’t easy to quit based on that alone. She tried to give up the habit right away but spent the next two years bouncing between different treatment options, such as Nicorette.

β€œNone of them worked on me, so after two years of trying, I just picked a date to give it a shot to go cold turkey,” she recalled. β€œThat’s the only thing that worked for me.”

It’s been six-and-a-half years since she’s smoked now.

β€œI feel better, just generally feel better,” she said about the positive effects since. β€œI still get tempted in social settings, but other than that, I really don’t like the smell anymore.”

She tries not to preach to those around her to follow her lead, though.

β€œI just know how hard it is to quit, and how it’s a personal choice and people need to decide for themselves,” she said. β€œNobody can do it for them, so I just let it be. People are going to do what they’re going to do.”

Her words of advice for those on a similar journey: β€œDon’t give up. Sometimes it takes many, many tries to quit.”

In the territory’s 2019-2020 Tobacco Control and Smoke-Free Places Act annual report, tobacco use rates showed a territory-wide 74 per cent among people ages 12 and up, with some communities reaching as high as 84 per cent, significantly higher than the national rate.

According to that report, smoking tobacco increases the risk of developing tuberculosis by a rate of 3.5 times.

And it’s not just a personal issue. According to nuquits.ca, cigarette butts are the most common litter in the world and take about 18 months to break down and then 12 years to completely degrade.

In Nunavut, retailers cannot sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 19, β€œyet many young people still get tobacco through social sources,” writes nuquits.ca, which include parents and family members.

Regardless of the age of the giver or even with a caregiver’s permission, it is against the law to provide tobacco to anyone younger than 19 years old.

For Tobacco Reduction Month, the Department of Health is encouraging Nunavummiut to start the new year by quitting tobacco.

According to a news release from the department, within two days of quitting, food tastes better and smell improves; in three days, lungs relax and breathing becomes easier; within six months, those who quit will have more energy; and after one year tobacco-free, the risk of a heart attack is half that of someone who smokes.

Nunavummiut can message a counsellor on the Tobacco Has No Place Here Facebook page or call 1-866-368-7848 at any time.

Medications are also available to address cravings and withdrawal from nicotine, such as patches, gum, lozenges, mouth sprays or inhalers. A health centre or pharmacy can offer advice on accessing these products.

25 ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α“šα…α–…α‘α–…, ᖃᓂᑖᓂᑦ ᐃᓗᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᓯᒑᒐᓖᑦ ᐅᑉᓗᑕᒫᒧᑦ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα•™α’ƒα–’α“‚, α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ ᓄᑕᕋᐅᑉ ᐅᖃᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐃᑲα”ͺα“šα…α–…α‘α‘¦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ᐅᑕᕐα’₯ᑦ α“„α–…α–ƒα…α‘Žα’»α’ͺα•†α–•α“‚αŠα•α“—α’ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα“‚α–….

β€œα“―α•—α“‚αŠα’α‘¦ α“„α–…α–ƒα•‹α“±α–ƒα‘¦α‘•α“šα…α–…α‘α–“ ᖃᑉᓰᖅᑕᖅᖒᖓ,” ᐃᖅᖃᐅα’ͺα”ͺα–… ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐα’₯ᐅᑕᖅ, ᑭᓇᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᔭᐅα”ͺα’ͺᙱᑦᑐᖅ ᐅᓂᑉᑳᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᖃα“ͺα“šα’ƒα‘Žα“ͺᓗᒍ.

α’ͺᒃᑯᒃᑑᑉᓗᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᖓᓂᑦ αƒα“•α‘¦α‘Žα“šα…α–…α‘α–… αƒα“•α“α“‚αŠα•α••α–•α’₯ᑦ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α•α“‚α…α‘‰ α’₯ᒃᓡᓄᑦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— ᓱᕋᐃα”ͺᖕᓇᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. αŠα±α•†α”­α…α“•α–…α–’α“‚ ᐊα”ͺᕐᓇᖅᑐα’₯α’ƒ αŠα±α–…α–α‘Žα’₯ᑦ.

β€œα“„α‘•α•‹α…α‘‰ αŠα±α•†α“šα…α–…α‘–α–“ α“²α–… ᑐᖁᓇᓱᖕα’ͺᖔᕐα’ͺ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— α•Ώα’ͺᒑᓗᒋᑦ,” ᐃᖅᖃᐅα’ͺα”ͺα–…. β€œαŠα’ƒα“±αŠα“—α’ƒ α“ˆα’»α’ͺᙱᓐᓂᕐα’₯α’ƒ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— αƒα–’αŠα–α‘¦α‘α’₯α’ƒ αƒα’ƒα±α’‹α“šα…α–…α‘α–“. ᐃᓱα’ͺα‘¦α‘ŽαŠα–…α‘Žα‘¦α‘Žα“•α“šα…α–…α‘α–… ᐅᕙᒻᓂᑦ.”

α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α“±α“•, α“„α–…α–ƒα‘²α…α‘Žα’‹α“‚α–… ᐊα”ͺα•α“‡α“šα…α–…α‘α–… α‘–α’»α“‡α‘αŠα–… ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα’‹α‘‰α“—α’. α“„α–…α–ƒα•‹α“±α‘²α…α‘Žα’‹α“šα…α–…α‘α–… α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α’ͺᕐᕉᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ αŠα”Ύα”¨α’Œα™±α‘¦α‘α“‚α’ƒ α†α’ƒα‘α–ƒα‘¦α‘•α“šα…α–…α‘α–… ᐃᑲα”ͺᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᓂᒃ α“„α–…α–ƒα•α“‚αŠα•α“—α“‚, ᓲᕐᓗ α“‚α‘―α•†αŠα‘¦-α’₯ᑦ (Nicorette).

β€œα“‡α“•α‘αƒα“α“‡α–α‘¦ ᐃᑲα”ͺα“šα…α–α‘¦α‘α‘¦ ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ, α’ͺᕐᕉᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ α“„α–…α–ƒα•‹α“±α–ƒα‘¦α‘•α“šα…α–…α–’α–“, ᐅᑉᓗᕐα’₯ᑦ α“‚α•ˆαŠα“•α“šα…α–…α‘α–“ α“„α–…α–ƒα•†αŠα’₯αŠα•α“‚αŠα•α“—α–“,” ᐃᖅᖃᐅα’ͺα”ͺα–…, β€œα‘•αƒα’ͺᓐᓇ α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ ᐅᕙᒻᓄᑦ ᐊα”ͺα™±α“šα…α–…α‘α–….”

αŠα•α••α“‚α“–α‘¦ ᐅᑭᐅᓂᑦ ᓇᑉᐸᖃᖅᖒᓂ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα“šα…α–…α“―α’ͺᙱᓕᖅᑐᖓ.

β€œα±α…α“‚α–…α“΄α’₯α’ƒ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᓕᖅᑐᖓ, ᐱᐅᓂᖅᓴᖅ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᑦᑕᐅα”ͺα’₯α’ƒ αŠα’ƒα‘α–…α“―α“‚α–ƒα•α“‚α–“α“‚α’ƒ ᑕᐃα’ͺᙡᓂᑦ α“„α–…α–ƒα…α‘Žα–•α’ͺᒍ. β€œαƒα“…α–ƒα‘Žα’Œα’ƒα‘α“ƒα“•α•Œα–“α’ͺ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα”ͺα’ͺᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖓ, α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ αŠα“―αŠα’α‘¦, ᓇᐃα’ͺᑉᓗᒍ ᐱᐅᒋα”ͺᖕᓃᖅᑕᕋ.”

ᐅᖃᐅᔾα”ͺᐃᓇᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ αƒα“…α–ƒα‘Žα–α“α“‚α’ƒ α’ͺα“•α’ƒα‘•α…α“‚αŠα•α“—α“‚ ᓄᖅᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᑦ.

β€œα–ƒα…α”¨α’ͺα”ͺα–“ ᐊα”ͺᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ α“„α–…α–ƒα…α‘Žα“‚α–…, αŠα’»α’ͺα“— ᐃᖕα’₯α–•α“‚α’ƒ ᐱα”ͺα’ͺα’α‘Žα’ƒ α“‚α•ˆαŠα•†αŠα–ƒα–…α‘α‘¦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓱα’ͺα“•αŠα•†αŠα–ƒα–…α‘α‘¦ ᐃᖕα’₯ᖕᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. β€œα‘­α“‡α‘αƒα“α“‡α–… ᐃᖕα’₯ᖕᓂᑦ ᐱα”ͺᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ, ᐃᓱα’ͺα’‹α™±α’₯αŠα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α–…α‘•α•‹. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•α“‚αŠα•α’ͺα‘• α–ƒα“„αƒα“•α…α•ˆα’ͺᔭᖓᓐᓂᑦ.”

ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔨᓂᕆᔭᖏᑦ αŠα”Ύα”¨α•α“šα–“α’Žα–…α‘α“„α‘¦: β€œα†α’ƒα‘αƒα“α“‡α’₯αŠα•α“—α‘Žα‘¦ α“„α–…α–ƒα•‹α“±α’‘α“—α‘Žα‘¦. ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊα’₯ᓱᐃᖅᑕᕐᓗᓂ α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α“„α–…α–ƒα•‹α“±α’ƒα–’α“‚.”

ᓄᓇᕗᒻα’₯ᑦ 2019-2020-α’₯ᑦ ᑐᐹᑯᓂᒃ αŠα…α“šα‘¦α‘Žα“‚α–… αŠα’»α’ͺα“— α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα‘¦α‘•αƒα“•α•α••α…α”ͺᑦ ᐃᓂᐅα”ͺᓂᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᕐᒧᑦ αŠα•α•Œα’α‘•α’«α–…α“―α…α‘Ž ᐅᓂᑉᑳᖓᓐᓂᑦ, α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα“²α“‚α‘¦ α‘•α‘―α’ƒα“΄α…α‘Žα‘¦α‘Žα“šα…α–…α‘α–… ᓄᓇᕗᓗᒃᑖᕐα’₯ᑦ 74 α³α“΄α“α‘Žα–α‘¦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᓄᑦ 12-ᓂᑦ ᐅᖓᑖᓄα“ͺα“—, αƒα“šα–α‘¦ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ α‘Žα‘­α“―α’ͺα‘‰α“—α‘Žα’ƒ 84 α³α“΄α“α‘Žα’§α‘¦, α–α‘¦α‘Žα–•α“‚α–…α“΄α‘²α“ͺα“šα…α”ͺα–… ᑲᓇᑕᓗᒃᑖᒧᑦ α“ˆα“΄α…α‘Žα…α”ͺα’₯ᑦ.

ᐅᓂᑉᑳα’₯ᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᓯα’ͺα”ͺα–…, α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α•α“‚α–… α…α“—α•†αŠα“‡α•α“‚α•α’₯α’ƒ αŠα–α’‘α“•α’‹αŠα–…α“―α”ͺα–… α³α•™α’‘α“—α–•α“‚α–…α‘–α•ˆα–•α“‡α•α“‚α•α’§α‘¦ α“ˆα“΄α…α‘Žα’ƒα‘―α‘¦ 3.5-ᖏᖅᑕᖅᓯα’ͺᑉᓗᓂ.

ᓇᖕα’₯ᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔾα”ͺα‘Žα‘αƒα“α“‡α…α–α‘¦α‘α–…. nuquits.ca-α’₯ᑦ, ᓯᒑᒐᓖᑦ α–ƒα’₯ᑕᐅα”ͺᓂᑦ ᑕᐃα’ͺᐅᒐα”ͺα“›α–‘α”ͺᑦ α‘•α’ͺᐅᖓα’₯αŠα–…α“―α’ͺα”ͺᓂᑦ αŠα’ƒα‘•α‘―α“‚α‘¦ ᓄᓇᕐα”ͺαŠα•α’₯ᑦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— 18 ᑕᖅᖀᑦ α±αŠα“‚α’ƒαΈα‘• α‘­α“―αŠα“‚ α“―α–α‘‰α‘Žα“•α“΅α“²α‘¦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— 12 ᐅᑭᐅᑦ α±αŠα“‚α’ƒαΈα‘• α“„α–‘α‘¦α‘ŽαŠα“•α‘•αƒα“α“‡α•α“—α‘Žα’ƒ.

ᓄᓇᕗᒻα’₯ᑦ, α“‚α…α••αŠα’ƒα“΄α–ƒα“²α‘¦ ᑐᐹᑯᓂᒃ α“‚α…α••αŠα’ƒα“΄α–ƒα•α“‚α–… ᐊα”ͺᖅᑐᑦ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒧᑦ 19 ᑐᖔᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᓄᑦ, β€œα‘­α“―αŠα“‚αŠα’₯ᓱᐃᑦ α’ͺᒃᑯᒃᑐᐃᑦ α“‚α…α••α•ˆα”Ύα”­α…α–ƒα‘¦α‘•α–…α‘α‘¦ αŠα“―α–α“α“„α‘¦,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᑦ nuquits.ca, αƒα“šα…α‘‰α“—α‘Žα’ƒ αŠα–“α”ͺᖅᖄᖏᓐᓄᑦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— α–ƒα‘•α™³α‘Žα–α“α“„α‘¦.

ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ α…α‘­α…α–ƒα•‹α“—αŠα–…αΈα‘¦ ᑐᓂᓯα”ͺα–… α…α•α•™α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ α‘²α’ͺᔨᐅα”ͺᒧᑦ ᐱα”ͺα–•α“‡α–…α‘Žα‘•α…α‘‰α“—α“‚, α’ͺᓕᒐᕐα’₯ᑦ α“―α•Ώα’₯α‘¦α‘Žα”ͺα–… ᑐᓂᓯᓗᓂ ᑐᐹᑯᓂᒃ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒧᑦ 19 ᑐᖔᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᒧᑦ.

α‘αΉα‘―α‘α“—αŠα–…α‘•αƒα“•α“‚α•α’§α‘¦ ᑕᖅᕿᕆᔭᐅα”ͺᒧᑦ, α‹α“α“‚αŠα–ƒα–…α‘•αƒα“•α’ͺα”ͺᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᑲα”ͺᖅᑐᐃα”ͺᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻα’₯ᐅᓂᑦ α“„α‘–α–… ᐅᑭᐅᕐα’₯ᑦ α±α’‹αŠα•α“—α‘Žα’ƒ α“„α–…α–ƒα…α‘Žα“‚αŠα•α“—α’ ᑐᐹᑯ.

ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴα’₯ᑦ α“΄α–…α•Ώα‘•α…α“šα…α–…α‘α’₯ᑦ α‹α“α“‚αŠα–ƒα–…α‘•αƒα“•α’ͺα”ͺᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, α’ͺᕐᕉᒃ α…α‘‰α“˜α’ƒ α±αŠα“‚α’ƒαΈα‘• α“„α–…α–ƒα–…α–„α–…α‘Žα“ͺα“—α‘Žα‘¦, α“‚α•†α”­α‘Žα‘¦ α’ͺα’ͺᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— ᓇᐃα’ͺα“‚α–… α±α…α“―α•šα“ͺα“•α–…α–’α“‚, α³α•™α‘Žα‘¦ α–ƒα“±α“‚α–…α“΄α…α‘‰α“—α‘Žα’ƒ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— αŠα“‚α–…α“΅α–…α‘α•α“‚α–… ᐊα”ͺᕐᓇᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖅᖒᓂ; αŠα•α••α“‚α“–α‘¦ ᑕᖅᕿᓂᑦ, ᓄᖅᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐆᒻα’ͺᕆᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ; αŠα’»α’ͺα“— αŠα‘•α…α“―α•α’₯ᑦ ᐅᑭᐅα’₯ᑦ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α•ˆα–•α“ƒα–…α“―α’ͺᓕᕐᓗᓂ, ᐆᒻα’ͺᓯᑦᑐᖕᓇᕐᓂᖅ α“‡α‘‰αΈα•ˆα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α–…α‘α–… α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα–ƒα‘¦α‘•α–…α‘α’₯ᐅᖓᓂᑦ.

ᓄᓇᕗᒻα’₯ᐅᑕᐃᑦ α‘Žα‘Žα•‹α•ˆα–•α“‡α–…α‘α‘¦ ᐅᖃα“ͺα“šα…α”Ύα”¨α”¨α’§α‘¦ (ᑐᐹᑯᐃᑦ ᐃᓂᖃᙱᑦᑐᖅ α‘•α’‘α•™α“‚ [Tobacco Has No Place Here]) α’ͺᒃᐱᖅᑐᒐᖓᓐᓂᑦ Facebook-ᑯᑦ α…α•α•™α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ α…α–ƒα“—α’‘α“—α‘Žα’ƒ 1-866-368-7848-ᒧᑦ ᖃᖓᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ.

αƒα–’αŠα–…α“΄α…α‘α‘¦ α’ͺα“‚α’ͺα–•α’₯α”ͺᑦ ᐃᑲα”ͺᖅᑐᑦ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα”ͺα’ͺᓕᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐα’₯α’ƒ α“„α–‘α‘Žα‘¦α‘Žα“‚α•α’§α‘¦ αŠα’»α’ͺα“— α“„α–…α–ƒα…α‘Žα‘Žα“ͺᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᓯᒑᒐᓖᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓂᑭᑏᓐα’₯ᑦ (nicotine) ᐱα”ͺα“‚α’ƒ, ᓲᕐᓗ α“‚α±α‘Žα‘•α…α“²α‘¦ ᐅᕕᓂᖕᒧᑦ, α‘•α’§αŠα‘¦α‘αŠα‘¦, ᐅᖁᒻα’₯αŠα’αƒα‘¦, ᖃᓂᕐᒧᑦ α“±α΄α–…α‘Žα‘•α…α“²α‘¦ ᐅᕝᕙᓗᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓗᒻᒧᑦ αŠα“‚α–…α“΅α•α“—α“‚ αŠα‘α–…α‘•α…α“²α‘¦. α‹α“α“‚αŠα•α••α’ƒ α…α•α•™α“˜α“α“ƒα‘¦ αƒα–’αŠα–…α“΄α…α‘Žα‘–α•α••α’ƒ ᐃᑲα”ͺα•ˆα–•α“‡α–…α‘α‘¦ α±α“‚αŠα•α“—α“‚ α³α“—αŠα‘¦α‘Žα“±αƒα•ˆα‘Žα“‚α’ƒ.

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