Trust. Integrity. Reputation.
October - 2007New tobacco control strategy falls short
By Joe Couture
Windspeaker Writer
REGINA
On Aug. 20, the federal government announced new goals for reducing smoking rates, but according to prominent experts in Saskatchewan, those goals are unrealistic, especially considering the lack of a tobacco control strategy for First Nations people.
Tony Clement, the federal health minister, said the new Federal Tobacco Control Strategy will aim to reduce Canada's overall smoking prevalence from the 2006 figure of 19 per cent to 12 per cent by 2011, mainly through programs designed to get smokers to butt out.
Rhae Ann Bromley is the spokesperson for Saskatchewan's Heart and Stroke Foundation, which works closely on tobacco control issues with the Canadian Cancer Society. The 12 per cent goal is overly aggressive, she said, especially in light of the fact that smoking rates in Saskatchewan are higher than the Canadian average along all demographics.
Considering that last fall the federal government cut funding to the Aboriginal tobacco control strategy, Bromley said the government will have a hard time reaching its goal in Aboriginal communities.
"I'm not sure this can be effective unless it's in conjunction with renewed funding for the First Nations and Inuit Tobacco Control Strategy," she said.
"We know that smoking rates in many First Nations communities are even triple that of non-Aboriginal populations, so we really have to commit resources to helping bring those rates down."
Regina-based expert Shaine Peters agrees. He's worked for more than a decade on tobacco control issues around the country, and as a public speaker on the issue, he has spent time working in numerous Aboriginal communities.
"For me, (the federal government's plan) just doesn't even make sense," he said. "It's just words ... I try my best not to be pessimistic, but for 10 years now of following federal government and even provincial government announcements, I can recall at least eight or nine federal government announcements saying they're going to deal with the issue and yet we're still at square one, where we were 10 years ago."
The lack of an Aboriginal tobacco strategy is of particular concern for Peters as well.
"Saskatchewan currently sits around 11 or 12 per cent of the population being First Nations, with around 25 per cent of young people, I believe, under the age of seven being of First Nations descent," he said.
"We know the smoking rates among some Aboriginal communities are significantly higher," he said. "We're looking at around 60 per cent (of people who smoke.) That being said, what's also interesting is that a year ago, the federal government cut the Aboriginal tobacco control strategy, so any progress that was being made was completely eliminated. If they do ever institute another one, it will be starting from ground zero again, because you have to start from scratch."
Peters believes that to be effective, tobacco control strategies need to happen from the community level and be grassroots-based, so the elimination of the strategy was especially problematic. Promises were made to introduce another strategy, but the government has not yet followed through.
"Cutting the Aboriginal tobacco strategy, whether they felt it was working or not, was absolutely inexcusable," Peters said. "I think what the Conservative government failed to realize is that in any issue that you're tackling, it takes time."
Peters has a list of a number of issues that are top priorities for reducing tobacco use among First Nations people. No. 1 is making changes to the tobacco tax structures.
"Status First Nations do not have to pay some of the taxes on cigarette products, which basically reduces the cost nearly in half," he said. "With cigarette products, it's a fact that with increased price levels, you do see the numbers (of smokers) decrease. As smoking becomes more expensive, people do quit or reduce significantly."
Peters suggests the federal government should allow First Nations to impose a tobacco tax at the band level. That would serve two purposes-the cost of smoking would become more prohibitive, and the band could use the money raised through the tax to fund community-based anti-smoking programs.
In the past six years, tax-exempt shipments of cigarettes to Saskatchewan First Nations have risen from 37 million to 245 million cigarettes per year, he added. There isn't a limit on the number of cigarettes a person can purchase, so many people are buying more cigarettes than they'll smoke and selling them to non-Aboriginal people for a profit, but still at a lower cost.
"We are finding non-Aboriginal people basically taking advantage of this loophole either through people they know, or phony treaty cards, or many locations may not even ID you or ask for a status card," he said.
In addition, certain cigarette brands are now being designed to be more appealing to Aboriginal smokers.
"What we're seeing is new tobacco products that are popping up," he said.
"They're using cultural icons or symbols as a means to promote the product. On one of the two brands in Saskatchewan, there's a tipi. On the other, there is a cartoon picture of a feather. What they're doing is basically popularizing or glamourizing the icons that are well-respected in the First Nations community and attaching them to a manufactured product that kills one in two people that use it.
"It definitely encourages sales," he continued. "Every time I go to the (First Nations) gas stations, I always ask, 'What is the top selling brand?' And it is those two brands, hands down ... They just say, 'Hey look, they're First Nations cigarettes.' Somebody's getting rich making these. They're not any more healthy or less healthy than regular brands. Some people would argue with me and say, 'It's cultural.' Tobacco is cultural.' But smoking a package of cigarettes a day is not."
Issues of brands aside, the government needs to do more in terms of funding anti-smoking programs in general, and needs to involve Aboriginal people more, especially when it comes to things like mass media campaigns, Peters explained.
"We absolutely need to get Elders on board," he said. "We need them to unite and say, 'We are going to address this issue.' But I think in the Aboriginal community, there's a feeling there are more important issues to deal with. Smoking unfortunately isn't a top priority right now."
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