SEARHC - SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium

SEARHC applauds ANB/ANS tobacco-free resolution

Bingo and pull-tab players will be able to breathe a little easier next year, and so will people attending potlatches, art gatherings and other events that take place at Alaska Native Brotherhood/Alaska Native Sisterhood facilities in Southeast Alaska.

The ANB/ANS Grand Camp unanimously passed a resolution on Oct. 7, during the 94th Grand Camp Convention in Hoonah, that takes all ANB/ANS facilities tobacco-free. SEARHC supports this decision, which will benefit the health of all who use these facilities.

The resolution encourages all ANB and ANS halls to go smoke-free by Jan. 1, 2007. Prior to the vote, Juneau ANB Hall delegates announced plans to go smoke-free by the end of December 2006. Three facilities in Southeast Alaska — the Sitka ANB/ANS Hall, the Haines ANB/ANS Hall and the Klukwan ANS Hall — already have implemented successful tobacco-free policies within the past few years.

"I would like to applaud the ANB/ANS delegates, officers and executive committee for passing a resolution to have all ANB/ANS halls go smoke-free by Jan. 1, 2007," said Wilbur Brown, a tobacco policy coordinator for SEARHC. Brown made a presentation to the Grand Camp on Oct. 6 about tobacco's effects on health.

"I believe this sends the right message to our communities about the dangers of secondhand smoke and smoking," Brown said. "Some may not know that as Alaska Natives we are smoking at a very high rate compared to the rest of the nation. Research shows that the two most effective ways of preventing youth smoking is through taxation and clean indoor air laws. We would like to see more policies in place so we can stop this epidemic that is sweeping through our communities. The ANB/ANS has done a great thing by putting the health of its membership first."

SEARHC offers tobacco cessation counseling to Alaska Natives living throughout Southeast Alaska. This includes providing free nicotine replacement therapy products, such as the patch, gum and lozenges. For more information and help quitting tobacco, call SEARHC's Breath For Life program during regular business hours at 1-907-966-8745 or toll-free within Alaska at 1-888-966-8875. The Alaska Tobacco Quit Line also offers free support and nicotine replacement therapy, and it can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-888-842-QUIT (1-888-842-7848).

For more information contact:

Wilbur Brown, SEARHC Tobacco Policy Coordinator, (907) 966-8745