This year's winners are Paul Green from Paulatuk and Abigail Guthrie from Yellowknife. Both will receive a 32 GB IPad and case.

Where there's smokeless, there's fire

Study shows young smokers prefer brand name cigarettes

By Joe Strizzi

Despite the fact that contraband cigarettes are much cheaper, kids are more likely to smoke brand-name cigarettes, according to an analysis of data from the Youth Smoking Survey by Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada (PSC). PSC released the results of its analysis on January 19, highlighting the brand preferences of youth in elementary and high schools.  It also provided estimates of the revenues received by governments, multinational tobacco companies and retailers from youth smoking.

From April 4-8th, the Aboriginal Sports Circle NWT hosted the 2011 Sport & Leadership Youth Conference in Yellowknife. The conference brought together 11 youth from across the territory to participate in three days of intense comprehensive training in all aspects of leadership, using examples and teachings from both traditional and contemporary viewpoints.

The Canadian Cancer Society has launched an on-line video contest to get young people talking about tobacco.
 
Saskatchewan has the highest youth smoking rates in the country.  The contest is aimed at 12 to 24 year olds and encourages young people to share their views, experiences and thoughts by submitting a short video.
 
The contest is open until mid April.  After that, the public will have a chance to vote on their favorite videos in three age categories.   

Tobacco free is the way to be and NWT athletes are proud to role model their healthy lifestyle choices on the popular “Don’t Be a Butthead” poster series.
The colourful posters have been receiving rave reviews and requests for additional copies have already flooded the Butthead office.

Building Leadership for Action in Schools Today (BLAST) is a program that empowers and encourages youth to make positive changes within their schools, peer groups and communities. BLAST primarily focuses on educating about the truths about tobacco and the tobacco industry, as well as the health effects of tobacco use.

World No Tobacco Day May 31, 2010 took off with 80 youth from Yellowknife and Behchoko running from City Hall to various pit stops, road blocks and detours around town. The event was based on the television show ‘The Amazing Race’ but with a Butthead twist. Some of the 8 stops were physically challenging while others challenged students’ minds and emotions. 

Pit stops included a mock funeral complete with an occupied coffin, a session at Breakaway fitness where youth learned the Butthead rap written by Godson, and a hidden dangers station where chemicals in tobacco were matched with the household products