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Nunavik wins provincial non-smoking competition

Four per cent of smokers took part in Quebec challenge

ODILE NELSON

Nunavik was awarded the gold medal on April 30 for the highest regional participation in a Quebec-wide anti-smoking contest.

More than 30,000 people from 15 districts participated in the annual "Quit to Win Challenge" – a contest that saw smokers stop their habit for six weeks in a bid to win prizes.

Only four per cent of Nunavik's smokers participated in the contest but it was enough for Nunavik to win first place.

The Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region won second place with 3.43 per cent participation and Abitibi-Temiscamingue won third with 3.24 per cent.

The Nunavik health and social services board spearheaded the challenge in Nunavik. The health organization modified the campaign to make it culturally relevant and renamed it the "(Stay) Quit to Win Challenge."

In other regions of Quebec, competitors had to be smokers and sign up with non-smoking "partners." But because the smoking rate in Nunavik is above 70 per cent, the health board opened up the contest to non-smokers and allowed smokers to support each other. It also created school, community and family divisions in addition to the individual youth and adult categories.

However, the fact that Nunavik allowed non-smokers to participate did not give the region an edge in the regional participation rates, because provincial judges did not include non-smokers in the totals.

Nunavik also had the biggest jump in participation. Last year, before the board adapted the challenge, there were only three participants.

In Nunavik, the winners were as follows: Tasiujaq won the community challenge, Aupaluk took the school prize, Inukjuak's Davidee Nastapoka won in the adult category, Kangiqsujuaq's Aipilie Sakiagak won the youth category and Pasha Berthe's household won the family category.

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