Funds announced for anti-smoking projects

Page 8

Onion Lake First Nation is one of three First Nations in Canada selected to take part in a pilot project aimed at reducing smoking among Aboriginal youth.

The First Nation will receive $75,000 to develop and run projects designed to encourage youth within the community not to smoke.

The money is coming from the First Nations Youth Anti-Smoking Project (FNYAS), with sponsorship from two tobacco companies.

Applications for funding under the project were received from more than 30 First Nations communities, with three selected to receive funding.

The Mohawks of Akwesasne, Ont., and the Alexis band from Alta. were also selected to take part in the project.

Harvey McCue is coordinator of the FNYAS project. He said the project was started to try to address the high rate of youth smoking in First Nations communities.

The numbers show the rate of smoking among First Nations youth is twice that of non-Aboriginal youth.