AHS celebrates World No Tobacco Day

RED DEER – Alberta Health Services (AHS) is raising awareness about World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), observed annually on May 31.

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and premature death in Alberta, causing more than 3,000 deaths each year across the province. Many more Albertans suffer from tobacco-related illnesses.

To help create further awareness, AHS staff will be sharing their messages with Albertans across the province during WNTD, hosting a number of activities with community partners.
Red Deer event details include:

• Public education display will be set up between 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Bower Ponds in Red Deer. Members of the public are encouraged to drop by at their convenience and review information and support services available.

Media are invited to attend at 1:15 p.m. to interview the Central Zone Tobacco Reduction Program manager. 

The AHS Tobacco Reduction Program works to reduce disease, disability and death related to tobacco use across Alberta. For more information about quitting tobacco, contact the AHS Tobacco Reduction Program at 780-422-1350.

AHS offers a variety of programs and services to help Albertans quit all forms of tobacco (including electronic), by telephone (1-866-710-QUIT), group cessation programs and one-on-one counseling. Online supports and resources are also available from www.albertaquits.ca to help Albertans double their chances of quitting. All supports are free of charge and available to all Albertans.

Established by the World Health Organization (WHO), World No Tobacco Day has been an annual observance on May 31 for more than 20 years. It aims to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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