DFC students get iPads for quitting smoking

Deer Lake’s Antonia Meekis and two other Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School students, along with three student buddies, were recently awarded iPad minis for quitting smoking.
“I thought it would be really hard at first, but once I got my mind off it and began hanging around the people who didn’t smoke, then I did it,” Meekis said after the March 28 tobacco-free awards ceremony. “It feels really good — I’m glad I’m tobacco free.”
The other two other students who also quit smoking were Dakota Achneepineskum and Kansis Mandamin. Nakita Chickekoo, Chanelle Moskotaywenene and Alicia Koostachin were the three student buddies.
Meekis quit smoking about two months ago after first taking up the addictive habit about two years ago. She credits her mother for encouraging her to quit smoking.
“My mom used to be a smoker; then she quit in November,” Meekis said. “After she quit, she said it was my turn and I did it.”
Meekis usually tried to keep herself busy to avoid smoking another cigarette.
“Every time I craved a cigarette, I would just drink water or do something that keeps me busy until the craving goes away,” Meekis said. “I feel better now that I save money instead of buying cigarettes all the time. I used to buy a pack every two or three days.”
More than 70 DFC students signed up for the tobacco-free initiative, which was supported by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Smokers Helpline, the Aboriginal Tobacco Program and the Northwest Tobacco Control Area Network.
Two DFC students, Ishmael Meekis and Kayla Kakepetum, received iPod nanos for making substantial efforts towards quitting smoking by staying tobacco-free for the first week of the initiative and cutting back their smoking by one-to-two cigarettes per day by the end of the initiative.
Seven students also received movie passes for making a whole-hearted effort but not being able to achieve their goals, while another eight students received movie passes for staying smoke-free and supporting their peers over the past month.