An official with Northern Health is concerned about the popularity of chewing tobacco in hockey.
Reg Wullf, a Tobacco-Reduction Co-ordinator based out of Terrace has been studying players in Manitoba and has found that 52% of male players aged 12 to 21 regularly use some form of smokeless tobacco.
He says that number grows to 75% after players turn 20.
“I think there’s a misconception out there that smokeless tobacco is not as harmful as cigarettes, but smokeless tobacco is linked to oral cancer and that’s really the biggest problem,” he says.
Wullf encourages parents, coaches, and municipalities, to get involved in getting tobacco out of arenas.
To learn more about his study, visit Wullf’s blog at NorthernHealth.ca.
(Photo courtesy Northern Health)
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