At QuitNow, we help British Columbians quit smoking, but we couldn’t do it all on our own. In fact, much of our success relies on community partners. One of these partners is Nancy Viney, who has dedicated the last eight years of her career to decreasing tobacco use and increasing smoke-free spaces in Northern British Columbia
As a registered nurse, Nancy has witnessed firsthand both the physical and financial consequences of smoking. “I would see low birth weights in babies, and impoverished families spending 700 dollars a month on their addiction,” she says. “After working in a sexual health clinic and noticing the high rates of smoking in young women, I knew I wanted to provide education that would prevent smoking wherever possible.”
As the Regional Nursing Lead: Tobacco Reduction for the Northern Health Authority, Nancy is always looking for new ways to protect her community from the harmful effects of tobacco use. “We’ve recently updated our smoke-free grounds policy and are working on improving compliance,” Nancy says. “It gives me joy when I visit the hospital and don’t see anyone smoking outside. We want to provide a supportive environment for everyone to avoid tobacco and tobacco smoke.”
Though Nancy’s work yields significant long-term progress, she can always count on QuitNow to provide immediate support for those who need it. “When I identify a tobacco user, it’s great to have a place to refer them that I know will have free, up-to-date resources and help them quit smoking,” she says. “Tobacco reduction needs to be a priority in our communities and I hope to support more people to live tobacco free.”
Do you know someone who is a champion for smoke-free spaces? Let us know at quitnow@bc.lung.ca.
