More Manitobans are butting out.
Provincial Director of Population Oncology for CancerCare Manitoba, Dr. Donna Turner says in a report, it showed that Manitoba has the second lowest smoking rate in Canada.
"So now the smoking rate in Manitoba is down to 16.2% so that is really great news. We were over 20% just a few years ago."
Turner adds there are a few factors as to why the rate is down.
"One of the things that we think is happening is that the education and the messaging about how important it is not to smoke is actually really starting to resinate with people. A second thing, is that we think the taxes that have been put by the provincial government onto cigarettes, which has increased over the years, is also having an affect."
Also from the report, it showed that Manitoba fared well on cancer screening tests as well.
The province led the country in colorectal cancer tests, with 65% of those aged 50 to 74 completing one form of that screening in recent years.
Turners adds that the province is also number two in cervical screening with pap tests and number four, very close to the top group, in breast cancer screening
