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PORT PERRY "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2000 - 15 Cancer Society launches help line for smokers Approximately 21 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and over, or almost two million people, are daily smokers. About half of these individuals will likely die of smoking- related illnesses. "This is an alarming statistic, made all the more tragic because the projected one million deaths due to smoking in this province are entirely preventable," says Ted Wheatley, President of the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division. In response to this urgent health priority, CCS has launched a Smokers' Helpline in Ontario to provide infor- mation, advice and support to those who want to over- come their tobacco dependency. The Smokers' Helpline is unique in the world. "Other provinces and other countries are keenly interested in this service, and we think it will become a model for other jurisdictions," says Paul McDonald, a smoking cessation From page 9 ME MYSELF AND IRENE: For sheer bawdy, devilishly nasty humour, look no further that Me, Myself and Irene, the lat- est Jim Carrey film from the creators of Dumb and Dumber (1994) and Something About Mary (1998). Very funny, but very dark, Me, Myself and Irene offers Jim Carrey one of his finest comic roles, and perhaps his greatest challenge as a comedic actor. Far too often in Carrey's early work he is over the top, never quite knowing when to pull back enough for the audience to see the character instead of the caricature. But here, as he was in the vastly under-appreciated The Cable Guy (1995), the man is darkly brilliant. As the gentle cop who takes the many hits life throws his way, Carrey is sweet and downright endearing until one day he snaps, and a gleefully vicious alter ego emerges Carrey"s latest vehicle is nasty... but funny to wreak havoc on the lives around him. Carrey is marvelous as the split personality, bringing to vivid life the lovable schnook who just keeps getting dumped on, as well as the bold and energized maniac who emerges a tad tired of all the garbage thrown his way. Yes, it is a bit like The Nutty Professor (1996), but reach further to rec- ognize the film is also a wild updating of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Is Me, Myself and Irene grand movie art? Hardly, but when 1 laughed, which was often, I laughed loudly because the picture is genuinely funny. With his recent ventures into dramatic acting with The Truman Show (1998) and Man on the Moon (1999), audi- ences may have forgotten just how wildly funny Jim Carrey can be. This film, as outra- geous as it is, provides a happy reminder. CRIME STOPPERS Thieves made off with farmer's tractor Crime Stoppers and Durham Regional Police need your assistance in solving a theft that occurred in Oshawa on June 17 of this year. Sometime on Saturday, June 17, a farm tractor was stolen while parked at the rear of Mr. Air at 721 Bloor Street West in Oshawa. The owner brought the vehicle to this location on Friday, June 16 for repairs. The trac- tor described as a green John Deere 4x4 equipped with a front-end loader is valued as approximately $40,000. Anyone who may have observed any suspi- cious activity or heavy equipment capable of removing the tractor from the Bloor Street premises on June 17 is asked to call Durham Regional Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers will pay cash for any information that will lead to an arrest in this incident. Callers never have to give their name or testify in court and the program does not use call display. The numbers are 436- 8477 or 1-800-222-TIPS. expert and advisor to CCS. The support line is unique in that it is designed to help all smokers, not just those who are actively trying to quit. At any given time, only about 15 per cent of smokers are making a quit attempt. "We wanted to reach out to the other 85 per cent as well," said Mr. McDonald. The Smokers' Helpline also recognizes smokers have to decide for themselves how and when they want to quit. "We're here to support them, not to lecture or put pres- sure on them. We recognize how difficult it is to quit," says Wheatley. | The toll-free support line -- 1-877-513-5333 -- is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The service is available in th English and French. Funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the SI million initiative is the first sych support line to be established province-wide. The Smokers' Helpline assists individuals by providing mage- rials, referral to local smoking cessation resources, and support from trained advisors. McDonald says the results from a pilot test have bden extremely encouraging, and he estimates that ghe Smokers' Helpline will help more than 10 per cent offall callers successfully overcome their tobacco dependendy - - about double the quit rate of traditional self-help pyo- grams. "This service will make a difference. It will makg a significant contribution to the health of our populatio There are now more former smokers (2.4 million) than smokers (1.9 million) in the province. Some 750,000 péo- ple in Ontario made at least one quit attempt in the phst year, and some 186,000 of these individuals were slic- cessful. CLEARANCE RIGHT HERE AT PHILP. PONTIAC BUICK There will never be a better deal on 1. new Pontiac-Buick-GMC vehicle sla dle lal altel" : U fo BEST B) =A! 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