Young people say future is smokefree

Young people say future is smokefree

More than 50 young people will take a strong message to the country tomorrow (Thursday 19th September) - that smoking and sport don’t mix. The year seven and eight students (form one and two) are finalists in the Cancer Society’s smokefree speech competitions.

“Young people today have never known smoking in movie theatres, offices, planes or on public transport. They can see the irony of smoking still being allowed in sporting settings like many sports clubs. Their message is that you perform better at sport if you don’t smoke, and that healthy sports venues are smokefree,“ says Cancer Society Health Promotion Programme Manager Liz Price.

Hundreds of students from all over New Zealand entered the competition, which is sponsored by the Freemasons of New Zealand. The prize is two days in Wellington, including competing in the final at Wellington’s premier smokefree sporting venue - the WestpacTrust Stadium. An audience of more than 500 people will be on hand to hear the speeches.

Ms Price says second-hand smoke is a particularly topical issue, as Parliament considers amending smokefree legislation to require smokefree restaurants, clubs, bars and casinos.

“The proposed changes have a firm thumbs up from the speech competition finalists - they are part of the smokefree generation.”

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