Quit Now, It’s about whānau

1 May 2013

Quit Now, It’s about whānau

The international World Smokefree Day is coming up. It is an annual event, created by the World Health Organisation in 1987, fully endorsed by our Government, and part of working towards the national goal of a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says: “It’s about freedom, it’s about whānau, and being there for those you love. Take up the challenge and take a step towards a Smokefree Aotearoa - quit smoking on 31 May, World Smokefree Day.”

“Research indicates that at least eight out of every 10 people who smoke regret starting, and six in every 10 have tried quitting in the last five years,” says Dr Denise Barnfather, Medical Officer of Health at the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS). She adds that “Most smokers want to quit, but they don’t always have the support they need and don’t always know how.”

World Smokefree Day (WSD) is exactly what that’s all about – providing an opportunity to encourage and help those who want to quit smoking. It’s also about providing information for friends and whānau who are cheering the person on, and promoting smokefree environments for kids. That’s why, in Aotearoa, the key message is: ‘Quit now – it’s about whānau’. This year there are over 30 organisations, including the three District Health Boards (DHBs), community groups and local government, as well as 20 pharmacies, involved across the greater Auckland region. The DHBs (Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau), provide coordination of localised community activities as well as running Smokefree events in all of the hospitals. Check out their calendar of events here.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service, in addition to being the Auckland lead agency for World Smokefree Day, also runs a number of programmes to reduce tobacco use and minimize its harm. The Health Promotion Team works with the Smokefree Coordinators in the three DHBs as well as Maori communities and social services to facilitate information, resources, training and relationships/engagement with cessation services. Smokefree Officers have a role in enforcing smokefree legislation and ensuring cigarettes aren’t sold to minors. ARPHS also runs the Pacific Quit Smoking Service, a joint project of Auckland and Waitemata DHBs, providing language-specific support, information and coaching for Pacific people, and others who want to quit. One participant said:

“I found it was right for me, and it was free. The cessation worker spoke in my own language and explained information in a way that was easy to understand. His gentle approach and attitude made me feel comfortable, the visits became like family meetings where we discussed smoking as a family problem not just my problem.”

Find further information and resources see: http://www.arphs.govt.nz/health-information/alcohol-tobacco/arphs-smokefree/helping-people-become-smokefree

World Smokefree Day is known in other countries as World No Tobacco Day. For more information on World Smokefree Day, go to: www.worldsmokefreeday.org.nz

ENDS

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