World Smokefree Day 2016 - Perfect opportunity to quit

World Smokefree Day 2016 - Perfect opportunity to quit

‘Quit now – it’s about whānau’ is the message for this year’s World Smokefree Day, and it starts in Northland’s homes and communities.

“Research indicates that children with parents who smoke are three times more likely to become smokers,” explains Bridget Rowse, Smokefree Advisor, Northland District Health Board.

Celebrated globally on 31 May, this year’s World Smokefree Day is about encouraging and supporting friends, families and whānau across New Zealand to quit, creating environments where our children are free from exposure to tobacco.

“We know that parents, whether they are smokers or not, feel very strongly about not exposing children to smoking”, says Bridget. “Children see their parents smoke and this has a strong effect on what they perceive as normal.”

“Parents, whānau and caregivers can make positive changes to the environment children are growing up in, even if they smoke. Talking to their children about smoking and establishing smokefree rules like not smoking around children, keeping the house and car smokefree is a fantastic start and a step in the right direction to protecting their children” says Bridget.

World Smokefree Day promotes taking control to quit now and supporting each other to take the steps to become smokefree. It’s a great opportunity to stand together as a family or a community and show your support to the future of this country and the health of future generations.

World Smokefree Day is a perfect opportunity to work together to achieve the goal of a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025, encouraging and supporting more people to quit to have a future in which our children and grandchildren will enjoy tobacco-free lives.

“Join with smokers and non-smokers alike, all around the world, and be a role model for the wellbeing of your family in 2016 – it’s about whānau,” Bridget urges.

Join us in celebrating World Smokefree Day, come along and find out about how you can become smokefree.

To get help to stop smoking, talk to your local health provider, Aukati Kai Paipa quit coach www.aukatikaippaipa.co.nz or call Quitline on 0800 778 778, or www.quit.org.nz.

ENDS

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