Smoke Free Waikato Playgrounds

(PR.co.nz) The South Waikato District Council installed four new signs, promoting smoke free playgrounds in the district yesterday on World Smoke Free Day.

Council is working with Population Health Waikato District Health Board to have a sign at every public playground in the district which states, “Hey big people. . . We copy what we see. . . So keep our playgrounds smoke free.”

Tainui Full Primary, Tokoroa Central, Buckland Street Early Learning Centre and Tirau Full Primary all attended a launch at a local playground to show support for the signs.

South Waikato Mayor Neil Sinclair said “This is a positive start to educating young adults and adults of the need to be positive role models in our community for our future generations.”

Statistics provided by Health Promoter Jeremy Tafau of Population Health shows that South Waikato district has the second highest rate of smoking of the ten districts in the Waikato DHB region. On a positive note, smoking rates between 1996 and 2006 have dropped by 2.2 per cent, from 29.2 per cent to 27.0 per cent, in the South Waikato district.

The focus of World Smoke Free Day 2011 was about providing an opportunity to support those on their quitting journey, and the friends and whānau who helped them along the way. People who are looking to quit smoking can contact Quitline on 0800 778 778, alternatively people can also log onto www.quit.org.nz to access resources and information on becoming smokefree.

Over the next few weeks, 11 more signs will be installed in our playgrounds. Once more funding is available, similar signs will also be installed at the districts sports grounds.

Read more on the Smokefree web page – http://www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/smokefree.

Media Release 1 June 2011 from Waikato District Health Board.