World Smokefree Day celebrated in Hawke’s Bay

25 May 2005

World Smokefree Day celebrated in Hawke’s Bay

World Smokefree Day is celebrated on 31 May, and Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s new Auahi Kore Smokefree health promoter, Gevana Dean, says it’s a great day for people to make a smokefree wish.

“Regardless of whether your wish is for a smokefree home or car, it’s worth making the wish …anything is possible.

“In recent years many people have wished for their lives to be smokefree, and thanks to smokefree legislation, this is now largely true. Since 10 December last year, all workplaces, including bars, restaurants and clubs have been smokefree, with schools and early childhood centres smokefree 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

However, it’s not all good news as smoking still kills an estimated 4,700 people annually.

“That’s a lot of mums and dads, aunties and uncles, children and grandparents dying every year. I can’t think of a better reason to wish for a smokefree world,” Gevana said.

Gevana said a range of health providers in Hawke’s Bay had come together to mark World Smokefree Day in Hawke’s Bay. “We’re working with the Heart Foundation, Cancer Society, Asthma Society, Sport Hawkes Bay, Te Kupenga Hauora, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, Choices, the Pacific Island Advisory Group, Heath Protection, Public Health Nurses and Hawke’s Bay Primary Health Organisation.

A number of events are planned, including:
the Smokefree Rock Quest, which is on Saturday night from 8-11pm at the Pettigrew.Green Arena Taradale
The Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Hikoi for Health ‘midway motivator’, which is on the 29th of May being held along the Napier pathway from Westshore to Bayview at 9.30am
a celebration along Marine Parade ‘Smokefree - Spirit of Napier to the Children’s playgfround’ will see 350 Smokefree balloons released at 9.30am on Tuesday 31 May, in front of the Spirit Of Napier. The balloons will represent the estimated 350 New Zealanders who die from second hand smoke each year. Napier City Council have declared the stretch of Marine Parade from the Spirit to Napier statue to the children’s playground to be smokefree from 8am – 8pm on World Smokefree Day.
Smokefree balloons will be displayed along the Omahu Road perimeter of Hawke’s Bay Hospital

For facts on the damage smoking does to your health, check out page two of this release, or click on HYPERLINK "http://www.worldsmokefreeday.co.nz/" www.worldsmokefreeday.co.nz/

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board has two smoking cessation advisors, Rangi Barcham and Yvonne Stirling Mohi, who are available to assist anyone in the community wanting to quit smoking. For more information, phone 878 8109 ext. 2473

END

SMOKING FACTS
Tobacco is the only consumer product that kills people when used as the manufacturer intends.
Half of all continuing smokers will die from smoking – an average of 14 years early.
Tobacco smoking kills around 4,700 New Zealanders every year.
Globally, 1.1 billion people smoke. Each year tobacco causes some four million early deaths.
By the year 2030, tobacco is likely to be the world’s leading cause of death and disability, killing more than 10 million people annually and claiming more lives than HIV, tuberculosis, motor vehicle accidents, suicide and homicide combined.
Smoking causes deaths from lung cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, heart disease and stroke.
Smoking causes one in four of all cancer deaths in New Zealand.

Second-hand smoke
Second-hand smoke is a mixture of smoke breathed out by the smoker (mainstream smoke) and smoke released from the lit cigarette (sidestream smoke).
It is the leading environmental cause of preventable death in New Zealand. It is estimated that around 350 New Zealanders are killed by other people’s tobacco smoke each year.
A lit cigarette is like a little toxic waste dump on fire. Second-hand smoke contains acetone (paint stripper), ammonia (toilet cleaner), cyanide (rat killer), DDT (insecticide) and carbon monoxide (car exhaust fumes).
Second-hand smoke has been shown to cause: coronary heart disease, lung cancer, acute stroke, eye and nasal irritation, nasal and sinus cancer.