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West Coasters keen to quit smoking

West Coasters keen to quit smoking
Press release, Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini, 20 January 2017

A new West Coast stop smoking service is proving popular with locals wanting to quit smoking.

Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini was launched in December and provides intensive and personalised support to help people on the West Coast stop smoking. The service complements the existing stop smoking services on the West Coast.

Manager Gail McLauchlan says the team have been amazed with the response.

“So far in January over forty people have come to us for support to stop smoking. We’re working with everyone of them to help them achieve their goal and stay smokefree,” says Gail.

Gail says that while everyone has their own reason for wanting to stop smoking, many have said the 1 January tax rise, combined with a New Year’s resolution to quit, has led to the big spike in people seeking support.

“It really comes down to the cost of smoking on people’s health and their wallets. People are sick of spending so much of their money on cigarettes, and know the more they smoke, the less time they’ll be able to have with their loved ones.”

To celebrate the launch of the new service, everyone who signs up to start their smokefree journey by the end of January, and who is smokefree for one month, will go into the draw to win one of five $100 New World vouchers.

“People who go smokefree often get a shock about how much more money they have each week to spend on groceries. Five lucky people who go smokefree with us will be able to treat themselves and their whānau to an even bigger shop!”

Oranga Hā - Tai Poutini employ three staff dedicated to helping people on the West Coast become smokefree - Joseph Mason, Trish Hunt and Kerri-Ann Rakena. To start your smokefree journey with Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini go to www.StopSmokingWestCoast.org.nz or phone 0800 456121.

On January 1 2017 the average cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes increased by ten per cent to around $25.

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