Service can help your New Year’s Resolution come true

West Coast stop smoking service can help your New Year’s Resolution come true

Press release, Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini, 30 December 2016

A new West Coast smokefree service will make it easier for Coasters wanting to beat the 1 January tobacco price rise and achieve their New Year’s resolution to quit smoking.

Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini provides intensive and personalised smokefree support to people on the West Coast who want to quit stop smoking. 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.

Manager Gail McLauchlan says that while it’s great smoking rates on the West Coast have decreased in all age groups since 1999, one in five Coasters still smoke. 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.

“At any one time there are hundreds of people on the Coast who want to save money and improve their health by quitting for good. At New Year’s there’s always an additional peak in the numbers who want to quit and we’re here to help them get achieve their goal,” says Gail.

Gail McLauchlan says stopping smoking isn’t just great for your health; it’s also great for your wallet.

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

“With smoking getting more and more expensive there’s never been a better time to stop,” says Gail.

Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini is a free service that is tailored to what works best for the individual.

“The first thing we do with our clients is meet with them face-to-face and set a quit date. Once we’ve got a quit date we work intensively with them to help them achieve their goal and stay smokefree.

“We know giving up smoking can be hard but there’s clear evidence that having the right support makes you much more likely to be successful,” says Mrs McLauchlan.

An individual stop smoking programme could include ongoing face-to-face meetings, texting, videoing, skyping, emails, or attending group sessions. As well as customised support, clients can also access free Nicotine Replacement Therapy patches, gum and lozenges.

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.

To start your smokefree journey with Oranga Ha - Tai Poutini go to www.StopSmokingWestCoast.org.nz or phone 0800 456121.

© Scoop Media