World No Tobacco Day the perfect time to quit
Thinking of giving up the dreaded ciggies?
If so, the perfect day to start is on the 20th annual World No Tobacco Day tomorrow, 31 May, and the North Coast Area Health Service says the theme of ‘Smoke Free Environments’ is aimed at highlighting the dangers of passive smoking.
“Rigorous research leaves no doubt that breathing second-hand tobacco smoke is very dangerous,” said Uta Dietrich, NCAHS Director of Health Promotion.
“It causes cancer as well as serious respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in children and adults, often leading to death. There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.”
Urging all smokers to ensure that their cars and homes are Smoke Free zones by smoking only in open-air environments would reduce the risk of second-hand smoke-related disease in family, children and friends, Ms Dietrich added.
It would also help reduce the risk of accidental fires in homes caused by cigarettes.
“The objective of the NSW Government’s Smoke-free Environment Act 2000 is to promote public health by reducing people’s exposure to tobacco and other smoke in enclosed public places,” Ms Dietrich said.
“Currently, under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000, hotels and clubs retain an exemption from being totally Smoke Free and this exemption expires on 2 July 2007.
“This means that enclosed public places in hotels and clubs along with all other enclosed public places, for example shopping malls and restaurants, will be totally Smoke Free from 2 July 2007.”
Reducing tobacco use is a main priority for North Coast Area Health Service, Ms Dietrich said.
“Not just on World No Tobacco Day but every day of the year. Our key areas of focus include the timely and appropriate use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy to support smoking cessation. Another priority is reducing the prevalence of pregnant women who smoke on the North Coast,” she said.
“The prevalence of smoking on the North Coast remains higher than the NSW average, with 19.6 per cent of people still smoking, compared with the State average of 17.7 per cent.
Smoking tobacco remains the largest preventable cause of death, disease and disability in Australia.”
People who want to quit smoking can call the Quitline on 13 7848 and ask for the free, call-back phone support, or talk to their pharmacist or GP about medications such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy.
