Coalition wants smoking in parks to be stubbed out
28 August 2008
By Jamie Morton
Urging councils to adopt smokefree policies in parks is among the goals of a newly-formed coalition.
The Wairarapa Smokefree Network, which comprises several agencies and met for the first time on August 14, is keen to step up efforts to stub out smoking in playgrounds and public spaces.
"Councils have been asked to declare their parks smokefree in the past and now we'd like to renew that appeal and see them make it happen," Wairarapa District Health Board smokefree co-ordinator Linda Spence said.
The group wants councils to adopt "educative" smokefree policies in parks which do not ban smoking but encourage users not to.
Kristen Foley, central region smokefree co-ordinator for Regional Public Health, said he had been calling for Wairarapa councils to pick up the scheme for the past four years.
"Really, it's all about the children. Bringing in these policies would reduce the amount of second-hand smoke around children and encourage parents to be role models.
"Before Upper Hutt adopted the policy a few years ago, 75 per cent of people, including smokers, said they were for it. Recent research has shown there are now less people smoking in those parks.
"There had been a bit of confusion with some councils who thought we were asking for an outright ban in parks. Really, we just want to create smokefree cultures there and de-normalise tobacco for children."
Mr Foley, who addressed members at the network meeting, said the South Wairarapa District Council had adopted educative policies in three of its parks.
"We also made a presentation to the Masterton District Council recently and they received it really well. This is a movement that's happening nationally and I think it would be in Wairarapa's interest to follow the same road other councils have taken."
Wairarapa Public Health manager and network member Debi Lodge-Schnellenberg said educative policies paved the way for total smoking bans in parks, which she eventually wanted.
"If you think of how society's changed over the past 20 years, people no longer smoke in restaurants, offices, airplanes and cinemas when they once did.
"It takes a long time for behaviour to change and we can help that along by educating people.
"There's been a real progression in the last three years and that's been awesome to see."
Agencies represented in the network included the Wairarapa District Health Board, Primary Health Organisation, Whaiora Whanui, Cancer Society Wairarapa, National Heart Foundation and Sport Wairarapa.
Source: http://www.times-age.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3783051
Carterton smoking ban up for debate
27 April 2007
Smokers could be banned from Carterton's recreational areas, including parks, pools and sports fields if a proposal from the Wairarapa Smoke Free group is accepted.
The call is to be discussed at next month's Carterton District Council operations committee meeting, the full council decided yesterday.
A letter from Gaye Rowberry, manager of the Wairarapa Cancer Centre on behalf of the Wairarapa Smoke Free group, asked that Carterton District Council consider making recreational areas smoke free.
At the full council meeting, councillors decided to refer the suggestion of a Smokefree Policy to next month's operations committee meeting after a recommendation from mayor Gary McPhee.
He said he asked council support services manager Julie Hallam whether anything of the kind had been done in Carterton before and she said no.
"It's something that could be taken forward to operations, probably, if we are all in agreement," Mr McPhee said.
The Smoke Free Group includes representatives from the District Health Board, the Primary Health Organisation, the Heart Foundation, Wairarapa Cancer Society, Whairoa Whanui, Plunket and Sport Wairarapa. Mrs Rowberry's letter said South Taranaki District Council developed a Smokefree Environments Policy in May 2005, becoming the first council in New Zealand to do so, and erected signs later that year to discourage smoking in playgrounds, swimming pools and parks. Council events in South Taranaki parks are now consistently promoted as smoke free events, with promotional material for events in the park indicating that the venue is smoke-free.
"The council has not reported any difficulties enforcing the ban and sees its role as one of leadership and positive role modelling."
South Wairarapa last year agreed to ban smoking at playgrounds, but chose not to apply the ban to sports fields, which was "a little disappointing", Mrs Rowberry said.
Upper Hutt City Council last year banned smoking in parks, reserves, playgrounds and sports fields.
Smokefree advocates recently attended a Masterton District Council committee meeting to push their message.
Mrs Rowberry said local councils were in a unique position given their ability to communicate directly with communities and play a vital role in normalising the smoke free message and providing supportive environments for people to quit.
Where policies had been implemented locally there had generally been no need for enforcement, she said, with the focus being on public education.
Source: http://www.times-age.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3731531
Bronwyn Wood
Wairarapa Public Health
Email: Bronwyn.Wood@wairarapa.dhb.org.nz