Background
In November 2005, the Gisborne District Council implemented a ‘smokefree in the community’ policy that required all council-run and sponsored events, all parts of patrolled beaches, and all council lands or reserves that cater for children’s sports or activities to be smokefree while those activities are taking place. This policy built on the council’s ‘smokefree in the workplace’ policy.
The council is working with local sports organisations that use council lands and reserves and organise touch rugby and rugby league to ensure grounds are smokefree. For touch rugby, 2007 is the second season with a smokefree grounds policy, and the policy appears to have been accepted by players and spectators. Officials have a planned enforcement procedure but have not had to use it. Te Tairawhiti Rugby League introduced a smokefree grounds policy in 2007 that has been monitored since its inception and reported on to the council and Te Tairawhiti DHB. A dramatic drop in spectator smoking has been reported and the policy has been described as ‘well received’.
The Gisborne District Council states as the basis for the policy ‘Council recognises that exposure to second-hand smoke is a significant health risk’. The strategy fits within the council’s long-term community outcome of: Creating a safe and healthy haven and particularly within the community outcomes: Communities are proud of their environment and willing and able to care for it in future generations. People are well and active.
The smokefree policy is seen as part of a raft of measures in place to address the effects of smoking on the health of those living in Te Tairawhiti. A number of these initiatives are led by the Tairawhiti District Health Board (DHB), which works closely with the council on public health matters.
Implementation
Early in 2006 the Tairawhiti DHB – on behalf of Tahi Toa Mano (TTTM), the Tairawhiti Smokefree Providers Network – approached the council and suggested they work collaboratively on providing signage and supporting people to respect the smokefree status of parts of parks and reserves where children congregate. A committee consisting of four council staff and the public health unit health promoter from the DHB met regularly to discuss how the increased signage should be introduced.
Signage
The signage developed was based on that used in South Taranaki and reads: This park contains fresh Tairawhiti air. Please do not smoke in our parks. The Tairawhiti DHB funded ten of these signs erected on five strategic sites used by local sports organisations. Twenty-four signs sponsored by HSC were erected at 20 parks. In addition, 150 Smokefree/Auahi Kore metal signs have been placed at entrances to toilet blocks in most sports grounds and parks.
Media coverage and spokesperson
Local newspapers and radio provided media coverage of the launching of the new smokefree signage at the sports ground the Oval. Tairawhiti DHB used the services of a media consultant to write media articles, coordinate media opportunities and ensure they were picked up by local media. Council staff informed the local paper there would be a photo and interview opportunity with the mayor and a newspaper reporter and photographer attended the event.
An approach to implementing a policy to make sports grounds smokefree/auahi kore
The council, the DHB and TTTM were aware that, in the Tairawhiti area, there is a strong culture of smoking and consuming alcohol at sporting events. In 2006 it was decided to focus on two sports – touch rugby and rugby league (both of which received council support) - and work with them to make their sports events smokefree/auahi kore.
Touch rugby
The Tairawhiti DHB entered into a contract with Galaxy Touch Module, which organises touch rugby in Tairawhiti. The organisation developed a smokefree/auahi kore policy that included making matches smokefree, monitoring smoking at matches and enforcing the policy by asking anyone smoking to leave the ground.
The new smokefree/auahi kore status of the grounds was indicated to all teams that came to register at the beginning of the season. Referees wore Smokefree vests and rugby balls and prizes carried the Smokefree/Auahi Kore logo. A media release was developed that explained the new status of the games.
The organisation made it clear to players and spectators that it was going to enforce the new status of the grounds and individuals found drinking or smoking would be asked to leave the ground. Initially some areas on the sports ground had been designated as smoking areas, but after a couple of weeks it was decided to remove these as children could see adults smoking in these areas. When this was explained to the smokers they accepted that they needed to move off the sports ground if they wanted to smoke.
For the first few weeks of the season people from the smoking cessation group Turanga Health were at the grounds and about 10 touch supporters asked to join their cessation programme. Focusing the smokefree message on the positive aspects of looking after the health of the whānau, not placing kids in smoking environments, and showing by example that smoking is unacceptable gave people reasons to support a smokefree/auahi kore environment. Indicating that the policy would be enforced and that those who smoked would be asked to leave the grounds was accepted as a helpful reinforcement of the message.
Rugby league
In 2007 Te Tairawhiti Rugby League Association developed a smokefree/auahi kore policy which focused on making grounds smokefree/auahi kore during rugby league matches and educating players and supporters. Rugby League is actively promoting a healthy living, whānau hauora or ‘wellbeing’ approach.
Te Tairawhiti Rugby League Association has developed a code of conduct for players and supporters that outlines the hauora approach that encompasses the no smoking, drinking, drug-taking or violence policy. Those participating in the sport as players or spectators must accept this code of conduct. The smokefree/auahi kore message is promoted over the public address system at regular intervals during games. Players and supporters are reminded of the policy by signage at the grounds and on the toilet blocks. All referees, committee and board members wear Smokefree t-shirts or vests at rugby league games. An end of season evaluation showed that in 2007 Rugby League was smokefree in seven different parks in the TarawhitiEast Coast region.
Promotion of Rugby League’s smokefree, alcohol, drug and violence free policies via the media prepared supporters for the smokefree status of games. However on day one of the season a small number of smokers were approached and the smokefree policy was explained to them. All the smokers were then happy to comply with the policy. Over subsequent weeks no more than four people were observed smoking at any game. When approached these people responded positively and either stopped smoking or moved away from the grounds to smoke. Officials were not required to take any enforcement action.
Evaluation
Overall voluntary compliance with the ‘smokefree in the community’ policy
Although the council does not currently monitor numbers of people smoking or not smoking, there is a general consensus that compliance is high at events sponsored, partially sponsored or supported by council. Compliance is relatively high at events held in parks and playgrounds, but it is believed there is a lower level of compliance when people are using these facilities without the attraction of a specific event.
What worked well
Although the working committee did not establish a formal evaluation process, a number of things have been identified as working well. These include the collaborative approach between the Gisborne District Council and Te Tairawhiti DHB, and using local sports organisations to promote, monitor and enforce the smokefree/auahi kore status of sports grounds Providing local sports organisations with support to develop, promote, monitor and enforce a smokefree/auahi kore policy has also been successful.