'Not Around Us' New campaign aims to de-normalise smoking for the next generation
A NEW campaign - ‘Not Around Us’ - has been launched aiming to promote an environment where it is easier for those who smoke to quit and stay quit and help to de-normalise smoking for the next generation.
The purpose of the campaign - launched in conjunction with ‘World No Tobacco Day’ last Monday, (31st May) aims to help protect children and young people from second-hand smoke exposure.
It calls on stakeholders to have an active involvement in de-normalising smoking for children and young people, while working together to reduce the environmental nuisance, cost of cleaning and damage that discarded tobacco products create.
Healthy Meath is leading this campaign in partnership with a range of stakeholders, including the HSE’s Health and Wellbeing Division, HSE QUIT team, Meath County Council’s Climate Action, Meath PPN, Meath Libraries, CYPSC Meath, Meath Comhairle na nÓg, Youth Work Ireland Meath and Healthy Ireland.
Martina Blake, National Lead Tobacco Free Ireland said:
“We are role models for our children. Children and young adults who don’t witness smoking and are not exposed to smoking are less likely to go on to smoke themselves.”
Emer Smyth, HSE Health Promotion and Improvement Manager CHO8, said: "We were delighted to be involved in planning this campaign. Not Around Us is a great example of what can be achieved by local collaboration to promote health and wellbeing. The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2021 is Commit to Quit.
“If you want to quit smoking, please phone the free stop smoking service in Our Lady's Hospital Navan on 046 9078769 or visit www.quit.ie".
Siun Smith Meath Comhairle na nÓg Chairperson said: "It is really awful when we see people smoking outside community centres, schools and playgrounds and they leave their cigarette butts on the ground in our communities.
“Organisations that sign up to the ‘Not Around Us’ campaign are helping our young people avoid seeing smoking and vaping as an option and in turn maybe keeping our communities clean".
Mark Garvey, Healthy Ireland Co-ordinator with Meath County Council said: "The Not Around Us campaign is another step towards a Tobacco/Vape free Meath. The key area of concern is how best to prevent young people from starting to smoke with approximately 80 per cent of smokers starting when they are children. Children are also especially vulnerable to harm from both active and passive smoking.”
To show your support for the campaign please visit www.meath.ie and download the number of resources available that can be displayed on your property, in your business or on social media.
Meath County Council also has a limited number of outdoor signage and window stickers available to interested early years services and not-for-profit groups and organisations across County Meath, to apply please visit the council website and fill out the ‘Expression of interest in Tobacco/Vape Free Meath signage with commitment’ form.