Whangarei Youth promote No Smoking Day

Youth from three high schools from within the greater Whangarei region are coming up with some creative ways to raise awareness amongst students that smoke to quit smoking on the 1^st of November, as part of the annual No Smoking Day campaign - One Day can make a difference.
"Nearly 19.1 percent of Year 10 students in Northland smoke according to 2006 ASH Year 10 survey results.  No Smoking Day Tai Tokerau provides an opportunity to do this," says Northland DHB Smokefree Coordinator Bridget Rowse.

Whangarei Girl's High School, Bream Bay College and Kamo High School students are trying to create a supportive environment for students that smoke to feel safe enough to seek advise and support from a trained cessation practitioner within their school.

"The students have come up with some fun and novel ways to promote the lead up to No Smoking Day 1 November," says Bridget, "leading up to the event schools will run a range of activities during lunch and school assembly times, these activities will appeal to a wide range of students."   

All three schools will be doing CSI style ‘Chalk Outlines' of bodies with a variety of art images in the ‘Chalk Outlines'.  Kamo High School students dressed in No Smoking stickers are planning a ‘Drop Dead Day' where 45 students, a representation of the 4500 New Zealanders that die from smoking related illness, will drop down dead at a set time. 

In support of No Smoking Day and the national youth campaign smoking not our future that positive role models smokefree New Zealand musicians, Kamo High School students will write and perform a Smokefree rap and Bream Bay College is holding a Smokefree Music night.  For those intellectual types Bream Bay College will hold a ‘Battle of the sexes' quiz on a smoking related topic.  While Kamo High School students will ‘Butt Wrestle' sumo style! 

Whangarei Girls High School will use No Smoking Day to kick of a smokefree month the aim is to involve the whole school students and teachers in this promotion.  There will be a Teachers vs. Students Touch Rugby game to launch No Smoking Day further Touch Rugby games and other activities on the field every Monday during November.

If you would like to know more about No Smoking Day and see what these students are doing go to www.bebo.com/NSDTaiTokerau where video's and photo's of these activities will be posted. 

No Smoking Day Whangarei is supported by ASH NZ, Northland District Health Board, Sport Northland, The Cancer Society Northland, Ngati Hine Health Trust, Manaia PHO and Te Hauora O Te Hiku o Te Ika.



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For further information contact:

Bridget Rowse, Smokefree Coordinator

Phone (09) 430 4101 ext 7908

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Clare Blackburn, Communications Manager

Northland District Health Board 

Phone (09) 430 4101 ext 3315



School NSD events maybe subject to changes.  For further details on any of the above events please contact:

Shirley-Ann Crosby Whangarei Girls High Tel.09 430 4400

Ginny Gardiner Bream Bay College Tel. 09 432 8226

Margo Irvine or Mike Bell Kamo High School Tel. 09 435 1688