Kick the habit this World Smokefree Day – 31 May 2008

Creating a smokefree / auahi kore future for the young people of Aotearoa, New Zealand is the focus for World Smokefree Day on Saturday 31 May. The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) is encouraging people who smoke to create a smokefree future for their families by kicking the habit this weekend.

The CDHB is marking World Smokefree Day as an opportunity to further promote smokefree practices in its hospitals. The majority of clinical areas have been provided with quit cards. The cards enable patients to receive subsidised Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) patches and/or gum, when filled by a doctor, health practitioner with prescribing rights or a person registered with the Quit Group following cessation training. Patients can also be provided with smokefree information and referrals to their General Practice or a health provider of their choice for on-going support.

Dr Greg Hamilton, of CDHB’s Community and Public Health Division, says “studies show that nicotine replacement therapy patches and gum will double someone’s chances of quitting and joining a smoking cessation programme that offers counselling support will further improve someone’s ability to quit smoking.”

People who smoke could be referred to the following services for smokefree advice and support:

PEGS Programme
Programme offered by General Practices that are with the Partnership Health Canterbury Primary Health Organisation (PHO). It offers subsidised NRT patches and/or gum, as well as support and advice.

Other General Practices
Practices that are with other PHOs can also provide advice about smoking cessation.

Aukati Kaipaipa
Provides a free 12-month programme for Maori women and their whanau over 18 years old.
Access to your own “quit coach”, who can visit you and will offer you support for 12 months.
Free NRT patches and gum for up to eight weeks.
Referral to other services for nutrition and exercise advice, where appropriate.
Go to Aukati Kaipaipa’s new website www.aukati.org.nz or call 0800 4 AKP00 / 0800 4 25700.

Quitline
Quitline will send a quit card to exchange at pharmacies for NRT patches and gum.
Receive advice from quitline advisor.
Go to www.quit.org.nz or call 0800 778 778.

198 Youth Health Centre
Free one-on-one counselling.
Subsidised NRT patches and gum.
Available to clients aged 10-25 years old who are registered with the health centre at 198 Hereford Street, Christchurch. Call (03) 379 4800.

Asthma Society
Educators can provide free smoking cessation counselling and subsidised NRT.
Contact (03) 366 5235 or go to www.asthmacanty.org.nz.

Pacific Trust Canterbury
Free 12-month programme for Pacific people and their whanau/aiga.
Access to your own “quit coach”, who can visit you and will offer you support. Group sessions are also available.
Subsidised NRT patches and gum for up to eight weeks.
Referral to other services for nutrition and physical activity services, where appropriate. Contact Services Manager Patricia Silao on (03) 366 3900 or ask your GP to refer you.

Smokechange
Smokechange is a free specialist support for pregnant women who smoke. Support is offered in the woman’s home and can extend to her partner and family or whanau. A woman either refers herself or is referred by her midwife, doctor, health worker or other. Each woman decides the support she needs and this can be a single session or extend to up to six months after pregnancy. Call (03) 379 9947, email info@efc.co.nz or go to www.efc.co.nz.