 |
|
Smokefree Sport |
In 2003 the World Smokefree Day focus was on second-hand smoke, with the theme Ätea Wātea mō tātou/Let's clear the air for us. The goal for World Smokefree Day 2003 was to support and encourage smokefree environments.
Objectives included:
- focusing attention on the benefits of being smokefree in several settings, particularly where children are present – for example: 'Smokefree cars', 'Smokefree sports', 'Smokefree clubs', 'Smokefree homes'
- providing local and national tobacco control workers with support, resources and media assistance to enable them to promote the Let's Clear the Air message.
Regional teams around New Zealand organised a range of activities and events to celebrate and promote World Smokefree Day 2003, backed by resources provided by the National Tobacco Control Working Group and in keeping with the 'Let's clear the air for us' World Smokefree Day theme.
Some of the promotional events that were held around the country in 2003 included:
- Ashburton – a World Smokefree Day poster competition was organised for school students
- Gisborne – Smokefree Speech Contest regional finals were held on World Smokefree Day, with competing students speaking in English or Māori on the issue of "Being Sucked In": Manipulation by the tobacco industry - who is getting the most out of smoking? A number of sports events were also held, with several rugby and netball teams dedicating their matches to World Smokefree Day. Intermediate students held a Mini-Olympics Day at their local YMCA, and a World Smokefree Day waka ama race was organised at Hicks Bay. The Māori Women's Welfare League also held a craft workshop - with weaving, floral art and Māori food workshops - emphasising that the Māori world is a smokefree one
- Manawatu – World Smokefree Day displays were posted in libraries, doctors' surgeries and pharmacies. Local schools held events, as did Massey University and UCOL. An annual Smokefree Intermediate Netball Tournament was held, and a number of schools took part in the Cancer Society and Freemason's Smokefree Speech Competition
- Nelson and Tasman – the Nelson and Tasman mayors supported a suggestion that Saxton Field become completely smokefree
- Northland – Smokefree/Auahi Kore health promoters handed out 1300 World Smokefree Day awareness packs to parents and caregivers with children at selected businesses and sports fields
- The West Coast – two smokefree branded high school teams voiced advertisements that were played on the radio for three weeks. A competition was also held where people could register their workplaces and homes as smokefree and go in for a prize draw.