May 17, 2018
With fewer New Zealanders smoking Bridget Rowse from Northland District Health Board is challenging anyone who’s
thinking about stopping smoking to join the trend.
“World Smokefree Day on May 31 is the perfect time to choose the smokefree lifestyle. We know it’s not easy to stop
smoking, but with the right support it can be done.”
Increasing numbers of New Zealanders are living smokefree, with the most recent tobacco-use figures show 84 percent 1 of
New Zealanders do not smoke. “That’s 4 percent more than in 2008, so we are moving towards the Government’s goal of a
smokefree Aotearoa in 2025,” Bridget said.
“More and more businesses are approaching us for help to support their employees to become smokefree. They’re offering
free nicotine replacement therapy and stop smoking support during work time with the aim of creating a smokefree
workforce.”
Bridget said stop smoking services like Toki Rau Stop Smoking Services have trained practitioners who are NZQA-qualified
and follow a trialed and tested stop smoking methodology.
“Our Toki Rau Stop Smoking Services offer on-going, face-to-face, intensive support and supervision. We can create a
plan to manage cravings, and strategies to deal with situations where they might usually smoke. We know what works
long-term.”
“Being smokefree is normal in New Zealand, so I’m encouraging anyone who wants to give up smoking to take up the
challenge this World Smokefree Day. Toki Rau Stop Smoking Services Northland has 8 sites across Northland and it is our
job is to make it as easy as possible to stop smoking, and we are more than ready to help people choose to live
smokefree.”
ENDS