IMAGINE IF OUR PUBLIC PLACES WERE SMOKEFREE AND SMOKING ISN’T VISIBLE TO OUR CHILDREN

Healthy Families Lower Hutt has led implementation of Hutt City Council’s Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy to demonstrate what can be achieved if we are bold and use the voices of our community to drive policy change. We’re now supporting Upper Hutt City Council on their smokefree journey in partnership with Hutt Valley District Health Board.

OUR CHALLENGE

Arakura Ma-oribank SMOKERS AT TIME 26% 17.6% Riverstone Terraces OF GIVING BIRTH AT Eastbourne 9.4% 4.9% HUTT HOSPITAL - 38% MAORI LOWER HUTT UPPER HUTT 15% PASIFIKA 12.8% WELLINGTON REGION AND 13.7% NEW ZEALAND 7% OTHER

of people we’ve talked to don’t want smoking or vaping in places that children are likely to be. THE PERCENTAGE OF MOTHERS WHO SMOKE IS HIGHEST IN THE YOUNGER AGE GROUPS

HUTT CITY YOUTH COUNCIL SURVEYED 236 OF THEIR PEERS AND FOUND:

5% I USED TO SMOKE AND VAPE, 80 WHY DID YOU START SMOKING? 80 WHY DID YOU START VAPING? BUT NOT ANYMORE

70 6% I CURRENTLY SMOKE ONLY

60 60 7% I HAVE TRIED VAPING BEFORE BUT NOT SMOKING 50 8% I HAVE TRIED SMOKING BEFORE 40 40 BUT NOT VAPING PERCENT PERCENT 30 9% I PREFER NOT TO SAY 20 20 12% I CURRENTLY SMOKE AND VAPE 10 14% I CURRENTLY VAPE ONLY 0 0 STRESS/ SOCIAL SOCIALISING CURIOSITY FAMILY OTHER SOCIALISING TO HELP ENJOYMENT/ STRESS/ SOCIAL SOCIALISING CURIOSITY SOCIALISING FAMILY OTHER MENTAL CIRCLES AT AT PARTIES INFLUENCE AT BARS QUIT TASTE MENTAL CIRCLES AT PARTIES AT BARS INFLUENCES 39% I HAVE NEVER TRIED SMOKING HEALTH SCHOOL SMOKING HEALTH AT SCHOOL OR VAPING

RAISING A SMOKEFREE AND VAPEFREE GENERATION

Smokefree public places policies Shared insights and learnings Smokefree and vapefree and practices from community normalised for next generation

IMPACT

LOWER HUTT HAS ONE OF TAMARIKI AND RANGATAHI THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE VOICES HEARD AND USED SMOKEFREE OUTDOOR PUBLIC TO INFORM DECISIONS, COMMUNICATIONS APPROACH AND PRIORITISATION. PLACES POLICIES IN THE COUNTRY.

OPPORTUNITIES WHAT CAN YOU DO? Take a strengths-based approach that resonates with the community and their desire to raise a Privilege community insights and lived smokefree and vapefree generation. experiences as evidence of equal value. Gather evidence and community insights around smokefree and vapefree environments to inform Use leadership and advocacy locally and legislation reviews. nationally to influence change. Support Local Government to use their policy levers to drive denormalisation. Invest in capturing young people’s voice and Leverage the community interest in vaping to drive the smokefree environments agenda. lived experiences and share with sector.

I don’t think non-smokers should take it up but it’s a godsend to those of us with many years of addiction to nicotine. I’ve been vaping for two years now and I haven’t touched a cigarette since and truly believe I never will again. – COUNCIL STAFF MEMBER

People understand the impact of role modelling and raising a smokefree generation, this spans the age divide and Smokefree includes those that do environments should be smoke or vape. places where babies are. – TEEN MUM, 16

In a focus group with teen parents, even those who started Our community agrees that you smoking as young as twelve were adamant about there should not vape in places where being a smokefree environment for their children. you are not allowed to smoke.