The Regional Secretary for Health announced today a new programme to prevent the exposure of children to tobacco smoke, designated as "Tobacco-free Homes and Cars," which will be implemented in the next school year. It aims to reach 2,500 Azorean children.
"There are studies that prove that 33% of children are subject to smoking from their parents," said Rui Luís. In this context, he added that the Government decided to "move forward with this programme, which will include an intervention with 4th form students, with the aim of making children themselves to convince their parents not to smoke at home and in cars.”
Under this intervention, training will be provided to about 140 teachers by a team of the Regional Directorate for Prevention and Control of Dependencies.
The implementation of this campaign will be accompanied by a declaration of commitment between parents and children for creation of smoke-free environments as well as by leaflets and informational posters.
In order to mark the World No Tobacco Day, celebrated today, the Regional Secretariat for Health, through the Regional Directorates for Prevention and Control of Dependencies and Health and the Azores Oncology Centre, promotes initiatives on all islands.
Thus, the Health Units will be engaged in street actions, throughout the day, to publicise smoking cessation consultations and to carry out assessments of carbon monoxide values.
"In the year 2016, we had about 2,000 consultations and the prospect is that this year we will considerably increase the availability of consultations to help people quit smoking," said the Regional Secretary.
The regional campaign to prevent tobacco consumption also includes the airing of TV spot today on RTP/Açores and the screening of a prevention video in social networks by the blogger Helffimed.
The latest Regional Health Survey found that tobacco consumption in the Azores is higher than at national level, indicating that 27% of the Azorean population, between 20 and 74 years of age, smokes daily and consumption is more prevalent in men than in women.
The data also show that smoking in the presence of others, including children, is a habit for 45% of smokers.