The Hon Kevin Humphries and SmokeCheck take part in World No Tobacco Day event

SmokeCheck joined forces with the Sydney South West Local Health Network to visit the Redfern Community Centre and take part in a World No Tobacco Day event on Tuesday 31 May. This year’s theme was the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) which is the world's foremost tobacco control treaty and most powerful ‘tobacco-control tool’ in the fight against the tobacco epidemic.

Despite the wet weather many local community members ventured out to see what was happening at their local centre, where they regularly drop in for lunch, playgroups, vocational lessons and other activities.

On display at the event were culturally specific resources, no smoking messages for the community in the way of posters, brochures, stickers, magnets and caps. Smokers who attended received information on the negative health effects of smoking and were encouraged to make a quit attempt, and those who were brave enough also tried the carbon monoxide breathalyser. People who are no longer smoking shared their motivational stories about quitting.

Importantly, The Hon Kevin Humphries MP Minister for Mental Health, Healthy Lifestyles and Western NSW, attended the event and expressed his support for SmokeCheck and the work the Project is doing around NSW to work towards smoke free Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. NITV and 702 ABC Radio were there to speak with the Minister and find out how NSW Health is planning to continue working towards smoke free Aboriginal communities. Others in attendance included members of the Redfern community the Director for the Centre of Aboriginal Health, Carmen Parter, and Chief Investigator for SmokeCheck, Shane Hearn, and the SmokeCheck team.

For further information contact SmokeCheck on 9351 5129 or by email on smokecheck@sydney.edu.au or by visiting www.smokecheck.com.au.

SmokeCheck
Working towards smoke free Aboriginal communities in NSW

By Shane Hearn