08 May 2008

Smoking. Don't be a Sucker

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher today joined Sydney Swans stars on one of 50 visits to NSW high schools to help spread the anti-smoking message to teenagers.

While visiting Parramatta High School Ms Meagher said $340,000 had been committed to fund the successful Smoking. Don't be a Sucker anti-smoking campaign for 2008.

"The latest NSW data shows that recent smoking rates decreased 3.1 per cent for male students and 6.6 per cent for female students between 2002 and 2005," Ms Meagher said.

"Smoking rates amongst NSW teens are dropping lower than all other Australian states, but we still need to go further.

"The target for effective tobacco control within the NSW State Plan is to continue to reduce smoking rates by 1% each year to 2010, then by 0.5% each year to 2016."

Smoking. Don't be a Sucker began in 2003 and is a unique partnership between NSW Health, the NSW Department of Education and Training, AFL (NSW/ACT) and the Sydney Swans.

A comprehensive evaluation of the program in 2007 showed:

• students' knowledge of the impact of smoking increased, with 90 per cent of students able to correctly identify the level of harm from smoking
• the number of students who currently smoke predicting they would quit increased from 72.5 per cent to 85 per cent
• 97 per cent of students said they believe that role models such as professional athletes influence attitudes towards smoking and should set a good example.

Sydney Swans Chief Executive Myles Baron-Hay said the Club was once again delighted to be involved with the Smoking. Don't be a Sucker program.

"We at the Swans remain committed to playing a leading role in educating teenagers in the community about the ill-effects of smoking.

"The program is working well and achieving the desired results and for that the NSW State Government should be applauded for taking up the challenge to confront what is a serious health issue," Mr Baron-Hay said.

"In many cases the Swans players haven't long been out of high school themselves and hence the students feel they can relate to the players and their message.

"They are now encouraging the students to make similar choices to those which they had to make along the way to becoming elite athletes."
AFL (NSW/ACT) General Manager Dale Holmes said Australian Football was proud of its involvement with the Smoking. Don't be a Sucker program.

"This program has been really successful over the last six years. We have been on board since its inception and have been impressed with the results," Mr Holmes said.

"We continue to work collaboratively with the Swans and the NSW Government to develop the program so that the messages are relevant and effective.

"It's an exciting program because not only do kids learn a crucial health message but they are giving the unique opportunity to mix with elite athletes and are encouraged to get outdoors and enjoy being active so the program has benefits on many levels."

Smoking. Don't be a Sucker is part of the NSW Government's Live Life Well initiative that seeks to promote health and wellbeing in the NSW community.

For more information visit www.health.nsw.gov.au

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au