Campaign urges parents not to light up in front of children in play areas (From Knutsford Guardian)

Campaign urges parents not to light up in front of children in play areas

1:50pm Monday 18th February 2013 in News By James Wilson

DOZENS of signs are being installed throughout playgrounds in the Knutsford area to help discourage people from smoking in front of children.

A total of 170 play areas will be covered by the Play Smokefree code, which has been developed by heart health charity Heart of Mersey with Cheshire East Council, Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust and the Cheshire and Merseyside Tobacco Alliance.

A survey of Cheshire East residents, 22.2 per cent of who were smokers, revealed 97.5 per cent are in favour of a voluntary code of not smoking in playgrounds.

Park wardens will discourage people who persist in smoking in play areas and by signs designed by children requesting that children be allowed to ‘Play Smokefree’.

Clr Janet Clowes said: “We’re committed to the role our parks play in helping residents live active, healthy lifestyles and this voluntary scheme empowers our local communities themselves to change their smoking behaviour.

“Children learn their behaviour from adults. If children see smoking as a normal part of everyday life they are more likely to become smokers. Knowing this, most adults would agree that not lighting up in a children’s play area is not too much of a sacrifice and I hope residents will support this initiative.

“Discouraging smoking around children in our play areas will help to reduce the number of young people in Cheshire East that smoke.”

Research shows reducing child exposure to smoking decreases the uptake of smoking among young people.

Jo McCullagh, tobacco control programme lead at Heart of Mersey, said: “Three out of four children are aware of cigarettes before they reach the age of five.

“People smoking in children’s play areas is a fairly common sight, but it suggests to children that smoking is a harmless, acceptable, everyday activity. The reality is this is a habit that is addictive and kills.

“A child who smokes one cigarette doubles their chances of becoming a regular smoker by the age of 17.

“We want to use this voluntary code to de-normalise smoking in public play areas and protect children in the environment in which they should be safe.”