Auckland Council is proactively playing its part in working towards smokefree Tāmaki Makaurau as World Smokefree Day is marked on Sunday 31 May.
The council’s Kaupapa Here Auahi Kore (Smokefree Policy) aims to reduce smoking and improve the health and well-being of Aucklanders – aligning with the Government's goal of becoming a smokefree nation by 2025.
Auckland Council Smokefree Activator Rebecca Ruwhiu-Collins says an innovative smokefree commitment plan Auahi Kore Hāpori Whānui has been developed to help support and empower eight communities in Auckland to reduce their smoking.
Census data from 2018 indicates that Māori and Pacific people comprise 55 per cent of all smokers in the region.
“We won’t reach the Smokefree 2025 target in Auckland if smoking rates in these communities don’t come down”, she says
With help from Auckland University and Hāpai Te Hauora (Māori Public Health), have helped to identify communities with the highest number of Māori and Pacific smokers. They are Henderson-Massey, Glen Innes-Point England, Māngere, Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara, Papatoetoe, Manurewa and Papakura.
“Over the next three years, the council alongside Hāpai Te Hauora, will work with Māori and Pacific communities within these targeted areas to implement the plan,” Rebecca says.
“Auahi Kore Hāpori Whānui is innovative because it will be community led.”
“Most other smokefree initiatives have concentrated on getting people to stop smoking, and are service focused, rather than working within a community to determine their own pathway. We know Māori and Pacific communities want to be in control of their own destiny.”
Rebecca says an important part of reducing smoking in vulnerable communities, is to have local smokefree messaging.
“I think large generic national campaigns do help, but those messages aren’t working for large groups of Pacific and Māori in our communities. We need to rethink our messaging and part of that is working within different cultures to find out what resonates and works for them.”
Positive role models and sharing inspiring stories within these Māori and Pacific communities will also make a difference.
“We hope by encouraging these communities to determine their own pathways and lead from within, it will prevent future generations from starting, and it will help people that smoke tobacco to quit.”
Hāpai Te Hauora is hoping you will visit tobaccocontrol.nz to join the smokefree movement where you can share ‘What being smokefree means to you’.
For further information on Auckland Council’s plan or to view the Smokefree Policy 2017 - 2025 Implementation visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
