Everything you do takes us one step closer to Smokefree Aotearoa New Zealand 2025!

This could be through supporting family and friends to stop smoking or your community to be smokefree. Together these actions will make us a healthier nation.

• Create smokefree environments – in your home, car, parks and sports clubs. By making these places smokefree, you are making a powerful statement that you believe smoking is undesirable. In smokefree environments, children are less likely to start smoking even if their parents smoke. It also protects your whānau from second-hand smoke.
• Talk about the risks. Talk to your children about the risks of smoking and how hard it is to quit. If you have friends or relatives that have died from tobacco-related illness, let your children know. Be clear with them why you don't want them to smoke. If you are a smoker, keep your cigarettes out of reach of your children.
• Spend time with your family. Children who are close to their parents are less likely to take part in risky behaviours like smoking. Talk with them and encourage them to ask questions and be involved in family decisions. Make sure they know you love and appreciate them.

Want to support someone to stop smoking?

Quitting smoking is a lot easier with the support of whānau, supporting someone on their quit journey can make a big difference in staying quit.

Because smoking is so addictive it's important to support people who want to quit smoking.

• Remind them you are there to support them.
• If you’re a smoker consider quitting with them.  Quitting together with whānau and friends can make the journey a lot easier for both of you.
• Don’t nag! Be positive and remind people of the many reasons to not smoke – you will have more money, your taste buds will come alive, you will breathe easier, you’ll smell nicer! 
• Some ways to quit are more successful than others. QuitStrong has information about the best ways to quit, and tips to stay quit! Check out QuitStrong.nz
• Remove things that might prompt smoking, like ashtrays and lighters, and keep cigarette packs out of sight.
• Go to places where no one smokes, like smokefree parks and sports grounds. It is also good to stay active, as boredom can be a trigger for smoking.
• Remind them of their reasons for quitting.
• Learn about how vaping can help some people to quit smoking. Take them to a vape store, and have a look at vapingfacts.health.nz. 
• Tell them having slip ups is normal. Stopping smoking is hard and usually takes several attempts. The important thing is to keep trying.