Primary school aged children are being encouraged to take part in a local competition launched by the Department of Health and Social Care’s Public Health Directorate. The competition encourages children in Year 1 to Year 6 to draw a picture which can be used as a sign to promote a smoke free area.

The winning entries will be used as part of the Public Health Directorate’s forthcoming ‘Smoke Free Cars Campaign’. The picture may contain words (10 or less) and can include the phrase ‘Please Keep Me Smoke Free’. It can also include information about why the child feels secondhand smoke is harmful, or why they don’t want people to smoke around them.

Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, more than 50 of which cause cancer. Secondhand smoke is particularly harmful to children as they breathe more rapidly and have less developed airways, lungs and immune systems. In addition to coughs and colds, breathing in secondhand smoke puts children at risk of bronchitis, asthma, ear infections and cancer.

Lauren Howard, Specialist Stop Smoking Advisor said: “We are particularly keen to see drawings by children that could be used as a sign or a sticker on a car, requesting that it is kept smoke free. We plan to use these images in future smoke free campaigns.”

“Over 80% of cigarette smoke is invisible and doesn’t smell. When people smoke in the car or the home, the poisons settle on all the surfaces. These linger long after the smoke has disappeared, and opening windows doesn’t remove the harmful effects. Levels are extremely high when people smoke in cars, because of the small space.”

Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK said: “We would like to raise awareness of the serious risks of secondhand smoke, and encourage people to keep their cars and homes smoke free.”

The top three winning pictures will receive National Book Tokens to the sum of ?30, ?20 and ?15.

Official entry forms and details about the competition are available from libraries, book shops and online at www.Quit4You.gov.im. 

For further information about the competition, or for help to quit smoking, please contact Quit4You on 642404, or email tobacco@gov.im.