Regional Support for Smokefree Issues By far the most comprehensive local support for Auckland employers wishing to establish a Smokefree compliant workplace, both physically and in its documentation, is to ask for help from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service. Information is found by following the link: Auckland Regional Public Health Service-Smokefree At this site you will find documentary resources to create a company policy and a company smokefree statement. What are the aims of the smokefree law? The aims are to: protect all workers and the public from second-hand smoke reduce the harm caused to individuals by their smoking further restrict minors (under 18) access to smoking products and prevent negative influences on young people further promote a smokefree (auahikore) lifestyle as the norm. What do the smoke free laws mean for employers? The following website provides very useful information for employers: http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/tobacco-control/smokefree-law The Ministry of Health is responsible for the laws relating to smoking in the workplace. With very limited exceptions, the law requires employers to ensure that workplaces are smokefree by taking 'all reasonably practicable steps'. Reasonably practicable steps might include: display of smokefree signs in the workplace reference to the smokefree policy in workplace employment agreements and recruitment policies notifying service contractors of the smokefree policy training managers and supervisors on what to do if someone smokes in the workplace. If smoking occurs in a workplace and the employer has failed to take such steps, an employee may lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Health. More detailed information and guidance on the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003 can be found at the website above. Workplaces From 10 December 2004 smokefree restrictions were expanded so that all indoor workplaces became 100 percent smokefree, including offices, warehouses, factories, ‘smoko’ rooms, taxis, internal areas of trains and ships, prisons and travel premises such as terminals and passenger lounges. Limited exceptions apply for some work vehicles and home-like environments such as individual prison cells, rest homes, hospitals, hotel rooms and residential care facilities. Resoures for smokefree premises To assist in communicating the “smokefree” message in premises and organisations, smokefree stickers, signs and pamphlets can be ordered from the local public health service above. A list of the items available can also be viewed at the Ministry of Health’s “Health Education Resources” website, at www.healthed.govt.nz. There are a number of items available under the search topic of “smokefree”. Smokefree Environments (PDF, 205.2 KB) Original Descriptor of when a Smokefree area is determined. Smokefree Policy Development (PDF, 168.3 KB) Statements to enable an employer to develop a simple policy. Organisational Statement (PDF, 118.3 KB) A useful precise statement to comply with the Act.

Managing Nicotine Withdrawal The tobacco leaf contains nicotine. Nicotine is found in all plants of the "nightshade" family - tomatoes, chillies, eggplant, peppers, potatoes and berries - as well as tobacco. It's presence protects the plant from insects. Unfortunately when rapidly taken into the human body by inhalation it becomes an addictive drug. It replaces a normal chemical in the brain and takes over its functions and magnifies them. So when the smoke from a burning tobacco leaf is inhaled there comes a point where the initial coughing and nausea is supplanted by a feeling of calmness and slight euphoria. This sense of "enjoyment" is what keeps a person wanting to smoke in spite of the harm that results from the other toxic chemicals in the smoke. Stopping smoking is all about trying to move a person away from tobacco smoke inhalation. Because nicotine is rapidly removed from the body when it passes through the liver and kidneys its lack causes the person to crave for more. At first the craving is mild but after a few hours it grows in strength and eventually becomes so persistent that the person is driven to smoke again. These cravings to smoke are part of a group of feelings - like irritability, headache, difficulty concentrating, and general discomfort - that are known as nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Hospital staff and management recognise this situation and so will be asking you to use nicotine patches and lozenges or gum whilst in hospital to prevent the nicotine withdrawal symptoms in the same way as someone in pain will be asked to take painkillers to keep comfortable. They are not forcing you in any way to quit smoking but would obviously prefer that you did not smoke as doing so will make your health worse i.e. preventing good wound healing, preventing quick recovery from an infection, making chest pains worse, preventing re-inflation of a collapsed lung and so on. Stop before the Op (PDF, 526.1 KB) Stopping smoking before surgery means better and faster healing and reduces the chance of infection. Quit B4 It's Lit (PDF, 1.3 MB) This document gives you reasons to stop smoking as well as the process to do so. 2B Smokefree (PDF, 547.9 KB) This brochure gives you the help and options to stop smoking by yourself by clarifying how to use stop smoking products in clear and simple language.

Quitline provides a free telephone advice service (0800 778 778), text service (www.txt2quit.org.nz) and a Quitter Blog support group at www.quit.org.nz. The Quitline telephone service (0800 778 778) is available at the following times: Monday to Friday 0800-2130, Sun 1000-1730. Quit Cards are supplied by Quitline. These are subsidy cards that are taken to a pharmacy to obtain nicotine therapy (NRT) products. A completed Quit Card can provide 12 weeks of subsidised nicotine patches, gum or lozenges for $5.00 per product. Nicotine patches, gum or lozenges double the chances of someone being able to stay stopped for a lengthy period of time.

Your GP can also prescribe NRT at the subsidised rate of $5.00 per item for 8 weeks supply (NRT - Nicotine Replacement Therapy). GPs can also prescribe non nicotine based stop smoking medication. There are 2 medications that are fully subsidised: Zyban and Norpress. And there is one that is subsidised but only when certain criteria are met; it is called Champix and has a good associated quit rate. Many GP practices and medical centres have trained stop smoking nurses who can support you to quit and follow you up. In some cases there is no charge for this and in other practices there is a nominal fee.

Ready, Steady, Quit is the community stop smoking service funded by the Ministry of Health and provided by a local PHO. It provides quit support for all people and their families who live or work in the Te Toka Tumai and Waitematā areas. Their services are free of charge and they offer information, advice and resources, and nicotine replacement therapy to support the smoker to quit and stay smoke-free. Quit smoking practitioners provide face-to-face or telephone counselling on a one-to-one, or in a group, basis. Anyone can access their service through referrals from their GP or other healthcare provider, family or by self referral. Contact details are:Tel. 0800 500 601 (including after hours). Email: You can visit the website at: https://readysteadyquit.org.nz and complete the "Stop Smoking Referral Form" online.

Face-to-face counselling and telephone support available. There are three nurses available at the centre plus a GP. The nurse can supply a Quit Card and some Nicotine Replacement Therapy products. Contact: Aotea Health Medical Centre, Hector Sanderson Road, Claris, RD1, Great Barrier Island Tel. (09) 429 0356; service available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.