A new fund to help to make North Yorkshire’s public places smoke free has been launched by the County Council.
North Yorkshire County Council’s new Smokefree Places Fund has been created by its public health team and is part of NYCC’s commitment to promote a smoke free lifestyle and help to realise the ambition of a smoke free generation by 2025.
It reflects the priorities identified in the North Yorkshire Tobacco Control Strategy. Smokefree places can reduce cigarette litter, set positive role models for children and help to normalise a smoke free lifestyle.
“Young people in particular consistently overestimate how many people smoke and therefore perceive it to be ‘normal’,” said County Councillor Caroline Dickinson, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Public Health, Prevention and Supported Housing.
“By increasing the number of Smokefree Places across the county, we hope that adults will set positive role models to children and young people. A smoke free environment can also help to support those smokers who are trying to, or have recently, quit.”
Many public places across Britain are already becoming smoke free, including play areas, school gates, beaches and town squares. Applications for funding are welcomed from any North Yorkshire organisation responsible for public spaces, and which is are permitted to declare places as smoke free.
Funding can be used for community events, signs and events to promote a smoke free lifestyle. To find out more and to apply for funding, visit https://nycc.flexigrant.com/. You will need to register on the website to apply to the fund. The closing date is 5pm on 1st December 2017.
North Yorkshire County Council also funds a free Stop Smoking Service, Smokefreelife North Yorkshire. Smokefreelife North Yorkshire offers a free, flexible support package to suit the individual.
Smokers wanting to stop can attend clinics, drop-ins, receive nicotine replacement therapy or talk to specialist advisers over the phone. Visit www.smokefreelifenorthyorkshire.co.uk or call 0800 2465215 or 01609 663023 or text QUIT to 66777 to find out more.
Smokefreelife North Yorkshire is also an e-cigarette friendly stop smoking service. That means anyone who wants to use an e-cigarette to help them to give up can still use face-to-face support and clinics that the service provides. E-cigarettes are now the most popular aid to quitting smoking and carry only a fraction of the risk that smoking tobacco does.