Smoke is Poison

Cherry Jones, Public Health Programme Manager from the Primary Care Trust and Katie White, Health Promotion Officer from Swindon Borough Council join forces with two representatives from Cancer Research UK to raise awareness of the poisons in tobacco smoke.

A 12 metre long tanker wrapped up to look like a cigarette was parked in Swindon town centre last week.  The vehicle has toured around the UK to raise awareness of the poisons found in cigarette smoke.

There are some 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke – 69 of which are known to cause cancer.  Tens of thousands of people are killed by cigarette smoke in the UK every year.  By raising awareness of the poisons in cigarette smoke – which include arsenic, cadmium, benzene and formaldehyde – the campaign aims to save some of these many lives.

The Smoke Free Swindon Partnership focuses on reducing the incidence of smoking in the local community and creating an environment where people are not affected by tobacco smoke pollution. Katie White, Health Promotion Officer, said, “Hopefully this will help encourage not only those who want to give up but will also make non-smokers feel justified in asking people not to smoke around them.  Quitting would reduce people’s exposure to these deadly chemicals.  With smokefree workplaces and public places coming into force next summer, this would be a New Year’s resolution?”

The Smoke Free Swindon Partnership consists of representatives from Swindon Borough Council, the Primary Care Trust, the Police and Wiltshire and Swindon Fire and Rescue Service.  The Partnership can offer support to members of the public who would like to give up smoking and guidance to businesses on how to comply with the new Health Act 2006, which will require all enclosed public and workplaces to be smokefree from 1st July 2007.