The health promotion unit of my Department supports an extensive range of anti-smoking initiatives. The current anti-smoking campaign "Break the Habit for Good" emphasises the positive effects which quitting smoking can have on the individual. This campaign was developed in conjunction with the Irish Cancer Society and the health boards.
A further element of this campaign was developed last year to target female teenagers. The simple message of this element of the campaign is that smokers are less attractive and it uses a range of anti cosmetics presented by a character called NICO who highlights the unappealing aspects of smoking. The recent burst of the "Break the Habit for Good" campaign, including NICO, ran in January, and used all the appropriate mediums of communications to reach the target audiences such as television, radio, print, outdoor advertising as well as in-school advertising.
The Health Promotion Unit has also supported a number of school programmes which seek to prevent young people taking up smoking in the first instance. The smoking reduction action programme is a peer led anti-smoking programme for schools which was developed by my Department in conjunction with the Irish Cancer Society, the National Youth Federation and with support from the Department of Education and Science. The smokebusters project, which is aimed at primary school children (seven-11 years) in an urban environment, was developed by the Irish Cancer Society, Department of Health and Children, the Department of Education and Science and the then Eastern Health Board. Other projects include smoke free Leitrim, smoke free Carlow and health kicks.
The Change of Heart Handbook which has been delivered to every home in the country in the autumn last year as part of the "Ireland needs a Change of Heart" campaign also offers encouragement and support to those wanting to quit smoking. Action against smoking also continues at health board level and in the voluntary sector. The health promotion unit, in association with voluntary agencies active in this area, continues to produce a range of materials including leaflets and posters containing information on smoking and information which encourage smokers to quit.