Vol. 530 No. 6
253 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will introduce a specific smoking cessation strategy targeted at pregnant women and those of childbearing age which could be developed in conjunction with anti-smoking initiatives aimed at the general population. [4767/01]
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.
Because it is accepted that addiction, for the majority of smokers, begins before their adult years, an additional 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, using all the appropriate media of communications to reach the target audiences such as television, radio, print, outdoor advertising as well as in-school advertising. NICO is a specific smoking cessation initiative targeting teenage females and hence future generations of mothers.
Building Healthier Hearts – the Cardiovascular Health Strategy Report – contains 211 recommendations aimed at reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Ireland over the coming years. The report is being implemented in a planned and structured manner. The report places considerable emphasis on measures to reduce tobacco consumption with a view to reducing the incidence of heart disease in Ireland. The health promotion initiative "Ireland needs a Change of Heart", which promotes the lifestyle factors to reduce an individual's risk of heart disease, includes an anti-smoking element.
