NHS and public health officials today delivered a workshop to Year 10 and 12 pupils in Bolton, based on tackling smoking and youth vaping.
Marking the 40th anniversary of National No Smoking Day, students at University Collegiate School in Bolton got involved through an interactive workshop.
The workshop is part of a series of community engagements across the region, run by the NHS’s Make Smoking History team in Greater Manchester.
Their campaign, What Will You Miss?, focuses on the harsh realities of smoking on people and those around them.
The students were shown the poignant campaign video, which shows a bride reading a note from her father who passed away prior to her wedding due to smoking.
Matthew Lewis is Head of the Stop Smoking Service at ABL Health Bolton, which has recently been commissioned by Bolton Council to help people quit.
He thinks that the campaign is a fantastic way of delivering the anti-smoking message to young people, who benefit from seeing a real-life story alongside the message.
He said: “They’re emotionally intelligent people, they’re in touch with mental health, they understand the power of stories.”
Jayne Coyne is Programme Lead for Treating Dependency at NHS Greater Manchester, and shared her hopes for the campaign: “Some children might go home and tackle smoking in the home, they’ll be having a chat with mum or dad, because they’re worried that they’re going to miss out.”
Year 10 student Maison Lock said he feels a certain duty to help those who use nicotine products.
He said: “I think [National Smoking Day] is quite important because a lot of people my age are smoking and it’s influencing others.
“I think I try my best to help others, but I feel like it’s really hard to tell someone to stop vaping when they’re addicted.
“I’ve heard about the [age] ban on disposable vapes and smoking cigarettes, but I think we should just ban it all at once.”
Headteacher James Inman said it’s important that education and guidance is the way forward: “Punishment doesn’t work, and it’s about sharing with parents and with children the issues and the concerns about that sort of behaviour.
“If we can talk to them about that, we can influence them in a positive way.”
To access the free stop smoking service commissioned by Bolton Council for Boltonians visit the ABL Health Bolton website or call 01204 20 50 90.
Feature Image: Nicole Covell
