Anti-smoking roadshow hits town

A ROADSHOW designed to highlight the dangers to children from second-hand cigarette smoke hits Warrington this Saturday, September 11.
Smokefree North West will bring the show to Golden Square shopping centre between 9am and 6pm as part of its “Take 7 Steps Out” campaign.
The campaign will highlight that many of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke are invisible and there’s no way of knowing where they are lingering, a fact which many parents may not be aware of.
Cigarette smoke can trigger asthma attacks and ear infections which can lead to hearing impairment, operations and time off school – all of which could be avoided by parents and carers taking seven steps outside when they smoke.
It is estaimated that at least 35,000 GP visits and hospital appointments could be prevented if parents and carers took those seven steps outside to protect their children from the immediate and long-term harm from secondhand smoke
The fun and interactive roadshow is sure to draw a crowd with giant musical steps for the kids and campaign mascot StepaRoo and her joey on hand to join in the fun.
Dr Rita Robertson, director of Public Health at NHS Warrington said: “Smoking around children and young people in enclosed spaces exposes their developing lungs to terrible toxins and can trigger asthma attacks, respiratory infections, middle ear infection and hearing impairment, as well as cot death, but some very small changes can make all the difference.”
Coun Mike Biggin, the borough council’s executive member for Climate Change and Public Protection added: “Smoking around children increases the likelihood that they will become smokers themselves so I welcome this initiative because it raises awareness of the dangers from exposure to tobacco smoke as well as promoting the benefits of growing up in a smokefree environment.”