What's New

What's New News

Smokefree Outdoor Spaces

People in the community can help create healthier public spaces by being positive role models and choosing not to smoke in outdoor public areas.

Smokefree a success in Opotiki and Rotorua

With the support of Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service, the Opotiki District Council adopted an educational Smokefree Outdoor Public Spaces policy in March 2008 making all council owned outdoor spaces smokefree. Rotorua District Council followed suit shortly after, and in December 2008 all children’s playgrounds in the Rotorua District and the Redwoods forest park were smokefree.

In both cases, Toi Te Ora conducted research to evaluate the effectiveness of the policies. Evaluations were designed to measure awareness and support for the policy, changes in attitude and behaviour towards smoking around children since policy implementation, compliance with the policy, impact on smoking behaviour since policy implementation, and protection of the natural environment. The results obtained were extremely positive. For example, results from Opotiki show that the amount of cigarette butts found on the ground in Opotiki parks has dropped by 60% after one year of policy implementation, whereas public support for the policy in Rotorua reached 93% in the post-implementation public survey.

Opotiki smokefree outdoor public spaces evaluation
Rotorua smokefree outdoor public spaces evaluation

Coming soon: Smokefree outdoors tool kit and our territorial authority engagement strategy.

< Back