Public keen to see smoke-free parks

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The public is keen to see smoke-free parks implemented, particularly where there are children's playgrounds, according to a recent study by University of Otago medical students in Wellington.

The students evaluated the effectiveness and public support for Upper Hutt City Council's smokefree policy, adopted in 2006 for all parks and reserves.

The study was part of the students' programme in public health and was commissioned by the Cancer Society and the Upper Hutt City Council.

The policy reflects international efforts to make outdoor areas such as parks, playgrounds, sporting fields, and beaches smokefree.

"There's growing interest in smokefree parks to prevent the negative role modelling effects of visible smoking for children, as well as preventing environmental effects such as littering, said Dr Richard Edwards from the University's Department of Public Health.

The students asked the views of 587 park users in Upper Hutt. They found that 62 per cent of people were aware of the policy, with 83 per cent of park users believing smokefree parks were a good idea, including 73 per cent of smokers.

Of the smokers who knew about the policy, 17 per cent still smoked in the parks compared with 32 per cent of those who did not know about the policy.

NZPA