An update from our Smoke Free Homes and Zones project

The Smoke Free Homes and Zones project is funded by NHS Lothian Health Promotion Service and has been delivered by Fast Forward since 2013. The project focuses on engaging with Primary schools across the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian council areas.

The project provides schools and their pupils with the opportunity to engage in an interactive tobacco education session. The session focuses on raising pupils awareness of tobacco whilst addressing the issue of protecting children from second-hand smoke. This can be within their home or in cars – since the legislation which was brought into to force in December 2016, protects individuals under the age of 18 from smoke in cars.

To date, over 80 schools have participated in the Smoke Free Homes and Zones Project.

This equates to over 140 sessions being delivered to approximately 3360 pupils across  Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian.

The session is enjoyed by pupils as they learn many different tobacco education facts. Primary 7 pupils have commented that they have learned:

Smoking can be harmful not just for the smoker but can harm other people around you because of second-hand smoke.

There are over 4000 chemicals in a cigarette.

Second-hand smoke can be harmful to everyone including pets.

This project also sees a whole school approach being taken as the pupils who participate in the interactive tobacco education session also design a leaflet for their school.

This leaflet outlines the information the pupils have learnt and is then collated with the NHS leaflet before being distributed to all pupils within the school.

The NHS leaflet gives parents and/or guardians the opportunity to pledge that their home and/or cars will be smoke free. This can be that they themselves pledge not to smoke or that they will not allow visitors to smoke in the home and/or car.

If you are interested in hearing more about Smoke Free Homes and Zones Project or you work in a school in Edinburgh, East Lothian or Midlothian and are interested in being involved, please contact Laura by email to discuss this further.