Chemical soup anti-smoking drive

ANTI-smoking campaigners will be touring Warrington with a “chemical soup” aimed at showing parents the harmful effects of tobacco.
Tobacco Free Futures have joined children’s charity Barnardo’s to bring the soup to town to encourage parents and guardians to “Take 7 Steps Out” of the house when smoking.
The chemical soup kit, complete with cooking pot and fake hazardous liquids, will show parents some of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke – such as arsenic, formaldehyde and cadmium. Of more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, 60 are known to cause cancer as well as avoidable childhood illnesses.
Five training sessions are being held at the Orchard Children’s Centre, Warrington. Sessions are being held today (Wednesday) from 1.30 to 3pm and on Wednesday November 30 from 11 to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 3pm.
Anyone interested should contact Rachel Green to book a place on 01925 816912 or email [email protected]
Warrington’s director of public health Dr Rita Robertson said smoking around children is responsible for at least 34,000 preventable GP and hospital visits across the North West every year.
She said: “In enclosed spaces it exposes their vulnerable lungs and bodies to harmful toxins. We have a duty to support parents with the best possible information. Parents and other family members may not know that many of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke are invisible, so standing by an open window or door is simply not enough to protect their children.
“This new community activity will help highlight the dangers and show that there is a way to prevent harm; go right outside the house to help protect children from second hand smoke.”
Pictured: Neighbourhood regeneration officer Bernadette Bell (left) and health improvement officer Heather Norman learn what kind of chemicals a cigarette contains at the Orchard Children’s Centre in Warrington