Health Promotion: Gnumaries Hurt

Gnumaries Hurt (“smoking tobacco harms”) is a major focus for SAC’s Health Promotion program which concentrates on the health consequences / understanding of smoking and the process of quitting, working with clients and cessation methods and products.

Tobacco use is still prevalent within Aboriginal communities as adults, and some younger people, continue to freely smoke in public areas, in the vicinity of children and without any real concern for others.

Most smokers see it as their right to smoke and are in denial about the real effects smoking has on themselves and those around them. The Program is however making headway through concerted delivery of workshops, events and activities which include:

Amcal World Tobacco Day Event
Community workshops held in Gnowangerup, Katanning, Albany, Tambellup, and Mount Barker
South Regional TAFE presentations / workshops at both Albany and Katanning campuses
Albany and North Albany Senior High Schools
Sorry Day event in Katanning
Quit Skill Training Courses

Health Promotion in Schools

We aim to improve Aboriginal students knowledge and encourage them to practice healthy lifestyle behaviours.

Some topics discussed during workshop with students is the number of chemicals found in cigarettes. The workshops are interactive to help keep the students interested and engaged. They are offered an opportunity to blow into a smokerlyzer; this measures the amount of carbon monoxide residue still retained in their lungs. During workshops students are given information on Nicotine Replacement Therapy