Smoking: seven steps to child health

Families and parents in Oldham are being encouraged to take at least seven steps outside when they light up a cigarette.

Oldham’s specialist stop smoking service is teaming up with Smokefree North West as a part of the Take 7 Steps Out campaign to protect children and young people from illnesses caused by cigarette smoke.

They will be holding a roadshow, one of 24 across the North-West, on Monday, 10am to 4pm, outside the Spindles shopping centre, complete with fun activities and will be joined by campaign mascot StepaRoo and her baby.

Alan Higgins, director of public health for Oldham, said: “Smoking around children and young people in enclosed spaces exposes their developing lungs to terrible toxins and can trigger asthma attacks, bronchitis, ear infections and hearing impairment, as well as cot death.

“For these reasons, we would urge people to give up smoking to protect their children’s health.”

Phil Clapperton, from Failsworth decided to smoke outside to protect his daughter, now aged two, from second-hand smoke.

Dr Janet Atherton, chairman of Smokefree North West, said nine in ten people supported the campaign.

She said: “By simply smoking right away from the house, parents can really help protect their children from the immediate and life-long harm of second-hand smoke.”