Liskeard play park goes smokefree
It's to protect youngsters from second-hand smoke
A play park in Liskeard is going smokefree.
Castle Park will officially be launched as a smokefree park at a special event today (Monday July 24) between 11.00am and 1.00pm.
Cornwall Council say the aim is to reduce the number of people smoking around children and raise awareness of the dangers of passive smoking.
Castle Park is the latest park managed by the authority to become a voluntary smokefree zone after similar launches in Bodmin, Hayle, Illogan, Launceston, Torpoint and Newquay.
School children have designed special signs with the words: 'Cigarettes are rubbish. Please don’t smoke in our play park'.
Dr Ruth Goldstein, assistant director of public health at Cornwall Council, said: "No child should have to breathe in second-hand smoke so it’s great that youngsters in Liskeard are sending a clear message to smokers about this.
"We know children exposed to smoking are significantly more likely to take up smoking themselves and this event aims to remind adult smokers of their role and responsibilities in creating smokefree environments for children."
Cllr Dr Andy Virr, cabinet member for adults and public health at Cornwall Council, said: "This is a great event with a really important message. It also builds on the work Healthy Cornwall have been doing with the Liskeard School & Community College this year and with primary schools in Liskeard, to tackle smoking and under-age vaping.
"I can’t overstate the impact that smoking can have on people’s health so the more we can do to stop children and young people taking up smoking the better."
Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, cabinet member for children and families, added: "It is one of our priorities at the Council to make Cornwall a brilliant place to be a child and grow up and that includes creating safe, smokefree spaces for them to play and have fun.
"I’m very proud of the children in Liskeard who are sending such a clear message that they don’t want to breathe in other people’s smoke. Hopefully every play park in Cornwall will be smokefree before long."
Latest statistics by charity ASH show there are around 54,000 adult smokers in Cornwall who each spend more than £2,400 a year on the habit.