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It’s the last day for teams to sign up to the latest Wero smoke-free competition.
Ten-strong teams of Maori and Pasifika people around the country will spend the next three months challenging each other to quit tobacco and stay off.
Wero national manager Katherine Clarke says it’s proving extremely effective, with 35 percent of past competitors being smoke free by the end of the competition.
Each team will develop their own quit smoking programme, typically including elements of exercise and regular team catch-ups, and they will get help from co-ordinators who can put them in touch with smoking cessation support services in their regions.
She says more than 70 teams have signed up so far on the wero.me website.
"This year we’ve got some rugby league clubs coming together to work together. We're working with a high school to see whether young Maori women are wanting to quit and work together, so there's a whole range of issues, and for many of the people it's just the time for them to think about quitting," Ms Clarke says.
The team with the most smoke-free people at the end of the three months will get $5000 for their favourite charity, community group or marae project.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH KATHERNE CLARK CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast/x_podlink/MjgwNDM=/
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