March 02, 2021
Smoking stigma not helping quitters
Quitline says taking a non-judgmental approach to helping people quit smoking increases the chance of them ditching the habit.
Service Delivery Manager Jordan Taiaroa says the attitude of friends and whānau makes a big difference.
Being judged for a habit they have no control over can make people feel alienated and less open to getting help.
He says Māori in particular suffer from the whakamā about lighting up.
"Māori, we are being judged as those people who are the smokers, the people who sit on their porch and smoke, the people who sit on the couch and smoke. We don't need that. We don't want that. It's that judgment that sends us in the opposite direction and makes us feel alienated as a people," he says.
Jordan Taiaroa says a supportive whānau environment where people safe is the best way to help people quit.
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