A scary cigarette that certainly isn’t sneaky

9 March 2006

NEWI students had a surprise visitor on Tuesday when they were greeted by a giant talking cigarette in their Students’ Union. The giant cigarette along with its helpers from the Wrexham Health Board were visiting to help promote ‘No Smoking Day’ to NEWI students.

The team accompanied by NEWI’s on campus nurses Ann Edwards and Carol Walker went around the campus promoting the campaign through a special prize draw. “Red cards were handed out to anyone we caught smoking and green cards to anyone who was a non-smoker” explained Carol “the red cards entitled the bearer to a free test on the smokerlyser the following day, which tells them what their carbon monoxide levels are in their bodies and therefore showing people how much damage smoking is doing to their lungs, and the green cards enabled students to be entered into a prize draw to win student essentials.”

“It’s always interesting to try and raise important health issues in as fun and interactive way as possible. I think that people will be quite surprised when they see the results of their carbon monoxide tests, sometimes seeing something visual is the only way you realise the damage that you are doing to your body” she added.

The nurses raise a number of health issues to students and staff throughout the year. Their next theme is a ‘Stress Awareness Day’ on Thursday 16th March where along with a number of workshops and information stands, free yoga sessions will be offered. The event will take place in the foyer and NEWI William Aston Hall at the Plas Coch Campus and at the North Wales School of Art and Design in Regent Street.