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A NEW drive to stop schoolchildren taking up smoking was today announced by Health Minister Edwina Hart.

Ms Hart unveiled an additional £650,000 for smoking prevention, in a bid to further cut the number of smokers in Wales.

A total of £155,000 over the next two years will go into the Assist programme, where health promotion experts train pupils to persuade their friends not to start smoking or to give up.

An additional £519,000 will be allocated for wider smoking prevention activity.

A total of 58 schools have already benefited from the Assist programme, with another eight currently completing this term. The new funding will allow a further 20 schools to benefit from the programme over the next two years.

Ms Hart said: “Smoking prevention for young people is a high priority as the majority of smokers take up the habit in their teenage years.

“The Chief Medical Officer’s annual report to be published later this week will show that hospital admissions for heart attacks were reduced last year.

“My announcement today builds on this good news and aims to prevent children from taking up smoking in the first place.

“Failure to prevent young people from taking up smoking will lead to higher adult smoking rates and increased costs for the NHS in treating smoking-related disease. Evidence suggests that a co-ordinated approach to smoking prevention is required so that young people are provided with different initiatives and strategies.”

Ms Hart announced £143,000 a year for charity Ash (Action on Smoking and Health) Wales over the next three years to enable the charity to continue raising awareness of the effects of tobacco and smoking.

A further £30,000 a year will also be provided to Ash Wales over the next three years to fund No Smoking Day activities and campaigns across Wales.

Chris Mulholland, head of the British Lung Foundation Wales, said: “Lung conditions are a major health problem in Wales, affecting one in five of the population. Smoking is the main cause in several of the most widespread lung diseases, including lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. That’s why the British Lung Foundation Wales welcomes the extra funding for smoking prevention work announced today”.

Dr Mike Knapton, associate director of prevention and care at the British Heart Foundation, said that teenage years are the best time to start preventing smokers from getting hooked.

“The BHF welcomes the investment and commitment of the Welsh Assembly Government to fund prevention and cessation work across Wales,” he said.

“Without adequate support we know that many smokers find it hard to stop.”