Welcome to the QuitNow website

Don’t Make Smokes Your Story – National Tobacco Campaign

Professor Tom Calma – 2:22 minutes

Welcome to the Quitnow website.

My name is Tom Calma. I am from Darwin and I am Kungarakan on my mother’s side and Iwaidja on my father’s side.

As the National Coordinator for the Australian Government’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program, it’s my job to support those working with our mob to quit, or not take up smoking.

If you need help to stop smoking or you want to try and help somebody else quit, then you’ve come to the right place.

This website has got all the information you need about how to quit and what support services are available to help you on your journey.

Most of our people understand that smoking is harmful to themselves, to their children, to partners and to the community. One in five of our mob die from smoking related diseases and many others are sick because of smoking.

Passive smoking, that’s breathing in somebody else’s smoke, is as dangerous as smoking a cigarette yourself and children are amongst those most affected. We all need to take on the challenge and make our homes, our cars, our social events, our meeting places, our council rooms and our workplaces smoke free.

Smoking or breathing in somebody else’s smoking while you’re pregnant also puts a mum and the baby at higher risk of health problems, and some of these problems can affect the baby for life.

Children with parents who smoke are more likely to take up smoking themselves. Be a positive role model for the children around you and break the smoking cycle.

Not only is smoking bad for your health, it is also expensive. Think about how much money you and your family could save if you support each other to quit!

Now most smokers want to quit and have tried to quit. While our people have done a fantastic job in quitting smoking, we still have a long way to go.

I ask my brothers and sisters, Aunties and Uncles and young ones to give up smoking or not take it up. I also ask you to help others you care about to choose the no smoking path. That way we can all lead long and healthy lives.

So enjoy the website and I wish you all the best in quitting and staying smoke free. Don’t make smokes your story!