PARENTS are set to be persuaded to "stub it out" around children's park play areas.
Three councils in Swansea Bay are joining forces to launch a campaign to persuade parents not to smoke as their children play because of the risk of second-hand smoking and youngsters picking up on bad habits.
Youngsters have already designed a no-smoking poster which will be going up at park play areas around Swansea over the coming weeks.
June Burtonshaw, cabinet member for place, said: "Children are much more likely to grow up as non-smokers if their parents don't smoke or those that do give up now.
"So this new campaign is aimed at urging parents to do the right thing, not just for their own health, but for their youngsters' health too.
"We won't be banning parents from smoking at children's play areas, but what we're hoping is that in combination with the notices we're putting up parents who smoke will think twice."
Swansea council is launching its No Smoking in Children's Play Areas at The Phoenix Centre Playground Powys Avenue Townhill on Thursday at 2.30pm as part of its commitment to the Healthy City initiative.
Mrs Burtonshaw is being joined at the launch by youngsters from Blaenymaes Primary School and the Paradise Community Nursery.
The three councils involved are Swansea, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot.
A smoking ban was approved at a meeting in Neath Port Talbot last month, although it is a voluntary one that cannot be enforced.
The authority is spending £600 on new signs to put up in its 58 play areas, hope parents and others will not smoke in playgrounds to protect child health.
Elen de Lacy, chief executive of public health charity ASH Wales, welcomed the launch of the smoke-free playground initiative in Swansea and praised the partnership working of all the agencies involved.
She said: "It's excellent news that playgrounds across Swansea will now be safer environments for children to play as a result of the decision to make them smoke-free.
"Smoking in family-friendly places such as playgrounds also creates the impression for them that it's a harmless activity but the reality is that smoking kills more than 5,000 people a year in Wales."
