The territorial delegate for Health and Consumer Affairs in Almeria, Juan de la Cruz Belmonte Mena, has visited the Purchena municipal swimming pool, to highlight the importance of having this type of smoke-free spaces that contribute to the acquisition of healthy lifestyle habits among the population. The adhesion of a town council to the «smoke-free beaches and swimming pools» strategy implies a public commitment to efficiently develop the functions that belonging to the network implies for each party in terms of tobacco control.
The Purchena swimming pool is one of the pools that will be part of the network of smoke-free areas from 2021. Juan de la Cruz Belmonte, has visited this space, together with the mayor, José Luis Serrano and the government team of the municipality. The delegate pointed out that this is «an action that aims to make visible the commitment to public health of the spaces and localities that have joined this network, such as Purchena, and to invite new municipalities to join».
For his part, the mayor of the municipality of Purchena, José Luis Serrano, stressed that «Purchena is a town committed to healthy lifestyles. The result of this is the great use made by all the residents of the spectacular Sierra de Los Filabres that we have, which is our great lung for the practice of sport as an essential axis of our health. We will continue to promote this type of initiatives promoted by the Health Department because they contribute to improving the quality of life for everyone».
Adding smoke-free spaces
The territorial delegation of Health and Consumer Affairs continues with the expansion of the network of smoke-free areas in swimming pools and beaches in Almeria, which currently has a total of seven beaches and four municipal swimming pools incorporated into this network.
These are the beaches of Cala Marqués, El Playazo, Las Marinas-Bolaga and Puerto Rey in Vera; San Nicolás in Adra; Pozo del Esparto and Quitapellejos-Palomares in Cuevas del Almanzora, which also has a smoke-free municipal swimming pool, as well as Viator, Benahadux and Purchena.
Smoking is still the main public health problem in developed countries, so it is of great importance to continue creating smoke-free spaces that raise awareness among the population about the need to avoid tobacco smoke and waste. With this project, the Junta de Andalucía’s Smoke-Free Spaces Strategy continues to be extended to more non-health spaces.
The main objective of this initiative is to raise public awareness of the benefits of keeping our beaches and swimming pools free of tobacco smoke, as a way of respecting not only the environment but also our own health. It was created with an educational and social awareness-raising purpose aimed at de-normalising tobacco consumption as a task in which it is worthwhile for all of us to get involved. It is essential that the population in general, and Andalusian children in particular, understand that «the normal thing to do is not to smoke». On the other hand, limiting smoking on our beaches and in our swimming pools makes them an educational, preventive and healthier environment.