By Matt Shellard - 01/06/2008

Ok boys and girls, time for something new at the club. A new challenge has been sent forth, but who's willing to take the challenge............

Sport is about lots of things, most of them positive: team playing, self-improvement, discipline, fitness and fun. Sport clubs and associations have a significant influence in their community by fostering a family friendly environment and displaying positive images of a healthy lifestyle. Being smoke free is one of the healthiest messages you can create. It informs your community that your sports club or sports association is serious about:

- Promoting a healthy lifestyle
- Not exposing members or patrons to second-hand smoke
- Encouraging current and potential members to think about quitting
- Discouraging the promotion of smoking
- Reducing litter from around your sporting venue

Every time a person has a cigarette, changes happen in their body. Carbon monoxide levels in the lungs increase. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is quickly absorbed into the blood replacing oxygen. This means that the heart has to work harder to get enough oxygen to the muscles, brain heart and other organs.

The breathing in of carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke in the air by a non-smoker has a similar effect. Nicotine is quickly transported around the body and reaches the brain within ten seconds of the first puff. Nicotine causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. It also slows circulation in the smaller blood vessels. Nicotine can act both as a relaxant, relaxing skeletal muscles, and as a stimulant, increasing tension in other muscles. Stomach secretions are increased and there are changes to brain activity. Tobacco smoke also increases resistance in the airways leading to the lungs and reduces lung capacity.

Feel the benefits of quitting straight away as your body repairs itself

Depending on the number of cigarettes you smoke, typical benefits of stopping are:
- After twelve hours almost all of the nicotine is out of your system.
- After twenty-four hours the level of carbon monoxide in your blood has dropped dramatically. You now have more oxygen in your bloodstream.
- After five days most nicotine by-products have gone.
- Within days your sense of taste and smell improves.
- Within a month your blood pressure returns to its normal level and your immune system begins to show signs of recovery.
- Within two months your lungs will no longer be producing extra phlegm caused by smoking.
- After twelve months your increased risk of dying from heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker.
- Stopping smoking reduces the incidence and progression of lung disease including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
- After ten years of stopping your risk of lung cancer is less than half that of a
continuing smoker and continues to decline (provided the disease is not already present).
- After fifteen years your risk of heart attack and stroke is almost the same as that of a person who has never smoked.

Stopping smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. These benefits apply to people with and without smoking-related diseases. So it is worth having a go, now comes the fun part.......

For the month of June, the first annual Quit Month will be in operation!
The Challenge

Quit month 2008 is for all you smokers out there to live a smoke free life for just one month.

The Rules

If you sign up, and are caught with a smoke in your hand during the month, you will be fined $5 that will be donated back to the club at the end of June. Just remember you could be caught anywhere, including the club, Bayswater indoor, in your car, shopping centers, home, mates home etc.

If you are spotted or spot someone who has signed up, drop me a phone, SMS or e-mail and a weekly fine will be issued!

A list of people who have signed up will be posted on the clubs notice board, so its up to you guys whether this is going to work or not! I have taken the liberty of ordering 20 Quit packs from Quit Victoria, which will be available upon request. (Unless I shove one at you!!) Although not the most exciting reading, the quit pack holds lots of important information and facts on how to stop and get help when giving up smoking.

Even if you are a smoker, and wish to not take part in Quit Month, lets make an effort to help our fellow team mates and try and reduce the smoking in and around the club for this month, and don't worry, there will be a quit pack around for you too!

What's in it for you?

A healthy smoke free life for starters!!!!!!!
All entrants will go into the draw (and not fined) to win a
Jagermeister or Jose Quervo Gift Pack,
Complements of JB!

If you wish to sign up or have any questions, give me a buzz (0433276740) or email me for a chat! (mathieu_shellard@hotmail.com)

So come on guys and girls, its time to extinguish smoking from the strikers.

Check back on the site shortly to see who is involved in the Quit Program 2008!

Did you know?
-Twelve months after you quit, your increased risk of dying from heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker.
-Bill Clinton said 'This epidemic is no accident.'-After ten years of stopping smoking your risk of lung cancer is less than half that of a continuing smoker and continues to decline (provided the disease is not already present). -Stopping smoking reduces the incidence and progression of lung disease including chronic bronchitis and emphysema!