Background The strategy document of AMS for the period 2000 - 2004 ascertained that focus should be put on smoking and the health damage caused by it. Statistics showed that cigarette smoking combined with work in the pot rooms could increase the danger of pot room asthma.
30 % of the normal population in Norway smoked. In our industry the level was 40 %, some shifts up till 70 %. The number of employees in the aluminium industry in Norway and Iceland in 2001 was app. 5 000.
Viewed against this background the general assembly of AMS in 2001 agreed to put through a 2-years project on stop smoking. The presupposition was that the union elected representatives undertook to support and guide the activities in stop smoking at the plants.
Objective The objective of the project was that 50 % of the smokers at the plants wanted to stop to smoke and registered to courses or other activities and that 30 % of the participants would still be abstinent after 1 year. 50 % correspond to a number of 1 000 persons.
Accomplishment The safety overseers functioned as local project leaders and project group. The plant nurses contributed with professional support and counseling.
Information and registration A motivational campaign was carried out during autumn 2001. The safety deputies and the union representatives presented the message and motivated to stop smoking. The main message to motivate was addressed towards personal economy and the potential of saving by quitting the smoking. The methods that were offered were smoking cessation courses, self-administered groups and individual counseling by the plant nurses or medical personnel. All the employees with their partners received the offer. Most of the plants offered free pharmacotherapies. The first registration deadline was put to 31st of December 2001.
A campaign 2 was put through in September 2002. A video was shown to all the employees at shift, safety or other relevant meetings. The video gave information about results and interviews with the participants – both the ones that were helpers and the ones in process. It offered the smokers participation for counseling to stop smoking. Parallel to the showing of the video at the plants, all employees received by mail at home AMS Info (a leaflet) giving a summary of the information in the video and inviting to registration and counseling by the plant nurses or medical personnel.
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