Smoking Sucks campaign features young people speaking frankly against smoking

In a ceremony attended by nearly 1,000 high school students, the Alliance for the Control of Tobacco (ACT) today unveiled Smoking Sucks, a multi-media anti-smoking education campaign aimed at young people throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The locally produced campaign features three high school students from across the province who also played a significant role in developing the messages for the campaign.

"Our approach is have real people, telling real messages about the dangers of smoking, about the dangers of second-hand smoke and about the manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry," said Brent Smith, ACT program director. "We made sure young people were directly involved in developing the campaign. The idea for Smoking Sucks came directly from young people in the province who asked for frank, no holds barred information."

Paula Ewing, chair of the alliance�s board of directors said the Smoking Sucks campaign is part of ACT�s comprehensive tobacco reduction strategy. "ACT has four goals; to prevent tobacco use by non-smokers, to protect people from second-hand smoke, to assist smokers in quitting and to inform people about the marketing strategies and tactics of the tobacco industry. This campaign is focused on young people, but the messages support our other projects such as cessation programs and smoke-free bars and restaurants."

"This campaign will be most effective if young people join with ACT and other organizations to encourage their friends to avoid tobacco and to quit, if they have already started smoking," said Roger Grimes, Minister of Health and Community Services. "By working together, and through campaigns like this one, every resident of our province will realize that smoking is killing our people."

Media contact:

Brent Smith, Alliance for the Control of Tobacco, (709) 753-0079, (www.smokingsucks.nfld.net)
Carl Cooper, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377

2000 09 20 11:10 a.m.