The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Mobilize youth to tracking and countering tobacco promotions

Tobacco industry manipulates political leaders and policy makers to delay the formulating process or find loopholes in implemented policies. There fore activate and mobiles youth to tracking and countering tobacco industry influences is the most cost effective quick and sustainable way to protect young children. Industry recruits at least 70 young children to maintain their profits per day. As we do not have adequate funds we need to maximize our creativity to discover effective low-cost strategies.

Methods: Delegate the responsibility among 20youth groups in different parts of the country; collect and categorize direct and indirect promotional materials; listing and expose actors and actresses depicting smoking cool in the screen; identify and collect information on industry sponsored events; identify hidden messages contains in promotions; investigate government and business sector links of the tobacco industry. Integrate above activities in to day-to-day activities and make it fun for youth.

Results:

Information collected and analyzed. Youth realized how the industry associates smoking with fun, rebellious and attractive events of life. Information gathered on association of smoking with nice and cozy feelings. Uncovered the subtle and hidden promotional messages contains in warning messages of the industry. Revealed how the industry targets different social strata. Recognized how the industry uses poverty to promote tobacco. Young people engaged in the activity started lobbying relevant authorities and expose industry promotions became a part of their daily life. Others learn the traps and those who interested joined groups.