UNRIC MAGAZINE July Edition 2009

Issue No. 32, July 2009
Text size
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Home Campaigns@EU Campaigns @ the EU Laugh instead of lighting up

Laugh instead of lighting up

E-mail Print PDF
01_euHundreds have taken advantage of the EU no-smoking site to post videos about the dangers of lighting up. The videos are part of the EU's new anti-tobacco campaign, which uses humour to convey a serious message.

The campaign features three TV spots now running on some 100 channels across the EU. In one, a young woman relies on a nimble-fingered monkey to help her kick the habit. In another, a man wears a plastic bubble over his head so people don't have to breathe in his smoke.

The ads will run throughout June and again in September.

Taking a cue from YouTube, the EU is inviting people to upload videos showing how they kicked the habit. Hundreds have responded and their work can be seen on the campaign website.

The site also provides serious advice on how to stop smoking, avoid second-hand smoke or resist the urge to take up the habit. Smokers can take a test to determine how addicted they are.

Adults under 35 were made the main targets of the campaign, after an EU survey suggested smoking rates among this age group were not only high but also holding steady. By contrast, rates among older people appeared to be declining.

Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of death in the EU, claiming about 650,000 lives a year. One in three Europeans - about 170 million - uses tobacco. Most start smoking in their youth.

For a life without tobacco: http://uk-en.help-eu.com/pages/index-2.html

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/news/environment/090605_en.htm
 

Quote of the month

" Better, But Not Good Enough"

Olivier de Schutter, UN's Special Rapporteur on right to food on the G8 decision to increase agricultural aid

F.U.N.

F.U.N.F.U.N was born when a friend asked how he can help the United Nations? "What does the UN need most" he asked? Friends are what the UN needs most, was our answer, and it just happens to spell F.U.N.
Read more...

 

3 Questions to...

Press Conference with Olivier de Schutter, Brussels, 11 June 2009...

 

In Focus

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

 

Cartooning for Peace

  ...

 

Back in Time

UNRWA at 60