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Poster Competition and prize distribution ceremony on “Tobacco Control and Youth”
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The rising trend of smoking among the teenagers
is a big source of concern both for parents and teachers. The majority of adult smokers are said
to start smoking in their teens. Eventually they get hooked to smoking for life. Smoking is said
to be the leading cause of preventable diseases. Every year millions of people die across the
world because of smoking and related diseases. In spite of ban on tobacco advertising and
smoking in public places, there is no significant decline in tobacco consumption due to weak
implementation of anti- tobacco laws. The factor that attracts teenagers towards smoking is the
fact that media has glamorized cigarette smoking. Youngsters want to emulate their favorite
stars and smoke in their style. Besides, children who see their parents and elder siblings
smoking, are more likely to start smoking early. Tobacco companies are actively luring the
youth to smoking by innovative business practices. The alarming fear is increasing use of
adolescents with this highly addictive product.
Pakistan has alarmingly high rates of tobacco consumption and the consequent chronic illnesses. At least
25% of deaths in the country occur due to tobacco-related diseases including heart attack, stroke, cancer
and chronic respiratory conditions (Pakistan Demographic Survey 2003).
There are an estimated 22-25 million smokers in the country. Past surveys (NHSP 1990-94, PHES 1999)
reported that 55% of the households had at least one smoker. Recent surveys and other data collected at
relatively smaller scales suggest a possible worsening of the situation. In Pakistan , an estimated 40%
males and 9% females are smokers – with smoking rates going up on daily basis. The annual per capita
consumption of tobacco cigarettes in the country is recorded as 391 cigarettes per adult per year.
One authoritative estimate puts the number of tobacco-related deaths at 100,000 per year. This means 273
tobacco deaths a day. Resultantly about one out of six deaths in Pakistan will be occurring due to tobacco
use by 2030. These are worrying statistics for public health officials, policy makers and general consumers
alike.
In this backdrop TheNetwork for consumer protection had launched Advocacy and awareness campaign through
poster competition on the theme of “Tobacco Control and Youth”, depicting their views on illicit trade,
pictorial health warnings and unethical marketing practices of tobacco industry to attract youth. The poster
competition aimed at encouraging students to better
understand the danger of tobacco smoke and to involve our future generation to take lead role in tobacco
control initiatives.
TheNetwork has invited posters from various universities. TheNetwork has received more than 40 posters from
different universities including National University of Modern Languages, Hamdard University Islamabad
Campus, Islamabad Medical and Dental College, SKANS School of Accountancy and Bharia Medical and Dental
College Karachi. A large number of university students participated in the competition and displayed colorful
posters, showing various health hazards of tobacco and smoking. Amateur artists brought the dark side of
smoking by skillfully drawing them on the canvas, informing the common viewers that tobacco is enemy of
health of the people and it only serves to enhance the cause of death.
The posters were reviewed by jury including Mr. Abbass Shah, Ex Chief Designer PTV/ Art teacher for sculpture
at National College of Arts – Rawalpindi Campus, Mr. Zia Zaidi, Chief Executive ZEED Muralist and Mr. Riffat
Khattak, Chief Designer Ministry of Population. Students were awarded cash prizes, appreciation certificate
and shields at prize giving ceremony, which followed the exhibition.
The group of students from Bahira Medical and Dental College, Karachi was awarded the first prize for his
poster and cash prize of 15000/-. Ms. Sarah Hussain, MBBS 2nd Year got the second prize and cash award of
Rs. 12000/- while Ms. Attifa Muhktar Chaudary, 3rd Year, D.pharmacy, Hamdard University – Islamabad bagged
the third prize and cash prize of Rs. 10,000/- and the consolation prize of Rs. 5000/- was awarded to the
student of Islamabad Medical and Dental College. Other participants/students were given certificates.
The poster competition was part of a series of events being organized by the TheNetwork in the run up to the
grand ‘World No Tobacco Day’ activities planned for May 31.
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