Education, communication and public awareness
Education, communication and public awareness
Overview
Scientists have known for more than fifty years that tobacco use causes fatal diseases. The tobacco industry has a long history of denying these health risks, of covering up the evidence and spreading misleading information about the effects of tobacco use on health.
As public awareness of the health risks of tobacco use increases, smoking rates decline. Evidence-based mass media campaigns encourage smokers to quit.
In the UK, most people agree that tobacco is harmful to health. However, smokers tend to underestimate the extent of the risks.
In many developing countries, there is very little public information about the health risks of tobacco use, and tobacco companies can advertise freely.
Article 12 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control requires nations that have ratified the treaty to inform their citizens about the health risks of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Governments must disseminate this information widely, including through mass media and education programmes.
How to run a national tobacco campaign - a short guide
Current Key Texts
Ibrahim JK, Glantz SA (2007) The rise and fall of tobacco control media campaigns, 1967- 2006. American Journal of Public Health. 97(8):1383-96
Borland R and Banford J (2003) Understanding how mass media campaigns impact on smokers. Tobacco Control 12:ii45
Friend K, Levy DT (2002) Reductions in smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption associated with mass-media campaigns. Health Education Research, 17(1): 85-98
Other seminal texts
Kenkel D and Chen L (2000) Consumer information and tobacco use in Chaloupka FJ and Jha P Tobacco control in developing countries Oxford: OUP (pdf file)
Useful websites
Go Smokefree
UK Government site with information about giving up smoking, including links to media campaigns.
CDC Media Campaign Resource Center
USfederal Government site, offering links to various US mass media materials.
Quitnow
Australian government site with links to Australian mass media materials.
Health Canada National Campaigns
Canadian Government site with links to Canadian mass media materials.
Health Canada Round table on mass-media campaigns
Report of expert meeting hosted by Health Canada in 2002.
European Commission Health and Consumer Protection Tobacco
European Commission site, home of the “HELP” EU tobacco control campaign materials
Global Dialogue for Effective Stop Smoking Campaigns
Partnership of international NGOs and commercial organisations with an interest in mass media stop smoking campaigns.
Further information
In the UK, public knowledge about the health risks of smoking is tracked annually through the ONS Smoking Related Behaviour and Attitudes Survey.
Smoking in England
The Smoking Toolkit Study - Contains data collected from a monthly series of household surveys with smokers and recent ex-smokers. Data collection began in October 2006.
