It will be a campaign with a difference – as the key messages and the materials have been drawn up by young people themselves, with the support of a professional designer.
The campaign will be the latest to be organised by Gwynedd Council’s Youth Service to encourage healthier lifestyles among young people.
Based on an information pack, which includes leaflets and a film among other materials, the campaign conveys a stark message about the dangers of smoking – by focusing on the facts.
The information packs include tobacco cards which present the true facts about various aspects of the dangers of smoking – and to dispel any wrong impressions people may have. They shatter such myths as smoking makes you thin, or that smoking while pregnant does not harm your baby.
The various topics covered by the cards include:
- smoking at home
- smoking and pregnancy
- the real cost of smoking
- smoking and men
- smoking and image and
- smoking in public places.
Sioned Williams, Head of Gwynedd Council’s Economy and Community said:
“It’s great to see the young people of Gwynedd playing such a key role in this pioneering and important project.
“They – and the designer – have been able to use powerful and memorable imagery to convey stark messages about the dangers of smoking.
“It shows the Council’s commitment to providing a great service to Gwynedd’s young people and the importance of involving all the people of Gwynedd in order to provide the best services to the public.
“Statistics show that half the people who have been smoking all their lives die as a result of their addiction, and the younger you start smoking, the most likely you are to die of a smoking-related disease.
“A key priority for us is to improve health and welfare in Gwynedd. Everyone’s a winner in this campaign – all the work was done locally by a local designer and printers – and the cards are well worth seeing.”
After the Eisteddfod the cards will be distributed around all Gwynedd Council youth services, including the youth clubs. Health professionals will also use the cards in their work to ensure that the message is spread among young people in Gwynedd.
