Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
ASH Tobacco Control Year Planner
Publicity is the lifeblood of tobacco control. Linking diary dates to your tobacco control campaigning is a good way of attracting
press interest. Here are some publicity ideas to use for news releases, feature articles, radio spots, photo-calls, phone ins.
Whatever else you do in tobacco control try to attract as much publici ty as possible and try to focus on passive smoking.
[view printer - friendly version]
Dates
Event
Publicity idea and contacts
December
2002
End of Dec
End of tobacco ads
New laws come into force early in 2003 banning billboard and print media tobacco
advertising and making new and larger health warnings on cigarette packets. Time
to celebrate. Send out a release celebrating the end of the last year of ads. 3000
lives a year will be saved as a result!
End of Dec
New Year’s Eve
Let’s all be smoke-free in 2003! Press release or letter to paper to ask the Govt
to do something about smoking in workplaces and public places as their New
Year’s resolution. Include figures of and facts about passive smoking and specific
facts about smoking in the workplace etc. eg 3 million people still work in smoky
environments, how children are affected by passive smoking, how many children
are hospitalised because of passive smoking. Urge Govt. to implement the ACoP.
For facts and information about passive smoking and the ACoP see
www.ash.org.uk/?smokefree
31 Dec
New Year’s Eve
Carry out a survey of New Year’s resolutions to see how many people put stopping
smoking in their wishes? Promote the cessation services and urge people to plan
their quit attempt. Make the New Year the start of a countdown to quit. Happy New
Year for 2003 – Stop smoking and be smoke free!
31 Dec
New Year’s Eve
Publicise stop-smoking services and helplines available over New Year for smokers
wanting to commit to quit. Launch No Smoking Day highlighting the slogan ‘Sick of
Smoking?’ call for a more action on smoking in the workplace with the slogan ‘Sick
of Smoking in the Workplace?’
31 Dec
New Year’s Eve
Find smokers wanting to commit to quit in the New Year and follow their story. Try
to arrange a column in the local newspaper with a countdown to quit and case
studies to follow. Arrange a radio phone- in with local cessation services. Set up a
photo- opportunity of a smoker planning to quit and dressed for New Year’s Eve
celebrations – balloons and streamers etc. Have him or her with telephone in hand
ringing one of the helplines with a large copy of the telephone number close to the
telephone, or an enlarged list of resolutions including ‘In 2003 I’ll be Smoke Free’
January
2003
January
Lung Cancer
Awareness Month
Smoking causes almost 9 out of 10 lung cancers. Lung cancer is the leading cause
of cancer in men. A third of deaths from smoking related diseases are from lung
cancer. Most people know that smoking causes lung cancer but it is worth
repeating and re-stating. Use images of some of the poisons in tobacco smoke or
visual reminders of the black, gooey cancer causing smoker’s tar to illustrate why
the delicate lungs have to do battle with the onslaught of carcinogens. Show
photos of what lung cancer looks like. Do some local stats of the numbers of lung
cancers locally and how many of these would be smoking related. And don’t forget
to include evidence that second- hand smoke causes lung cancer too – despite the
protestations of the tobacco industry!
1 Jan
New Year’s Day
Smokers’ Helplines and Quitline are open for extra long hours. Feature local
smokers who have rung the helplines or have a public event to ring the NHS
helplines or Quitline. Do stats on how many people ring over the New Year
celebrations? Publicise the numbers with the opening hours. Emphasise that
people should plan their quit attempt. Make this the beginning of the plan.
1 Jan
New Year’s Day
Run a stop smoking advice stall with a sporting event or a public event.
Invite the press for a photocall and make a giant petition or card for people to sign
asking for action on smoke-free workplaces.
All 2003
Ad ban comes into
force and new
warnings on
cigarette packs
Time to celebrate. See Feb 14 for the ad ban activities. Throughout 2003 we will
see new larger and hard- hitting warnings taking up a large part of the cigarette
packets. Get your plans for action ready now.
1 Jan – 31 Dec
European Year of
People with
Disabilities
A year-long awareness campaign. People with asthma and other lung diseases
have disabilities made worse by unwanted tobacco smoke. Remind policy makers
and employers that people with disabilities in particular are disadvantaged by
second-hand smoke. www.eypd2003.org
Jan onwards
Jan Sales Holidays
ads
Link how much money could be saved by stopping smoking and link it to how it
could be used to spend on holidays and January sales filling the ad breaks on TV.
6 Jan
Epiphany
Three Kings and the last day of Christmas. Link the gifts Gold, Frankincense and
Myrrh to stopping smoking. More money (Gold), better sense of smell
(Frankincense), and better health and less visits to the doctor (Myrhh). Set up a
photo opp with the 3 Kick the Habit Kings bringing their gifts.
25 Jan
Burns Night
Have Burns style writing challenge on a theme for more smoke-free provision or
condemn smoking and t he damage it does to society and the environment as a
whole.
Write a letter to the press condemning the lack of smoke free policies in true Burns
Style. Any quotation book or poetry anthology has samples of Burns’s poetry and
prose style.
‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And smoke filled aire denied
Should auld tobacco smoke be forgot,
Frae oure sake and thae childe.
Scottish activists can use Burns’s night to launch No Smoking Day plans with a
Burns Night dinner and speeches focussing on Scotland and smoking. See
www.ashscotland.org.uk
26 Jan
Australia Day
Focus on what we can learn from the success of Australian tobacco laws making
smoking in public places controlled by law. Why has UK been left behind compared
to the progress of Australia in tackling tobacco? There are some excellent web
sites for information on tobacco control in Australia. Try ASH Australia
www.ash.org.au Australian Council on Smoking and Health www.acosh.org Quit
Victoria www.quit.org.au Victoria Centre for Tobacco Control: www.vctc.org.au
Tobacco Supersite www.health.usyd.edu.au/tobacco
February
Raynaud’s/
Scleroderma month
Smoking can trigger the circulatory disease Raynaud’s and anyone with poor
circulation should stop smoking. Ask a specialist on the disease for quotes to use
in a press release warning and informing smokers of the risk. Contact: Raynaud’s
& Sclerodema Association. Tel. 01270 872776
Feb
Ad ban comes into
force
See Feb 14th for the big day. Prepare now for the grand ad-free d ay now. You’ve
worked hard for this day now its time to blow your trumpet publicly and make sure
the public are aware that tobacco ads should not be there!
1 – 15 Feb
Chinese New Year
begins
This is the biggest day in the year for Chinese. They drive the old year out with
cymbals and fireworks. The old year includes the last year of tobacco ads so you
can drive out the ads with a bang. This will be year of the Sheep. Run a stop
smoking stall at any Chinese New Year event or parade. Chinese have high
th
February
smoking rates. Find a local Chinese smoker who wants to quit.
Look at the research done by Prof. Richard Peto about the smoking rates in China
and predicted death rates in China. Or use the animal to create publicity
messages such as ‘Don’t be a sheep – don’t smoke’ or ‘Smoking wrinkles your skin
– you’ll be a mutton when you should be a lamb!’ or ‘Passive Smoking is Baa aa aa
th
aad for you and me.’ Celebrations end on Feb 15 with the lantern festival. People
hang coloured lanterns. The lanterns could carry stop smoking messages
10 – 16 Feb
Contraception
Awareness Week
Link smoking with sexual health. Highlight the added risks of smoking with certain
contraceptive methods. Also contraception clinics are a good way to reach sexually
active female smokers about the risks of smoking generally and particularly for
young women of childbearing age. Do a survey of women using the pill to find out
what they know of the risks of smoking whilst using the contraceptive pill. Find out
from the local services how many women using the pill are smoking and calculate
how many women locally are at extra risk of problems from smoking and using the
pill. See fact sheet on smoking and reproduction on the ASH web site
www.ash.org.uk/?facts or contact: FPA 020 7923 5201 www.fpa.org.uk
14 Feb
Ad Ban comes into
force
Hooray. As from today there are to be no billboards or print media advertisements
for tobacco products. This is cause for celebration indeed. This law will save an
estimated 3000 lives a year. Announce your local plans to monitor the situation to
make sure that the streets are free of tobacco billboards. Arrange a symbolic event
when a cigarette billboard is replaced with another ad. Have ‘Smoke Free
Billboards’ celebration with key individuals toasting tobacco ads free streets with
champagne. Invite the directors of Public Health to make statements about tobacco
ad free streets. For information and lots of quotes and facts and figures go to the
ASH website. www.ash.org.uk/?facts
One of the new cigarette pack health warnings is about male sexual dysfunction.
Use today National Impotence Day as an opportunity to promote this new warning.
14 Feb
St Val entine’s Day
Lots of opportunities for lobbying, linking smoking with hearts, flowers, love, kissing
and sex.
Put spoof valentines urging smokers to quit in the personal ads section in the local
paper. Eg
Give up your packets of 20 a day
With packets of three we’ll have more fun that way
Send a large Valentine to your MP or to secretary of State for Health asking in
romantic rhyme for more smoke-free public and workplace policies.
My dear beloved MP
I am down on bended knee
So kindly hear my plea
I would love you more and more
If you’d only improve one flaw
For a smoke-free workplace law
Help a local radio to make Valentine’s day short radio spot with Valentine
messages, music and vox pops about whether being smoke free is sexier.
Present a bouquet of roses and a Valentine to the local stop smoking advisor as
thanks for helping local smokers to quit.
Set up a photo- opportunity demanding a smoke-free environment in a suitably
named place such as Romeo’s disco or the Eros Club.
14 Feb
St Val entine
Run a newspaper challenge to write a valentine urging a smoker to quit.
‘You want a kiss, romance and bliss,
But while you’re still smoking – you’re joking!’
14 Feb
National Impotence
Day
See also Feb 14 th new warnings and ad ban comes into force. Great day to
highlight the link between smoking and the great passion killer – impotence! ASH
website www.ash.org.uk/?health has a paper it published with BMA in 1999 about
smoking related impotence. 120,000 UK men in their 30s and 40s suffer from
smoking related impotence. With a simple calculation you can localise the national
figure to give a local estimate of the numbers of men affected. The research also
showed that almost 9 out of ten men were unaware of smoking as a cause of
impotence. As thoughts turn to love on Feb 14 this awareness day provides the
opportunity to emphasise the un-sexy side to smoking. Set up a photo opportunity
with men with droopy cigarettes in their mouths presenting flowers and large visible
Valentines to a stop smoking advisor pleading for help! Or put the Valentines in the
newspaper with the telephone number of the local Stop Smoking Service.
Blokes with smoke in their eyes
Want to get it up?
You’ve gotta give it up
Blokes who smoke
If you want to get it up and keep it up, stub it out.
Hunky dunky
If you treasure your erection
Be in the no smoking section
Floppy bunny
Be a friskier rabbit …
Kick the smoking habit
Latin lover
Boost your libido
Give fags up, rapido
21 Feb
St Blaize’s Day
St Blaize is the patron saint of throats. Use St Blaize to ‘blaze’ a trail on the local
statistics of throat problems caused by smoking. Find out the numbers of throat
cancer cases treated locally from epidemiologists. Calculate the proportion caused
by smoking. Write a press release about the numbers and about how throat cancer
can affect your quality of life. Write a letter to the press or create story warning
cigar smokers of the harm cigars cause to throats. 90% of cigar smokers have cell
changes to their throats. See GASP leaflet ‘Cigars and Health: the Facts’
www.gasp.org.uk
Feb -March
Pre - Budget
Any lobbying you have done for tax rises for tobacco should be made public. Write
an open letter to your MP to the paper and prepare your response for the local
media to whatever the price rise is or isn’t in the budget.
1 March
St David’s Day
Focus on smoking and health in Wales. The Welsh Dragon could be a non-smoker
thanks to the local cessation services. Focus on smoking work in Wales or a Welsh
launch for Welsh No Smoking Day materials and plans. Turn your local Eisteddfod
into a smoke-free event.
1 – 4 March
Carnival
The word ‘carnival’ means – farewell to meat. Carnival is traditionally the week
before lent. Christians party and enjoy the good things in life before the 40 days of
lent when they fast and do penance. Carnivals offer a time to dress up and parade
in the streets and wear masks and fancy dress. Have smoke-free Carnival to show
that you don’t need to smoke to have fun! Launch No smoking Day with a ‘Sick of
Smoking? Samba’. Invite local Brazilians to join in to give it authenticity.
4 March
Islamic New Year
See other New Year activities or publicise the Asian language helplines relevant for
Muslims. Invite members of the community to hold up the numbers on boards or
create a banner with the telephone numbers of the Asian helplines for a photocall:
www.ash.org.uk/?quit
4 March
Shrove Tuesday
Run a ‘Pancake race’ – smokers versus non-smokers! This provides opportunities
to focus on exercise and smoking. The effects of carbon monoxide on muscles.
Have CO monitors to test the runners and show how much carbon monoxide they
have in their blood streams and how this affects fitness and endurance. Make sure
you have fit non-smokers who have practised tossing a pancake while running!
5 March
ASH Wednesday
Good day to promote ASH and what is has achieved since it was set up in 1971.
Do a brief history of ASH in the last 32 years and highlight some of the successful
campaigns it has achieved over the years. Use the day as an opportunity to
promote the ASH web site. Give some facts and figures on how many people have
visited the site and give a range of the contents. Give examples of the sort of
people who use the site. Use local examples – ask journalists, doctors, health
workers, teachers, cessation services, and campaigners. Promote the site as the
best place to find information on tobacco control. Contact your local ASH group if
one exists and do a short history of what the local ASH group has achieved and
what are the current campaigns?
March
5 March – 19 April
Lent
Challenge to give up smoking for lent. 40 days of fasting and abstinence. Set up
and run a Lent stop smoking group and follow the participants. Link it to No
Smoking Day, which is in a few days.
Run through the benefits gained after stopping smoking for 40 days.
Promote a L ent quit planner with tips for getting through 40 days without a cigarette.
6 March
World Book Day
Pre- No Smoking Day offers the chance to promote the range of books available to
help smokers to stop, inform children of the dangers and provide relaxation and
stress relief. Work with the local paper to do a review of the best books to help
smokers to stop and do it as a pre- NSD feature. Or do local research to find out
local people who have stopped using books such as Allen Carr’s ‘Easy Way to stop
smoking’? World Book Day: 020 7834 5477
7 – 16 March
National Science
Week
This is a week when science is in the news. Sometimes some of the research
presented is smoking related. Or use existing research about smoking and
publicise some angle of it that promotes your own campaigns. Smoking and health
is all about evidence based research. Use it!
8 March
International
Women’s Day
A good opportunity to publicise women and smoking. Carry out a survey of women
and smoking or highlight local stats of women and smoking.
Create a ‘Women’s Health Charter’ including not smoking and opposing anti- health
industries such as the tobacco industry or tobacco industry targeting women via
fashion and slimness. Invite women representatives from different organisations to
sign it.
9 March
False teeth patent
anniversary
181 years ago today Mr Howard from New York was granted a patent for his
invention of artificial teeth. Good time to remind smokers that Mr Howard’s
invention was great BUT that you are less likely to need them if you don’t smoke.
12 March
No Smoking Day
If you only do publicity about smoking once a year then this is the day! This year’s
theme is ‘Sick of Smoking?’ You can do almost anything about smoking and health
and link it to No Smoking Day and you will get some coverage. There is an
abundance of publicity ideas too numerous to mention for many different settings in
the No Smoking Day website, pack and photocopy kit. What ever you do help
smokers who are ‘Sick of Smoking’ to get better by stopping smoking.
www.nosmokingday.org.uk
14 March
National Ideas Day
This coincides with Einstein’s birthday and aims to encourage workers to come
forward with good ideas. Suggest that for the best idea for s afer, cleaner, healthier
workplaces is to bring in a smoking policy.
14 March
Comic Relief
Try a ‘Turn the coughing in to laughing’ stop smoking group where every session is
ended with jokes and things to make the clients laugh.
Tackle passive smoking with a joke. ‘You smoke – I joke’ and create the funniest
response or sign for smokers who light up in confined places e.g. ‘If we see any
smoke in here we assume there is a fire and act accordingly’ with a picture of a
bucket of water being poured over a smoker. Have a witty caption competition of a
person with a lit cigarette in a bizarre situation.
Write a letter to the press to invite people to contribute the funny stories about
tackling tobacco smoke. Create a Smoking joke and cartoon book. ‘What did the
big chimney say to the little chimney? You’re too young to smoke!’ Take a joke
book and adapt jokes to a smoking theme.
15 March
The ides of March
‘Beware the ides of March’ For all those who gave up smoking on No Smoking Day
this is ‘Day three’ as a non-smoker and is known to be a difficult day on the path to
becoming a non-smoker. Give tips and support for getting through the ‘Ides of
March’.
17 March
St Patrick’s Day
A legend about St Patrick is that he drove poisonous snakes and veno mous beasts
from the island. Maybe he could do the same for venomous plants such as
tobacco. Focus on tobacco control efforts in Ireland and statistics about smoking in
Ireland.
21 March
Spring equinox
Start of Spring. Link the start of spring with fresh air and a fresh start. Link
stopping smoking with a spring clean. The benefits start as soon as you stop. The
cilia in the lungs start to spring clean the mucus in the lungs.
Link the springtime ‘rising of the sap’ and ‘birds and bees’ with an opportunity to
warn about smoking and the risks to fertility and sexual health.
25 March
Lady Day
Short name for Day of Our Lady. A chance to encourage ‘ladies’ to stop smoking a
day at a time.
30 March
Mothering Sunday
Mothers stopping smoking for their children and children stopping for their mums.
Create a challenge to write a Mothers’ Day card rhyme to wish them good luck in
stopping smoking.
‘Of all the mothers in the world
There’s none so dear as mine
If only you’d give up the cigs
My asthma would be fine’
Start a ‘Mothers’ Stop Smoking Group’ to coincide with Mothers’ Day. Write an
article based on national figures but using local case studies of why smoking is so
much higher amongst lone mothers. Calculate how many mothers are killed by
tobacco nationally or locally. You can get the national figures from
www.ash.org.uk/?facts and adapt these for local figures. About 70% of women are
mothers so you can apply this to the numbers of women killed by tobacco and get
the figure for mothers.
Focus on smoking and pregnancy. Local figures on the numbers of pregnant
women locally who smoke during pregnancy? Find a pregnant woman who has
quit during pregnancy. Attitude or knowledge survey about smoking and
pregnancy. Photo-call with smoke -free baby T-shirts or bibs (No Smoking Day or
GASP). Find some ‘Mothers against tobacco ads’ or ‘Mothers against passive
smoking’ to interview. DoH has resources targeting pregnant smok ers www.givingupsmoking.co.uk
GASP has leaflets and displays on women and smoking, pregnancy and smoking, a
parents’ guide to stopping smoking and passive smoking and children.
www.gasp.org.uk
Mothers’ Day
continued
30 March
Clocks go forward
to British
summertime
Remind smokers that by stopping smoking they can add hours, days, months and
years onto their lives. The press message could be ‘Don’t fast forward your life with
smoking’. Link light evenings without needing to light up! Smokers of 20-a- day
waste about an hour a day lighting up and smoking cigarettes.
1April
April Fool’s Day
Don’t be fooled by the tobacco industry. Publish some of the foolish things the
tobacco industry has said about tobacco and smoking, for example, how they
constantly deny that passive smoking is harmful or some of the daft things they say
about young people and smoking. See examples in the report Trust Us We’re the
Tobacco Industry
April
Grand National
The betting odds from smoking and other health risks. Lifelong smokers have a
2:1 chance of dying from smoking related diseases. Would you lay a bet on it if you
wante d a long and healthy life?
2 April
Hindu New Year
Promote the Hindi and Gujarati stop smoking helplines. See other New Years and
give tips for quitting to Hindu communities. Use case studies of Hindus who have
quit smoking.
3 April
Take our Daughters
to Work Day
Would you want your daughter to work in a smoky environment? Use any local
publicity about the day to urge employers to protect our ‘daughters’ from
environmental tobacco smoke. If you work in smoking cessation, set up a film and
photo opportunity with your daughter visiting a smoking cessation service or a
tobacco control campaign with their own project for the day.
7 April
World Health Day
2.4 million children die each year from vaccine preventable diseases. 4.9 million
people die each year from tobacco related diseases and the rate is increasing
dramatically. Look at smoking in relation to other worldwide causes of death.
WHO www.who.int
15 April
Titanic anniversary
81 years ago today the Tita nic sank and 1513 of the 2224 passengers were lost.
Every five days smoking in the UK causes as many deaths as occurred on the
Titanic.
April
17 April
Maundy Thursday
Link the money given out by the Queen to how much could be saved from not
smoking.
The Queen gives out specially minted guineas (1 guinea = £1.05p) to older people.
The numbers of guineas is the same as her age. By our calculations, a pack a day
smoker could save the equivalent of the Maundy money within 17 days of quitting
smoking.
19 April
Good Friday
No Smoking Hot Cross Buns. Persuade a baker to create ‘No smoking hot cross
buns’. In addition to the usual cross on the bun, add the image of smoking cigarette
with the same dough with the cross on top of the cigarette. Set up a photocall for
the press. You could do this before Good Friday.
20 April
Easter Saturday
The end of Lent. Urge smokers who stopped for Lent to stay stopped. If they have
managed to stop for 40 days then the worst of the cravings should be over.
21 April
Easter Sunday
‘Don’t choke your chicks’. ‘Keep your bunny rabbit away from your smoking habit’.
Relate the easter eggs, chicks, nests and bunnies to protecting children from
harmful tobacco smoke.
22 April
Earth Day
Tobacco pollutes the earth and kills its people. ASH website has a fact sheet on
tobacco and the environment. www.ash.org.uk/?facts
23 April
St George’s Day
Patron Saint of England. St George is known for slaying the fire-breathing dragon.
Maybe this time St George, as an employer, could ask the smoke-breathing dragon
to go outside or help him stop smoking. Set up a photocall with St George holding
up a no smoking sign to the dragon.
Focus on the English smoking statistics.
23 April
Shakespeare’s
birthday
Set a press challenge to create a Smoke Free Shakespeare sonnet:
Shall I compare thee to a full ashtray?
Thou art more smelly and do nauseate.
Fresh winds do take the clouds of smoke away
But smokers’ lease hath all too short a date.
Or
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see
So long as you smoke, it’s death to me
28 April
International
Workers Day
Find workers who work in smoke filled workplaces to call for policies to protect them
at work. Do a survey of workers attitudes to smoke free workplaces.
May
Framework
Convention to be
ratified
One of the biggest international steps forward in tobacco control will happen this
month. See May 31s t World No Tobacco Day. The World Health Organisation is
expected to ratify the Framework Convention. See www.ash.org.uk/?international .
May
Date to be confirmed
Love Your Hair
Week
Smoking causes serious hair pollution! Do a quick survey about what people most
dislike about smoky atmospheres – is smelly hair in the top 5? Ask hairdressers
how smoking affects hair health. Urge smokers to quit for the sake of clean hair!
Contact: Good Relations 020 7861 3030
1 May
May Day
Maypole dancing. Create a Maypole painted like a giant cigarette. Dance with
ropes ties up the cigarette. Use ribbons with messages about smoking & health or
places we would like smoke free.
3 – 10 May
Cot Death
Awareness Week
Smoking while pregnant triples the risk of cot death. Smoking ar ound a baby after
birth doubles the risk of cot death. Invite a child health expert to explain the risk
smoking causes to the unborn and newborn child. Contact Foundation for the
Study of Infant Deaths: 020 7222 8001
3 – 11May
National Pet Week
Pets are harmed by passive smoking. It can cause nasal and sinus cancer
particularly in medium and short nosed dogs. Pets make news so use this day to
encourage pet owners not to smoke around pets. American Journal of
st
Epidemiology 1998 March 1 Ed.147 has the relevant research paper.
May
5 May
May Day Holiday
May Fairs – Run a fun stall as well as having smoking information. Instead of a
‘coconut shy’ put empty packs of Mayfair cigarettes, which have to be knocked off
their perch. Or paint skittles as cigarettes that have to be bowled over. Or have a
stall to recruit smokers to a stop smoking service ‘Give up your Mayfairs and sign
up at the May Fair’, or face paint no smoking signs. (see fetes July)
6 May
World Asthma Day
Today is an opportunity to demand smoke-free public places, workplaces, homes
and cars! Press release facts and figures about asthma and smoking. A photoopportunity of people with asthma giving thumbs up or down to local public places
with smoky or smoke-free atmospheres. A forceful approach is to find a legal firm
willing to support people with asthma who have problems with smoky air at work or
in public places.
Over 5.1 million people in UK are treated for asthma. That’s 1.3 million children
and 3.7 million adults. (1 in 8 children/1 in 13 adults). 80% of people with asthma
say that smoky air makes their asthma symptoms worse. So 4 million people
either avoid smoky places or could take legal action against a manager for not
protecting their health! These figures can be adapted to f ind how many people
locally are affected. Use today to campaign for smoke free homes for children.
One in eight children with asthma, allows you to focus on the need for parents and
carers not to smoke around their children. Contact: Nat. Asthma Campaign 020
7226 2260 www.asthma.org.uk
9 May
Europe Day
Look at Europe wide attitudes and public policies for tobacco control. Ads, price,
smoke free policies, help to stop, etc Which country in Europe is the best place to
be a non-smoker? Where are they best protected? Where is the worst?
12 May
International
Nurses Day
Chance to focus on nurses and smoking. Contact the RCN Tobacco Campaign
and get a free copy of the pack ‘Clearing the Air’ on what nurses can do to help
smokers to stop. Tel 0870 74 23456
12 –18 May
National Breastfeeding week
Breast-feeding is best for baby even if a mother smokes. But the poisons from
tobacco smoke can pass to the baby. Use breast-feeding awareness week to find
case studies of mothers who have given up smoking and who are breast-feeding or
to interview nutritionists about the effects of smoking on breast milk. Some women
who quit during pregnancy go back to smoking after the birth of the baby. Urge
them to stay stopped for the sake of the baby. Contact: 020 7972 1372 or
www.doh.gov.uk/nbaw2003
12 – 18 May
National Condom
Week
See if No Smoking Day has any condoms left. Lots of links to having a healthier
sex life and more need for condoms if you are smoke free.
12 –18 May
National Smile
Week
Promote dental health and a healthy smile. Smoking has a dramatic effect on oral
health. Invite dentists to comment on how giving up smoking can improve your
smile. ASH has produced a fact sheet together with the BDA on smoking and oral
health. GASP also has a poster and a leaflet called Quit & Grin linking smoking to
oral disease. www.gasp.org.uk
17 – 23 May
National Balloon
Week
The campaign is to promote the potential of balloons. So use balloons to promote
your message. Balloons make great photo opportunities. Eg
•
A balloon release to represent numbers of smokers who have quit this year.
•
Have a bunch of balloons with half black or dull and half a bright colour to
represent the numbers of children living in homes with smokers (black) or
smoke free (coloured).
•
Use balloons of different colours to represent molecules in clean air and the
molecules in inhaled smoke. It is a very visual way of showing the poisons in
tobacco smoke.
•
A bunch of full balloons to represent health lungs and a bunch of deflated or
burst balloons to represent emphysema.
•
Give out balloons to children in a shopping centre with smoke free messages
on. GASP supplies Smokefree Baby, Smoke free me and You smoke I choke
balloons. www.gasp.org.uk
Contact: Balloon Association 01989 762204
26 May
Spring Bank
Holiday
Great chance to make links with stopping smoking and ‘spring cleaning’ your lungs,
putting ‘spring’ into your step and ‘springing’ into action
31 May
World No Tobacco
Day
The World Health Organization is expected to ratify the Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control. See www.ash.org.uk/?international There are 191 countries
signed up to the World Health Organization and most of these will be signing the
treaty. This will the biggest co-ordinated, world-wide attack on tobacco ever! See
the contents of the convention and compare how your local alliance or health
service tobacco control programme rates with the international treaty. One of the
greatest problems of tobacco control is the inequality between nations of what is
being done to control tobacco use. The Framework Convention will change all that
and set an international baseline. Time for more celebration – as well as hard
work.
31 May
World No Tobacco
Day
The theme this year is tobacco-free fashion and films. Campaign ideas: Liaise
with charity shops to promote a smoke-free theme. Ask people to design ‘smokefree hats’ or ‘quit kit bags’. Issue press release stating ‘Get into fashion – not into
smoking’ with details of how much money you could spend on fashionable clothes
instead of smoking. The latest James Bond film could provide a hook for
campaigns around films. Conduct a risk assessment of all the dangers the top spy
is exposed to compared to the risks from smoking. Or contrast the reality of
smoking with the glamorous way it is portrayed in films.
http://www5.who.int/tobacco/index.cfm
June
Weddings
June is traditionally the month for weddings. Create a feature for marrying couples
to point out the advantages of quitting smoking for a future family, the cash and
longer life.
June
National Childcare
month
Children in day care should be protected from passive smoking.
National Childcare month gives you the opportunity to research and publicise
whether or not children in day care are protected from passive smoking. What are
the policies for childminding, nurseries and voluntary groups? Are children in day
care better protected from passive smoking than children at home? Contact: 020
7840 3350 www.daycaretrust.org.uk
June
National
Osteoporosis
Month
Smoking is one of the factors that increase the risk of osteoporosis. Interview
specialists in osteoporosis. Suggest a feature to the local newspaper on how to
reduce the risk of osteoporosis and include quit tips, helpline numbers and local
stop smoking groups.
Contact: National Osteoporosis Society. 01761 471771 www.nos.org.uk
June
Weight Wise
A campaign to promote healthy eating. Weight gain is a big worry for many people
stopping smoking. Use this month to promote messages of how to stop smoking
and eat healthily.
Contact: British Dietetic Association 01326 376 648
June
Male Cancer
Awareness month
Men have higher rates of lung cancer and all other cancers associated with
smoking. This month can be used to focus on all the cancers caused and linked to
smoking. This includes cancer of the penis. ASH website has lists of all the
cancers linked to smoking and facts about male and female deaths rates from each
disease. Contact 020 7970 6030 www.icr.ac.uk/everyman
Offer a ‘men only’ quit group. Link it to cancer prevention and include ‘check your
kit’ or run a ‘Quit and get fit and check your kit’ class.
June
Wimbledon
Fitness and smoking. Why smoking and tennis don’t mix. A look at how the
tobacco industry has always tried to muscle in on sponsoring tennis e.g. Kim
cigarettes and Virginia Slims. Research what tennis players have said about
smoking or tobacco sponsorship of tennis. Write to all the local tennis champions –
Junior, county, university, club champions and ask them to give quotes about tennis
and sponsorship of sport by tobacco or what they think about smoking. Do a press
release of the answers or create a vox pop with photos for the local newspaper . Do
a photo-call with local tennis players under a banner – ‘Game, set and match to
smoke-free tennis’.
Run stop smoking groups with Wimbledon style strawberries and cream as an
attraction.
1 June
MOT Day
Male Only Testing day. Linked to above awareness month urging men to ‘check
their kit’. Add information about smoking and penile cancer and the link with
tobacco workers and scrotal cancer. And repeat the impotence warning. A slogan
June
can be added: ‘Check your kit – For fit kit quit!’
5 June
World Environment
Day
An opportunity to look at tobacco and environment. See Earth Day (May)
June
Sun Awareness
Week
Sun causes premature wrinkles. Smoking causes premature wrinkling. The
combined effect is greater than the 2 separate effects. Message – if you don’t want
premature wrinkles – safe sun and stop the cigs. Find examples of older sun
worshipping smokers and compare skin with non-smokers.
7 – 15 June
SANDS Awareness
week
Stillbirths and neonatal deaths awareness week offers an opportunity to publicise
risks to unborn and newborn babies. Ask public health specialists for local stats
about stillbirths and neonatal deaths and get comments from child health specialists
about the risks of smoking and health. ASH website has figures for smoking and
pregnancy. Or contact SANDS: 020 7436 7940 www.uk-sands.org
7 – 15 June
British Heart
Foundation Week
Smoking is the main cause of deaths from heart disease in younger men. Smoking
is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases. Find heart patients who have
quit, talk to consultants to explain the damage smoking causes the heart, and show
the Australian TV ad about the clogged up aorta. Contact: BHF 020 7935 0185
www.bhf.org.uk
9 – 15 June
National Food
Safety week
The theme this year is ‘hand washing’. Use the opportunity to publicise why foodhandlers should NOT smoke. Smoking is prohibited whilst serving or handling food
or drinks. This is because the smoker’s hand is put to the mouth and bacteria from
the mouth can be passed onto the hand and then to food. Yet food handlers often
come out from the kitchen or serving area, smoke a cigarette and then return to
work without washing their hands. Or they smoke a cigarette keeping it hidden
under the counter. Use the opportunity to publicise the risk of smoking and
handling food. Both the public and catering staff need to be more aware of the food
safety risks of smoking while working with food. Food & Drink Federation 020 7836
2460 www.foodlink.org.uk
14 – 22 June
Bike Week
OK, Bike week isn’t related to smoking but use the week to promote messages
about being fitter and healthier. One myth you can explode is that the cyclist
breathes in huge amounts of pollutants in the street air. Research has shown that
air in cyclist lungs is far cleaner than the air in a driver’s lungs sitting in a traffic jam.
Because the cyclist breathes more deeply because of exercise the lungs do not
build up the pollutants found in street air. Compare this with smokers and nonsmokers in enclosed spaces. One cigarette smoked in a closed room creates 20
times the pollution of Piccadilly Circus in the rush hour! Cycling is also a good way
to get fit after smokers stop.
15 June
Fathers’ Day
Create publicity pointing out how many dads in your town have died this year from
smoking. About 80,000 men die each year from smoking related diseases. 65% of
all men are fathers. You can work out how many fathers have died from smoking
diseases since last fathers’ day. Localise figures by calculating the local population
compared to the UK population of 59 million. Write a story with heading such as
‘This year 2,400 dads will get flowers this fathers’ day but no chocolates.’
Set up a ‘Dad’s Quit group’. Create a Father’s Day card urging dads to stop
smoking or deliver one to the local MP (if he is dad) urging him to do more to
protect children from passive smoking.
Urge children not to give dads cigarettes or cigars for Fathers’ day.
Focus on dads-to be and smoking. There are risks to fertility and to the unborn
baby.
Publish stats on smoking and men or look at how tobacco industry has targeted
men and fathers.
Do figures on how many local dads smoke and put this in terms of how many
children will be exposed to passive smoking.
23 – 29 June
Child Safety Week
Smoking materials, either cigarettes or matches, cause many domestic fires that
cause injury and even death to children. Find out local statistics for the numbers of
fires caused by smoking and if possible how many children have been hurt. Add
your voice to the campaign against the chemicals added to cigarettes to keep them
alight.
Each year babies and children in prams and pushchairs have their faces and eyes
accidentally burned by people holding lit cigarettes. You can find out statistics about
smoking related safety hazards from RoSPA or CAPT who coordinate this week.
Date to be confirmed
Contact:
Child Accident Prevention Trust: 020 7608 3828 www.capt.org.uk
14 – 21 June
Breathe Easy Week
Focus on lung disease and particularly those linked to smoking. Lung disease
outnumbers all other diseases as a cause of death. British Lung Foundation Tel 020
7831 5831.
21 June
Longest Day
Urge smokers to quit to make all their days longer. Focus on the extra time you can
gain by quitting. Include the time saved from not smoking. A 20- a-day smoker
spends 50 days smoking each year!
24 June
Mid summer’s Day
Midsummer’s bonfires. Stopping smoking medication give a beacon of hope to all
those smokers who never thought they could do it. Light a quitting beacon to
remind smokers that there is light at the end of the tunnel to help smokers to stop.
All Summer
Morris Dancing
Commission a Smoke Free Morris Dance. Dancers could hold large cigarettes
instead of poles of wood or dance over them.
All summer
Fairs and Fetes
Lots of events you can do for any summer fetes and fairs. Try ‘Smoke Free Me’
face painting for children. You need white and red (and black if you want) face
paints and a picture of the international no smoking sign to use for copying. Face
paint the children with a no smoking sign. Take a Polaroid Photo as part of the deal
and Mum and Day might put it up at home as a personal no smoking sign. Or make
‘Wipe Out Cigarettes’ Skittles, (Paint wood or heavy cardboard rolls as cigarettes,
Knock over the cigarette packets (a la coconut shy), No Smoking darts, Throw the
quoit over a cigarette, Fortune Teller giving stop smoking advice, Scramble an Ad
competitions, Caption competition with photos of smokers,
July
Commit to Get Fit
This campaign is to promote fitness. Run Commit to Quit and Get Fit stop smoking
groups and link in with the local fitness industry. Feature on how smoking reduces
fitness. In the RCP report ‘Smoking and the young’ there was research to show
that a 19-year-old smoker had the fitness level of a 35-year-old non-smoker.
1 July
Canada Day
Same as for Australia Day. (Jan 15th ) Look at success of Canada tobacco control
programmes. Feature on the labelling of cigarette packets. For information see
Health Canada or Non- Smokers Rights Association
4 July
American
Independence Day
Celebrate independence from nicotine addiction. Just how addictive is nicotine?
About 12 million smokers in the UK and most will be dependent on nicotine. What
is available to help rid people from the depende nce of tobacco? Look at smoking
programmes in the States particularly California where they have had a sustained
campaign and legislation to promote smoke free environments everywhere.
Smoking rates have decreased dramatically. Check
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/links/internationallinks.php for links with the USA
tobacco control groups. Ask visiting Americans to compare tobacco control in the
USA and UK. Urge more cafes, restaurants etc to go smoke free particularly the
American style places.
6 July
National Kissing
Day
Another chance to highlight the effects of smoking on kissability. Look at
www.ash.org.uk/?facts for a fact sheet o n smoking and oral health and
www.gasp.org.uk has posters and leaflets on kissing and oral health such ‘Kiss a
non smoker and taste the difference’, ‘kissing a smokers is like snogging an
ashtray’. Ask dentists to c omment on the effects of smoking on oral health. Ask
young people if they prefer kissing a smoker or a non-smoker.
Denplan Ltd. 01962 827853
15 July
St Swithin’s Day
If it rains today it will continue for forty days. If you stop smoking today can you go
on for 40 days?
July
August
August
Car Litter
Campaign
Everyday smokers in Britain throw away 180 million butts and 12 million cigarette
packets. Much of this ends up as litter. Throwing cigarette ends out of car
windows is not only ant-soc ial but can also cause fires. Contact Tidy Britain Group
for further information. Set up a photo opportunity to show how much litter is
caused by smokers dropping smoking litter on the streets. Tel. 01942 612621.
www.tidybritain.org.uk
3 – 9 August
World Conference
on Tobacco or
Health – Helsinki
Finland
A mass gathering of tobacco control activists, researchers and agencies. Present a
paper of work you are doing locally and press release that you are going and what
you will be presenting. Local research always makes local news. Gather good
news stories and prepare a local conference report for your local newspapers.
www.wcotoh2003.org
4 –9 August
Sexual Health
Week
See Week February 9 – 14 for ideas on tobacco smoking and sexual health.
th
Also this provides story opportunities on smoking and impotence (see Feb 14 ).
9 August
Nicotiniana
Tobacum
Today’s flower is tobacco, which is a member of the nightshade family. A botanical
and biochemical analysis of the plant would provide a different angle on smoking.
26 August
August Bank
holiday and end of
summer holidays
season
Collect up the stories of holidaymakers whose holidays have been spoiled by
s moking. Which is the worst country for unwanted tobacco smoke? Invite letters
from the public with candidates for the least considerate smokers.
Compare UK with other countries in terms of protecting people from second- hand
smoke. Create a challenge in the newspaper for the worst smoking horror story
E.g. On a holiday in Spain a smoker was dancing wildly and thrust a lit cigarette in
her partner’s eye. He was doubled over in terrible agony and was taken off to
hospital.
28 August
Martin Luther King
spe ech
anniversary
‘I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day …’ Martin Luther King gave his
famous speech on this day in 1963. Maybe the dream speech could be adapted to
having a dream where children are not harmed by second- hand smoke and that
workplaces are smoke free.
Sept
Nat. General
Practice Week
GP’s advice to smokers to stop is one of the most cost- effective strategies to
reduce smoking. Set up a press or TV feature showing a stop smoking advice
session in a GP practice. Show smokers being tested and offered a range of stop
smoking medications. Local TV likes to have good news stories and make the link
with GP week.
Sept
Back to School
Figures on how many children locally beginning their new secondary school will
start to smoke. Feature on what can be done to encourage children not to smoke.
15 – 21 Sep
Know Your
Numbers campaign
About a third of adults have high blood pressure. This blood pressure awareness
campaign promotes the need for us all to be aware of our blood pressure numbers
and to know what is high blood pressure. Smoking is one of the key risk factors for
high blood pressure. A dramatic demonstration for the media is to take a blood
pressure reading of a smoker who hasn’t smoked for a few ho urs. Then repeat the
test immediately after a cigarette. There is a big jump in blood pressure after a
cigarette. High blood pressure leads to strokes and aortic aneurysm and problems
with the eyes. All these are higher amongst smokers than non-smokers. Publish
local figures.
22- 28 Sep
National Eye Week
Publicise the damage to the eyes that smoke causes from red eyes from passive
smoking to blindness. Smoking can cause and worsen sight-threatening diseases
including cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. See
www.ash.org.uk/?facts for more information. GASP has a leaflet called ‘Smoke
Gets in Your Eyes’ www.gasp.org.uk or contact: Eye Care Information Services
01225 423394
th
th
September
27 Sep
Rosh Hashanah
Jewish New Year. See other New Year ideas.
28 Sep
Grandparents Day
It’s never too late to stop smoking. Find grandparents who have stopped and do a
selection of case studies. Show the benefits of stopping smoking at any age.
GASP has a booklet for older smokers with lots of facts and figures. (See Oct 1st ).
www.gasp.org.uk
28 Sep
European
Languages Day
Have a photo opportunity to make adults aware that nearly 50% of children are
living with adults who smoke. Half the children could be holding boards with ‘Thank
you for not smoking’ or Please don’t smoke’ in a wide range of European
languages. Radio interviews could involve children saying the different European
languages. Dim Smygu Diolch, Gracias por no fumar, etc.
28 Sep – 4 Oct
Stroke Awareness
week
Strokes are linked to smoking as smoking increases the risk of clotting and also
increases blood pressure. Invite specialists to comment on how stopp ing smoking
can reduce the risk of strokes. Explain how smoking contributes to an increased
risk of strokes.
Contact: The Stroke Association 020 7566 0300 www.stroke.org.uk
29 Sep
Harvest
Traditional date is Michaelmas. Food versus tobacco. When we celebrate the
harvest the amount of land taken up with tobacco growing can be contrasted with
the amount of food that could be grown if this prime land was used for growing
food.
29 Sep
Michaelmas
Feast of St Michael, the Archangel who as leader of the loyal angels overthrew the
rebel angel, Lucifer. A custom of Michaelmas is to eat goose. Parallels can be
drawn between healthy Michael fighting smoky Lucifer, or the tobacco industry and
the expression ‘Cook their goose’!
October
Breast Cancer
Awareness Month
Starting to smoke early in adolescence has been identified as a risk factor for
breast cancer. Use this to highlight the preventive message to all women not to
smoke or to quit. Contac t local breast cancer campaigners to build in advice and
publicity about where help is available to help women to stop smoking.
1 Oct
International Day of
Older Persons
Getting older doesn’t have to mean being unhealthy. Create a pack for older
smokers wanting to quit and advertise it via the media. Or create some good news
stories of smokers who have quit later in life. Find these through your local stop
smoking services or write a letter or put in a personal ad in the paper before the day
to invite people who have stopped smoking later in life. Make sure you get real life
examples of the reasons for and benefits from stopping - less coughs and colds,
better taste, more money, more time with grandchildren, not harming their
grandchildren, etc Include evidence about the benefits emphasising the short- term
improvements to health and lowering of risk of serious disease.
Make a card for grandchildren to give to grandparents urging them to stop smoking.
Set up a photocall with a willing grandparent.
GASP has a poster and leaflet for older smokers called ‘It’s never to late to stop
smoking’ www.gasp.org.uk
3 Oct
National Courtesy
Day
Should we rely on smokers being courteous by asking before they light up in public
places or in the workplace – or not? Campaign for Courtesy 01782 614407
October
EAC Week
Europe Against Cancer Week.
5 Oct
Yom Kippur
Jewish Day of Atonement.
9 Oct
National Poetry
Day
10 Oct
World Mental
Health Day
October
Date to be confirmed
Find poems or set up a challenge to write a poem about passive smoking or
some other issue.
This provides the opportunity to create a full page feature about why people with
mental health problems smoke up to 3 times more than the average. Interviews
with mental health service users about their smoking. Carry out a survey to find out
if users of the services want to stop smoking. Launch or promote any work you are
doing with mental health users. Check the ASH www.ash.org.uk/?inequalities for
information on smoking and mental health. Contact Mentality 020 7716 6777
www.mentality.org.uk
11 Oct
Diwali (Sikh)
Sikhs and Hindus celebrate Diwali or the festival of lights.
See Hindu Diwali – Oct 25th
16 Oct
World Food Day
Food versus tobacco. Tobacco takes up fertile land that could be used for food
growing. Studies show that in poor countries such as Bangladesh, the cost of
smoking for a poor family results in malnutrition and death for many children. Even
in the UK the costs of smoking to a low-income family can take up to 16% of the
weekly income. This has an impact on the food for the family.
17 Oct
Tobacco tax raised
by 300%
It is 399 years today since King James raised tobacco tax by 30 0%. King James 1
of England and VI of Scotland also published his ‘Counterblaste on Tobacco’. To
discourage smoking he raised tobacco tax by 300%. ‘Counterblaste’ is worth
repeating with a comment on its relevance today. Create a story commenting on
how price affects smoking rates.
20 Oct
St Jude’s Day
St Jude is patron saint of lost causes. Find passive smokers who after many
attempts to work, live or socialise in smoke free environment has finally achieved
the goal. Pass on their tips for tactics for others. Or for smokers launch a stop
smoking group for those who have tried to quit 6 or more times before. Publicise
the successes of the new medications and urge smokers who have found it difficult
to stop to give it another go. Put an ad in the paper to find the person who has
taken the most attempts to stop but who has finally succeeded. Write up the stories
of the replies.
20 Oct
World Osteop. Day
World Osteoporosis Day. See June 1-30 Osteoporosis month for ideas.
23 Oct
Confucius’ Birthday
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher. Make Confucian style warnings against
smoking to attract publicity! ‘Beware lest the fume of the tobacco plant shortens
your days’.
24 Oct
United Nations Day
Look at the UN in tobacco control. Feature the WHO Framework Convention and
what it means for countries with little or no tobacco control. See May 31st
25 Oct
Diwali (Hindu)
Hindu Festivals of light. Houses are lit up with oil lamps. A press story could
feature a Hindu smoker who wants to light up the house but stop lighting up the
tobacco. Give personal tips on how to light up life without lighting up cigarettes.
26 Oct
End British
Summer time
Days shortening, darker nights. Don’t make the air even darker and gloomier with
smoke and fumes from burning cigarettes. Call upon decision-makers to lighten up
our lives with smoke-free policies.
26 Oct
Ramadan starts
Ramadan is a time when Muslims not only fast but do not smoke during the daylight
hours. It offers the chance to urge smoking Muslims that if they can stop during
Ramadan why don’t they stop for good. Call Quit on 0800 00 22 00 to find out
about a national campaign for Ramadan or to promote the relevant Asian Quitlines.
29 Oct
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh, the man who introduced tobacco to England, died on this day
1618. Some memorial or tally of the grief caused by his ‘gift’ to UK history could list
some shocking statistics. Or highlight some of the historical events in the life of
tobacco in the UK. The conclusions should h ighlight both the drop in smoking in
the UK but the boom in smoking globally. Thanks Sir Walter!
31 Oct
Halloween
Trick or Treat: A press release encouraging smokers not to fall for the ‘tricks’ of
the tobacco industry but instead to give themselves a ‘treat’ and stop smoking.
Count Tobacula: Set up a photo opp with Count Tobacula, (dressed as Count
Dracula with his cloak lined with cigarette packets, ads and money). He could pose
being banished by stop smoking advisors or sent packing with his minions the
tobacco ads. He could be repelled with a giant international no-smoking sign from
a place with a smoke-free policy and sent back to his ‘Coughin’.
Witches with cauldron of tobacco smoke poisons: Set up a stunt with witches
around their cauldron creating the lethal mix of poisons in tobacco smoke. There
are over 4000 to choose from and you can use (safe versions of) the products for
which they are commonly known. Explain what evil will be done by the various
ingredients to explain how smoking harms the smoker and non smoker breathing in
second-hand smoke. Include the ingredients of money to buy silence and lies to
cover the truth about second- hand smoke.
November
November
Date to be confirmed
National Consumer
Week
Tobacco is a consumer issue. What other product kills one in two of its
consumers? Does the tobacco industry represent the wishes of the consumer?
Does FOREST represent the smoker? Compare consumer information for other
products compared with tobacco. Storm Media 0870 872 9030
2 Nov
All Souls Day
All Souls’ Day is the day to remember the dead. In some countries graves are
decorated. Some link could be made with the numbers of smokers locally who will
be remembered this All Souls’ Day this year instead of being with their families.
Use figures for how many smokers die in each town, or MP constituency. You
could send a letter urging your MP to do more to reduce the toll from tobacco and to
legislate for smoke free public and work places.
5 Nov
Bonfire Night
Remember; Remember the fifth of November … So why not make an effigy of Guy
Fags to burn on the bonfire. He should be smoking a cigarette and have his body
decorated in cigarette colours – red and white or gold and stuff the body with
cigarette adv ertisements torn from magazines or cigarette boxes. Have symbolic
emptying of cigarettes onto the bonfire.
You could ask your local Customs and Excise if they have any confiscated
smuggled cigarettes to add to the bonfire.
Compare lighting a cigarette with lighting a firework. Both are money up in smoke
but smoking has none of the spectacle.
5 Nov
National Stress
Awareness Day
Stress reduction is given as a common reasons for continued smoking. But
smoking actually increases stress. It raises blood pressure and stress hormones
and causes a constant cycle of withdrawal and temporary relief. Make smokers
aware of the stress inducing nature of smoking.
6 Nov
St Leonard’s Day
St Leonard is the patron saint of prisoners. There is a lot of work being done on
smoke-free policies and stop smoking services in prisons. Use today to promote
the work in the press.
9-15 Nov
Mouth Cancer
Awareness Week
Smoking is a major risk factor for mouth cancer. Incidence is rising in the UK and
currently kills around 1700 people a year. MCAW provides an opportunity to liaise
with local dentists to highlight the importance of quitting smoking to avoid this
devastating disease. For further information contact Richard Horner, Scope Dental
Professional Relations, Tel 01722 335599. E- mail: admin@thescopegroup.com
10 – 14 Nov
Indoor Allergy Day
The PR for this day lists dust mites, mould and pets. But almost 50% of children
are living in homes with tobacco smoke and many of these will be allergic to smoke.
The enormous rise in allergies is often linked to high smoking rates. 90% of
asthmatics have worse symptoms with smoke.
11 Nov
Remembrance Day
Armistice Day. Smoking has killed more than all those killed in the first and second
world wars. Reflections on the free supplies of cigarettes to the soldiers and how
this legacy is still killing men from this era today.
14 Nov
World Diabetes
Day
Diabetes and smoking do not mix. Use today as a reminder to any people with
diabetes to stop smoking as they have even higher risks of smoking related
diseases and complications from diabetes including circulation problems in the
limbs and diabetic retinopathy
15 Nov
Columbus sees
smoke
In his diary of 15th Nov 1492, Christopher Columbus noted in his journal the us e of
tobacco in his journal. This was the first – of many recorded references to tobacco.
22 Nov
St Cecilia’s Day
Patron Saint of music. Do a survey of local music venues and compare which are
smoke-free and which are not. Make comments on the findings such as ‘Why are
jazz or folk music lovers are subjected to a thick fog of tobacco some whilst
classical music lovers and the rock and pop concert halls are smoke free?’ Feature
facts about why smoking and music making don’t mix. Good lung function is
needed for singers and windplayers, CO and nicotine aren’t good for co-ordination
and concentration. Look at how many musicians have died before their time due to
smoking – George Harrison, Nat King Cole,
25 Nov
Eid Ul Fitr
The end of Ramadan 2003 and the time to celebrate the end of fasting. Follow up
any Ramadan campaigns and encourage smokers to stay stopped. Opportunity for
Eid parties to celebrate end of Ramadan. Attend an Eid party with stalls to help
smokers to quit and to promote smokefree homes and workplaces message.
Set up a photocall for an Asian community newspaper or the local paper with local
Muslims from the Bengali speaking community or the Urdu speaking community
holding up boards with the telephone numbers for the relevant Asia n helplines.
Arrange a photocall with local Muslims telephoning the Asian helplines of Quit or
NHS.
30 Nov
St Andrews Day
Scottish Celebrations. Focus on the high rates of smoking in Scotland. See
website of ASH Scotland www.ashscotland.org.uk
Organise a ‘tossing the caber’ with a giant cigarette that gets thrown as far as
possible. And the unwanted tobacco smoke with it!
1 Dec
World AIDS Day
Comparisons of death rates from smoking and from AIDS in the developed and
developing worlds. They are both epidemics of the developing world. But smoking
is spread by industry!
1 Dec
Rosa Parks
anniversary
In 1955 Mrs Rosa Parks, a black seamstress was arrested on a bus for refusing to
give up her seat to a white man. An inspiration for activists. An example to all
activists of what one person can achieve through peaceful direct action.
1 – 24 Dec
Advent
Create an Advent Calendar on the theme of smoke free places or a stop smoking
advent calendar. For the smoke-free advent calendar, make each door open with a
picture of words to represent all the areas we would like to see smoke free by
Christmas. Workplaces, cafes, post offices, airports, banks, homes, playgroups,
benefit offices, etc. A stop smoking calendar could have tips on stopping smoking
for each day leading up to Christmas. Make a giant version, which is opened each
day by different people such as children, health workers, parents, smokers to
provide a photo opportunity OR make a printed one and distribute via the media
with a press release promoting the calendar.
1 – 24 Dec
Advent
Set up a photo-call by decorating an outdoor or indoor ‘Smoke-Free Christmas Tree’ in a hospital entrance, PCT or health centre or cessation clinic . Use a theme
such as smoke-free places, using stop smoking signs or stickers, or the words ‘no
smoking’ in all the languages found in the local area written on colourful card and
made into a decoration and hung on the tree. Or use the theme of or stopping
smoking and decorate it with stop smoking aids, stickers, patches, leaflets, no
smoking signs, no smoking day stickers etc. Have with health workers, nurses and
doctors. Hand out information on stopping
1 – 24 Dec
Christmas
Publicity stunt with a giant bunches of mistletoe – and a big no smoking sign or sign
saying ‘Non Smokers only’ or ‘Kiss a non-smoker and enjoy the difference’.
Do a radio ‘vox pop’ or survey about what people think about kissing a smoker or a
non-smoker. For facts about smoking and oral health go to the ASH website
www.ash.org.uk/?facts
25 Dec – 6 Jan
Twelve Days of
Christmas
Create a new carol or a Christmas card based on the traditional song - ‘Twelve
smoke-free days of Christmas’, or the ‘Twelve tobacco control days of Christmas’.
Run a competition for health workers or the public to write their own versions of the
12 smoke free days of Christmas. Eg
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me …
12 Million quitting
Il- legal sales a-ceasing
10 pipes not- puffing
9 Workplace smoke bans
December
8 Ad bans binding
7 Smoke free sports sponsors
6 Cig companies closing
Five pounds a pack
For- est disbands
Free NRT
Two healthy lungs
And a new generation smoke-free
1 – 25 Dec
Christmas
Press release Christmas messages: ‘Stopping smoking is the best gift you can give
to yourself, your children, and your purse!’ Urge people not to give cigarettes as
presents but to give a supply of NRT as a more life enhancing present.
1 – 25 Dec
Christmas
Recruit a Smoke Free Santa to promote whatever action you are currently involved
in.. Rent a Santa Claus outfit from any costume hire and find a suitable volunteer.
Have Santa visiting a stop smoking group to promote the groups. Or use Santa to
ask the public not to buy tobacco as gifts for Christmas. He could visit a
supermarket tobacco stall or a hospital stating that to give cigarettes as presents is
not in the spirit of Christmas. Use Santa to warn against purchasing cheap
smuggled cigarettes for friends or family. Photo opportunity and news story can
warn how cigarettes kill and are not a good present to give the ones you love.
1 – 25 Dec
Christmas
Create a photo- opportunity with Santa Claus or children sending a Christmas card
to health minister, MP, Chancellor, etc. asking for a ban on tobacco advertising or
smoke free public places. Put a message such as: Merry Smoke Free Christmas
and an Ad-free New Year.
2 Dec
Plain English Day
Opportunity to spell out the plain English about tobacco related marketing phrases
such as ‘Light’ and ‘Mild’. What does the tobacco industry mean when it repeats
the refrain that there is no evidence that passive smoking is harmful to nonsmokers? Chance to do some plain speaking about what the tobacco industry
really wants. Plain English Campaign 01633 744409
6 Dec
St Nicholas Day
St Nicholas is the patron saint of children. He is ‘Santa Claus’. In some countries
in Europe, children get presents in their shoes on the morning of December 6 from
St Nicholas. St Nicholas Day provides the opportunity to focus on children and
smoking and not smoking around children.
10 Dec
World Human
Rights Day
A day to highlight the rights and responsibilities of smokers and non-smokers.
20 Dec
Hannukah
An 8-day Jewish Festival where a candle is lit each day. It is linked to the miracle
of a lamp with oil for only one day that lasted for 8 days. Link it to stopping
smoking. You can make life last longer, money last longer and be a light to others
around you as you don’t pollute the air.
21 Dec
Winter Solstice /
Shortest Day
The shortest day of the year: Use this day as an opportunity to:
•
Urge smokers not to smoke around their children. The shortest, darkest day
shouldn’t also be smoke filled. People spend most of the time indoors at this
time of year. Write a press release about the effect on children of being stuck
indoors when both parents are smoking. Not only can’t they go out to play or
go to the park they will be forced to smoke between 80 and 150 cigarettes a
year from passive smoking.
•
Smokefree workplaces Encourage employers to have a comprehensive
smoking policy by doing a press story on the short days that are done by
smokers going out from work to have cig breaks. 9 cig breaks a day
represents an hour and a half a day or a whole day a week spent smoking.
Suggest that offering help to stop smoking is a good investment. Also 7 out of
10 heavy smokers die before retirement and smokers have more time off sick.
Calculate how many smokers live in your town and write a press release about
how many people locally will shorten all their days like the winter shortens the
days. Half of all smokers die from smoking and half of these die up to 25 years
early.
•
Motivate smokers to quit with a press release about the stats of how smoking
can shorten all your days like the winter shortens the days.
•
Life’s too short? – quit now! Give figures for average time lost for each
cigarette smoked (about 8 minutes). Also how smoking shortens your time
available to do things by taking up so much time. A 20 a day smoker spends
about a day a week smoking cigarettes. Encourage smokers to quit and use
the spare hours for other things. Non smokers too waste their time by having
to wash and clean and decorate to rid their house and clothes of the effects of
second-hand smoke.
21 Dec
Shortest Day
Link the dark, foggy, cold days with the failure of the Govt to clear the air of passive
smoking in our workplaces and public places. Link lighting the dark, foggy streets
to clearing the smoke and mists of tobacco smoke from our public places and
letting the light of clean air in.
Time to write to your MP and remind them that they have been sitting on the ACOP
for long enough. See letter writing guide:
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/workplace/html/wplwguide.html
Late December
Mumming Plays
Create a Medieval Mummers play acting out warnings about the threat to the world
of tobacco and smoking or to celebrate the joys of a smoke-free world!