Students Choose the TV's Best Tobacco Education Advertisements
For Release ##08-131
May 30, 2008
WHITEHORSE – Yukon students in Grades Five through 12 have once again made their choice for the most effective tobacco education television advertisement from around the world.
Every year, as part of the World Health Organization’s May 31 World No Tobacco Day initiative, Yukon students join with students in Nunavut and Northwest Territories to review 12 of the best tobacco education television ads from around the world and vote on which they find the most effective. This year, 19 Yukon schools participated in the challenge.
This year’s winning commercial is “Artery.” It shows the plaque-clogged artery of a 32-year-old smoker and draws attention to the fact that smoking contributes to heart disease and stroke, which can affect smokers at any age.
“This is the fifth year our department’s Health Promotion unit has organized this educational campaign,” Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers said today. “It encourages classroom discussion and gives kids a clearer understanding of the dangers of using tobacco. We know we need to get our messages out to kids at a younger and younger age and this is one way of making our messages interactive in a positive way.”
Students participating in Smoke Screening 5 were entered into a draw for an IPod nano. This year’s winner is Savannah Goodman from the Grade Six class at Jack Hulland Elementary School in Whitehorse. Participating teachers were entered into a draw for a digital camera, and this year’s winner is Barbara Kaminecki from the Del Van Gorder School in Faro.