World No Tobacco Day: Young people highlight systematic, aggressive and sustained tactics to hook a new generation of users

NYCI’s national youth health programme supports youth work organisations to become health promoting organisations. To mark World No Tobacco Day on May 31st we’re spotlighting some of the amazing work young people have been involved in to debunk myths and expose devious tactics employed by the tobacco industry.

The Irish Cancer Society’s X-HALE youth advocates have collaborated on an international project to create four short films highlighting the stark truth that the tobacco industry still knowingly markets its harmful products to young people.  

They want to raise awareness of the influence of the tobacco industry and the media on young people’s decision to smoke and they are calling on young people from all over the world, to expose industry tactics and boycott its products. 

They are asking young people, youth organisations and their supporters to stand up to the tobacco industry by sharing their messages with friends and people who care about the health and wellbeing of young people all over the world. 

[Tobacco] creates a pile of problems. That’s why we need to step up about this issue and we need to do something to stop tobacco use in the world. – Julia X-HALE Youth Advocates

The most important thing is that we are teenagers who are passionate about sharing our stories and we are working on a smoke free generation. – Ciaran X-HALE Youth Advocate

 I have learned about the loads of effects of smoking and vaping and how bad they really are. I have learned about how they affect every single sustainable development goal – Brendan X-HALE Youth Advocate

 We’ll be joining the Irish Cancer Society on Sunday 31st May 2020 at 12pm for the launch of the X-HALE Youth Advocates Campaign.

Follow the campaign journey at  https://www.facebook.com/XHaleYouthAwards, on Instagram at Xhale2020 or at www.cancer.ie/xhale

#TobaccoExposed #smokefreegeneration #XHALE2020