Tobacco-free postcard campaign launched

Islamabad : To create awareness of the dangers of tobacco and demand visible increase in taxes on the tobacco industry, first of its kind ‘Tobacco-Free Youth Postcard Campaign’ has been launched in Islamabad.

The campaign is mainly launched by ‘Chromatic’ Trust. Under the banner of CTFK, Chromatic, SPARC, and PANAH held a press conference and formal launch ceremony on Sunday. Tobacco-Free Youth Postcard Campaign will be active for a month. The launch event started with the inaugural remarks by Salman Farooque, Programme Manager Chromatic who introduced the issue to the participants. He thanked the media for joining the event.

Shariq Mahmood Khan, Project Director Chromatic briefed the media about how digital Influencer and mentor Imran Ali Dina agreed, to formally launch the campaign. He also briefed the press/broadcast and digital media about the importance of the campaign.

Shariq Mahmood Khan explained how one-month-long campaign will entertain unlimited digitally (and physically) designed postcards and the announcement of winners and their prizes. The postcards thus finalized will be sent to the Prime Minister Imran Khan requesting a visible increase on tobacco tax in the upcoming budget.

CTFK Country Head Imran Ahmed Malik shared how he felt about engaging the youth from all cities to join hands and design a postcard with a clear “engraved in stone” message that Tobacco is killing youth and this has to stop by a visible tax increase on Tobacco products and companies. He quoted the example of New Zealand where the government has banned sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2004.

Ch. Sana Ullah Ghuman, Secretary General Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) said that it was a good initiative to engage youth to save the youth. "Our kids are our future and we won’t let anyone mess with it," he said.

SPARC Programme Manager Khalil Ahmed Dogar expressed concern over the fact that how deeply and badly youth is being dragged into this situation. He requested the media to come forward and join the campaign against tobacco use.

In the end Imran Ali Dina formally launched the ‘Tobacco Free Youth Postcard Launch Campaign’ via a video link. He will also post a video to his 1.7 million followers’ page. An email and postal address were added to the launch video for the participant youth to send their designs. The designs will be shortlisted and competent judges will then finalize the names of three winners.