The ‘Save Our Future’ campaign for World No Tobacco Day is an alliance of health and community organizations committed to protecting young people from the deceptive tactics of the tobacco and e-cigarette industries. The campaign empowers youth to resist the manipulative strategies employed by these industries through social media and education. By giving the youth a platform to voice their opinions, ‘Save Our Future’ aims to generate a wave of awareness and stimulate discussions among them. Through education, empowerment, and action, the initiative is forging a path for future generations to escape the grip of the tobacco industry.
‘Save Our Future’ is an alliance of health and community organizations committed to protecting young people from the deceptive tactics of the tobacco and e-cigarette industries. The campaign empowers youth to resist the manipulative strategies employed by these industries, utilizing social media and education to raise awareness. The initiative seeks to generate a wave of awareness and stimulate discussions among the youth by giving them a platform to voice their opinions.
As we approach World No Tobacco Day on 31 May 2024, a notable alliance of health and community organizations, ‘Save Our Future’, has emerged. This coalition is committed to protecting the younger generation from the ruthless tactics of the tobacco and e-cigarette industries. The campaign seeks to empower our future generations to resist the manipulative strategies of these industries.
The rallying cry for this year’s campaign, ‘No More Intrusion’, is more than just a memorable catchphrase. It acts as an illuminating beacon, shedding light on the crafty and aggressive strategies of the tobacco giants, strategies that are slowly infiltrating the day-to-day lives of our young people. These techniques vary from the misuse of social media and digital platforms to the unethical employment of influencers and promotional content.
Zanele Mthembu, the spearhead of ‘Save Our Future,’ elucidates their mission. “Our World No Tobacco Day campaign is commencing with a loud and clear message that utilizes the voices of young pioneers in South Africa. Collectively, we aim to eradicate the intrusive and widespread marketing strategies of the tobacco industry,” she says. She further asserts, “Our youth are retaliating, voicing their disapproval through striking social media videos and expressive memes, declaring that it’s time to put a stop to this.”
The campaign inspires young people to voice their responses to the persistent marketing of the tobacco industry and its impact, particularly through social media. Lesego Mateme, a representative of the South African Tobacco-Free Youth Forum (SATFYF), expounds, “We are interacting with the youth in a language they understand. Our social media responses are unique and powerful, and we want to harness that energy to create a compelling conversation.”
On a grassroots level, the ‘Save Our Future’ initiative is implementing customized school program activities. These activities aim to raise awareness and gather reactions through engaging and thought-provoking education sessions called Tobacco-Free Assemblies. Schools are encouraged to respond to the tobacco industry within photo booths, capturing their genuine, unfiltered reactions. This initiative culminated in silent protests against the tobacco industry, further emphasizing that the youth are not mere passive victims of these predatory marketing strategies.
Sivu Bukula, who leads the nationwide ‘Save Our Future’ School Ambassador Programme for the Cart Agency, outlines the goals of the campaign. “‘Save Our Future’ is educating schools and school communities about the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing strategies towards children. This campaign is all about empowering young people to become active fighters against the tobacco industry. By giving them a platform, we hope to generate a wave of awareness and stimulate discussions among the youth.”
By integrating education, empowerment, and action, the ‘Save Our Future’ initiative is forging a path for future generations to escape the grip of the tobacco industry. Utilizing modern communication methods like social media, the campaign is reaching out to the youth in a language they understand and on platforms they frequently use. It is this innovative approach that could potentially undermine the tobacco industry’s hold over our young people. The battle against the tobacco industry is no longer waged behind closed doors – it has been brought to the forefront, fought openly, and in the language of the youth.
World No Tobacco Day is celebrated annually on May 31st.
The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2024 is ‘No More Intrusion’, which focuses on the deceptive tactics employed by the tobacco and e-cigarette industries, particularly towards young people.
The ‘Save Our Future’ campaign empowers youth to resist the manipulative strategies employed by the tobacco and e-cigarette industries through social media and education. The campaign gives young people a platform to voice their opinions and generate a wave of awareness and discussions. The initiative also implements customized school program activities to raise awareness and gather reactions through engaging and thought-provoking education sessions.
The goal of the ‘Save Our Future’ campaign is to protect young people from the deceptive tactics of the tobacco and e-cigarette industries, educate them about the targeted marketing strategies towards children, and empower them to become active fighters against the tobacco industry.
Schools can get involved in the ‘Save Our Future’ campaign by implementing customized school program activities, such as the Tobacco-Free Assemblies, to raise awareness and gather reactions from students. Schools can also encourage students to respond to the tobacco industry within photo booths and participate in silent protests against the tobacco industry.
The ‘Save Our Future’ campaign is combating Big Tobacco through education, empowerment, and action. By giving young people a platform to voice their opinions and generate awareness and discussions, the campaign is forging a path for future generations to escape the grip of the tobacco industry. The campaign also utilizes modern communication methods like social media to reach out to young people in a language they understand and on platforms they frequently use.
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