Tobacco victims tell their own stories in Bangladesh’s new pictorial warnings

A mass and social media campaign has been launched in Bangladesh in support of graphic health warnings covering half of all tobacco packaging.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 28 April 2016, 03:59 PM
Updated : 29 April 2016, 09:18 AM

The campaign features testimonials of people suffering from tobacco-related diseases mentioned on tobacco packs.

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim launched the compelling national campaign – People Behind The Packs -- on Thursday at the Secretariat.

It is designed to reinforce the nine graphic health warnings made mandatory on 50 percent of all tobacco packs sold in Bangladesh from Mar 19.

The campaign graphically presents the testimonies of people suffering from several life-threatening illnesses depicted in the new warnings - including oral, throat and lung cancers and asthma - and urges people to quit tobacco use.

It was produced with technical support from Vital Strategies, formerly World Lung Foundation.

“These are the real stories of people from our community – no-one is better placed to tell us about the harm that resulted from their own tobacco use or their exposure to passive smoking,” the health minister said at the launching ceremony.

President and Chief Executive Officer of Vital Strategies José Luis Castro was happy to support the Bangladesh government in developing and delivering the campaign.

“It highlights why the tobacco industry is so desperate to stop graphic warnings on tobacco packs – because they remind every current tobacco user and every young person thinking about using tobacco that it causes deadly harm.”

The People Behind The Packs campaign has a clear message – “There are now new health warnings on all tobacco packs – See them and believe them!”

A series of four, 30-second Public Service Announcements (PSAs) feature patients being treated for cancer in Dhaka hospitals, holding up cigarette packets carrying a health warning related to their specific illness.

The PSAs were pre-tested among groups of tobacco users in urban and rural Bangladesh and were highly rated, the Vital Strategies says.

“I would talk to someone else about this message; (It) Makes me feel motivated to quit smoking, (It) Increases my confidence to quit smoking, and (It) Increases my support for government actions to stop tobacco use,” were some of their reactions.

Almost all of the respondents agreed that the four patient testimonials were “easy to understand, believable, taught me something new, and made me stop and think”.

Two of the PSAs – featuring a patient with asthma and a patient with throat cancer - will be broadcast across Bangladesh’s major TV channels over the next five weeks, in the lead-up to World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

In addition, the campaign will run on posters and billboards in and around primary health centres, hospitals and schools across Bangladesh.

It is supported by a social media campaign and website at www.packpeople.com.bd, where all four PSAs may be viewed.

The website provides more information on the pack warnings and the people behind the packs, besides giving tips and cessation advice to tobacco users.