News release

New Tobacco Strategy Television Ads Unveiled

Office of Health Promotion (Jan. 2003 - May 2005)

New television ads will use humour to de-glamorize smoking, countering decades of advertising and marketing by the tobacco industry that portray smoking as glamorous. Health Promotion Minister Rodney MacDonald unveiled the new ads today, Jan. 20, as part of the province's tobacco control strategy.

"We are committed to our strategy to help Nova Scotians live healthier, smoke-free lives," said Mr. MacDonald. "We expect these ads, along with the other components of the strategy, to help continue the downward smoking trend in this province."

The new television ads are an extension of the Great Reasons to Smoke print campaign, which began in February 2003, and is still in circulation. The television ads use humour to show the irrational reasons people give for continuing to smoke. The content in the new ads uses lines and themes gathered in research with smokers from across Nova Scotia.

"The ads are a departure from commonly used anti-smoking television commercials. Against decades of marketing that has presented smoking as sophisticated, healthy, and something to aspire to, these ads portray the exact opposite -- they de-glamorize smoking," said Nancy Hoddinott, Tobacco Strategy manager. "The ads accomplish the goals of the campaign and we feel they will speak to the target audience - young adults."

The television ads are one component of a comprehensive strategy to get stop smoking messages into communities across the province. Other initiatives that will be launched this year include a workplace program, a high school program and a revised interactive website, www.sickofsmoke.com .

"No component on its own will be completely successful," said Ms. Hoddinott. "It's messages delivered through various forms combined with smoke-free environments, that we know encourage people to make the decision to quit smoking."

Nova Scotia's tobacco strategy, introduced in October 2001, includes legislation, tobacco tax increases, public awareness, community and school-based programs, help to quit smoking and evaluation. The public awareness campaign is funded jointly by the Office of Health Promotion and Health Canada. Since 2000, Nova Scotia's smoking rate has decreased by five per cent.