Campaign to curb smoking kicks off

• Last Updated: May 23. 2009 12:39AM UAE / May 22. 2009 8:39PM GMT

The Ministry of Health launched a national anti-smoking campaign yesterday with a lofty goal: to get at least 10,000 people to promise to give up the deadly habit for at least a day.

As part of the six-week campaign, the ministry will team up with several companies, malls and educational institutions to highlight the dangers of smoking. UAE residents can log on to www.notobaccocampaign.com or send an SMS by typing the word “pledge” to 6448 to register. A pledge is a promise to not smoke on May 31, World No Tobacco Day.

The winning entry in a poster competition will be the official MoH sign on all cigarette packets in the GCC, according to WAM, the government news agency.

An exhibition of the top posters will be shown around the UAE next month.

“With tobacco rising to be the single largest killer in coming decades, it is urgent to address the issue,” said Carl Sardegna, the chief executive officer of Green Crescent Insurance Company, the official partner for the initiative.

“Every six seconds, someone across the world is dying because of tobacco abuse. One in five teenagers has begun smoking. Campaigns such as these which aim at the grassroots of any society are bound to have a greater impact.”

Students from the Department of Media and Communications at the Manipal University in Dubai will perform a 10-minute play depicting the real life experiences of smokers, passive smokers and past smokers.

* The National