In 2008 PFS was awarded a grant by the International Union for the control of cancer (UICC) to address anti smoking, and raising awareness about passive smoking.

This grant has enabled us to design a curriculum for community based education and to design and produce posters and a logo.

PFS held a competition, advertised in the local press. The aims were two fold:

1. Raise awareness about passive smoking and

2. Collect original art which could be used for the posters

We are targeting youth and the general population with our message.

FACTS

Tobacco smoking has long been recognized as a significant cause of death and disease. Tobacco use is known to cause lung cancer in humans and is a major risk factor for heart disease.

Cigarette smoke contains 69 chemicals that are known to cause cancer. (Read Research)

The Environmental Protection Agency (USA) reports on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS):

In adults:

ETS is a human lung carcinogen responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually in U.S. nonsmokers. ETS has been classified as a Group A carcinogen under EPA’s carcinogen assessment guidelines. This classification is reserved for those compounds or mixtures which have been shown to cause cancer in humans, based on studies in human populations.

In children:

ETS exposure increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. EPA estimates that between 150,000 and 300,000 of these cases annually in infants and young children up to 18 months of age are attributable to exposure to ETS. Of these, between 7,500 and 15,000 will result in hospitalization.

ETS exposure increases the prevalence of fluid in the middle ear, a sign of chronic middle ear disease.

ETS exposure in children irritates the upper respiratory tract and is associated with a small but significant reduction in lung function.

ETS exposure increases the frequency of episodes and severity of symptoms in asthmatic children. The report estimates that 200,000 to 1,000,000 asthmatic children have their condition worsened by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

ETS exposure is a risk factor for new cases of asthma in children who have not previously displayed symptoms.

Ref http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/pubs/etsfs.html (accessed 6 April 2009)

This project began in 2008 with a support from UICC International Union against Cancer to raise awareness among the community members about the harmful effects of passive smoking on all members of society and especially on children.

Passive smoking is the term used to describe the exposure of a non-smoker person to a combination of smoke from the burning of tobacco in a cigarette through the smoker breathing; it is also known as involuntary smoking, and second-hand smoking. It is not less dangerous than direct smoking, if not more worse, and smoking is the primary cause for many deadly diseases in the world, and it cause many chronic diseases, such cancer, it contains more than 4000 chemicals, including approximately 50 cancer-causing substances.

The project target group is youth in particular and society in general.

Awareness is done through:

• Advertisements in the media
• Printing posters which were chosen through a competition which was announced in Al-Quds newspaper (a Palestinian newspaper) in October 2008. Three posters were chosen in this campaign in order to educate and raise awareness among all members of the community about the disadvantages and problems that could be affect our children due to smoking.