National Non-Smoking Week — A Canadian Success Story

Abstract

Publisher Summary The first National Non-Smoking Week took place in 1976. The slogan Join the Majority - Be a Non-Smoker was the sheet anchor of the Canadian Council on Smoking and Health's National Non-Smoking Week. It marked a departure from overtly health oriented warnings to a manifest behavioral appeal. The health message was not lost. It was amply and variously deployed through editorial and feature articles in print media, spot announcements, interviews and feature programs in the electronic media. The role of the Canadian Council on Smoking and Health has been to determine a theme for each year's promotion and to produce promotional materials and a resource guide. The front line troops have been organizers at the provincial and local level who most often have been associated with local interagency councils. These organizers have arranged the distribution of materials, made personal contact with the local media, managed the appearances of local dignitaries and experts, and organized special events such as smoking cessation clinics, school plays, and jogging events. They have also fed back ideas to the National Non-Smoking Week Planning Committee. One such idea was that of Weedless Wednesday.