The Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat (SAACS) within the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition has initiated a national smoking deterrent campaign aimed at bringing awareness on the impact of smoking on human health and also the risks posed by exposure to public smoking.
Given the growing concern and need to address the new trends in smoking which include the growing use of electronic devices like vapes, and increase public smoking of both tobacco and cannabis products, the Secretariat recognized the need to engage the population on making healthier lifestyle choices.

Acting Deputy Coordinator of the Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat Caleb Paul says this campaign is extremely important as it focuses on the rising burden of smoking related diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). “The main aim is to bring the truth out as it pertains to harms associated with all types of smoking and we know that it is important for the time that we find ourselves in Saint Lucia with the epidemic of illnesses like COPD and we really want to take a preventive step, especially saving our young persons from reaching to that point where they have to hooked up to some type of oxygen or struggling to take the next breath. So, it is really a matter of saving the next generation from these issues that someone would encounter through smoking.”

The smoking deterrent campaign supports the Ministry of Health’s efforts to heighten public awareness and adopt behaviors to reduce the growing burden of chronic non-communicable diseases. The campaign will involve the engagement of various priority populations including the business community, education sector, event’s organisers and also engagement in the community. “We are using peer helpers; persons who are part of sports groups and other young groups that target young persons and we will be training them on how to develop those messages, giving them the information as well as the dangers associated to all types of smoking. We will be doing presentations at the workplaces, we will be having trainings at the workplaces. Targeting workplaces where we observe persons having those issues. We ask persons to request if they want these presentations done at their workplaces through the Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat and we hope that as we share the message that persons will definitely see the dangers of all types of smoking.”

The Acting Deputy Coordinator also spoke on the rollout of the smoking deterrent campaign. “People would see through social media our different products; through public service announcements, persons would see billboards going up in their communities with images that will catch their attention. We want persons to interact with these messages when they see them. Persons will see them through WhatsApp, Instagram, billboards. We want persons to share it with persons around you; in your social groups, so everyone can hear the message. So you will see us on your favorite shows, both radio and television.”

The Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat encourages everyone to actively support and contribute to making the next generation which will create a healthier Saint Lucia for us all.