ANTI-SMOKING MEDIA CAMPAIGNS IN THREE MARZES OF ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 14:53

A presentation describing anti-smoking media campaigns, implemented
in three marzes of Armenia, will take place on June 16, 2006 in the
Golden Tulip Hotel in Yerevan.

In August 2005, three international cancer charities — the American
Cancer Society (ACS), Cancer Research UK, and the International
Union Against Cancer (UICC) — awarded an advocacy fellowship to
Dr. Narine Movsisyan. The intent of this fellowship was to facilitate
anti-smoking media projects in Armenia. D r. Movsisyan is a leading
Armenian tobacco control advocate and a Project Coordinator at the
Center for Health Services Research and Development at the American
University of Armenia. Dr. Movsisyan’s efforts have also been supported
by an IREX/ECA social marketing training grant.

An intensive one-and-half day training session on tobacco control
issues took place in Tsakhkadzor in December 2005, followed by
a competition open to all marz TV companies. A professional jury
selected four winning proposals for the implementation of anti-smoking
media campaigns in three marzes of Armenia. The companies selected
were: Lori TV (Vanadzor), Fortuna (Stepanavan), ALT (Armavir), and
Khustup TV (Kapan). The on-site training provided by the Internews
experts facilitated the creation of anti-smoking media campaigns in
these marzes.

According to Dr. Narine Movsisyan, "The heavy burden of smoking to the
Armenian society is yet to be largely recognized in Armenia. Smoking
is the primary risk factor for the leading causes of death in Armenia,
namely cardiovascular disease and cancer. We are loosing about 2000
human lives due to smoking each year in Armenia and these premature
deaths are totally preventable. We should spread the knowledge
about risks of smoking and the risks of exposure to tobacco smoke
to everyone, especially to people in rural areas of Armenia, who are
already disadvantaged in terms of access to information".