Note: World Lung Foundation united with The Union North America. From January 2016, the combined organization is known as “Vital Strategies.”
(New York, USA) –– World Lung Foundation (WLF) today congratulated the city of Sochi, host to the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, on the launch of a new anti-smoking mass media campaign. The campaign, entitled “Sochi’s Smokefree Olympics,” will run on television, radio, billboards, posters, in print and on public transportation mobile screens, from the beginning of November through the end of the year. Announcements about the SF policy will also be heard in the train cars connecting the Sochi airport with the Olympic venue and the city. The campaign is designed to support Sochi’s intent to be a 100% smokefree Olympic event.
The objective of Sochi’s Smokefree Olympics campaign is to raise awareness of tobacco as a major health threat and encourage compliance with new national smokefree laws introduced in Russia in June 2013. The Sochi smokefree effort began in the city in September. It informs smokers and non-smokers about where and why smoking is banned, explaining the health harms of tobacco use and the law’s requirements.
The latest campaign uses role models – real Olympic athletes, including a 2-time Olympic bobsleigh champion from Sochi, to drive home the message that smoking and secondhand smoke harm the very performance of Russia athletes, both professional or amateur.
World Lung Foundation has provided technical support to the Sochi campaign since 2012. The Smoke-free Olympics is a project of The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).
Peter Baldini, Chief Executive Officer, World Lung Foundation, commented: “The Olympics is a celebration of health and fitness so it is apt that Olympic cities should celebrate and promote a totally smokefree environment. We congratulate the Mayor of Sochi and the local government on this entire endeavour, which uses the Games as the perfect opportunity to encourage people to live healthier lives. We believe this will have a positive impact on compliance in Sochi and ultimately on the health of the people in both Sochi and across Russia in the long term.”
Campaign materials are available upon request, and the TV spot can be viewed online.