Producers of the TVN (Chile’s National Television) morning television show Buenos Dias a Todos last week proclaimed their support for the #YoApoyoLeyTabaco (I Support the Tobacco Law) citizen campaign. The Tobacco-Free Chile coalition, an initiative coordinated by the EPES Foundation that promotes public health policy that lowers the high rate of smoking in this country, launched the campaign Monday, August 24.
Sonia Covarrubias, Tobacco-Free Chile Coalition Coordinator and EPES Executive Secretary, was interviewed Wednesday morning on the television program. The extensive interview gave her the opportunity to call upon Chilean organizations and the population in general to support a bill that aims to bring the national law in line with the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Control Framework Agreement
After launching the citizen campaign, the television program producers contacted Sonia to appear on the show. During the course of the interview, the program’s ratings rose, prompting producers to extend the time on the set. In addition, the campaign became a Twitter Trending Topic.
The complete 51-minute interview may be viewed on TVN’s website.
Sonia described the objectives behind plain packaging and spoke about the issue of tobacco additives, refuting tobacco industry charges about an alleged black market trade. She made a point to signal that the “YoApoyoLeyTabaco” campaign is backed by the OPS, WHO, as well as 60 national and international organizations. Moreover, four former Health Ministers of Chile – Jaime Mañalich, Osvaldo Artaza, Jorge Jimenez de la Jara and Helia Molina – publicly announced their support for the measure.
Action for Health in the Americas is proud to be a key supporter of this campaign and all the other work of EPES!
Action for Health in the Americas 