The Role of Young Political Activists in Tobacco Control: Catalysts for Change
By Kanwal Niazi
Public health faces major challenges globally, but tobacco use still remains on the top being responsible for over 8 million deaths annually. Despite many tobacco control policies being introduced day by day and progress in its implementation also, there are many who are the victims of devastating health and other economic and environmental impacts. Considering this, young political activists can play a significant role serving as powerful agents of change. They often bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to long standing problems. Their expertise in using social media platforms and digital tools and ability to organize creative campaigns makes them particularly effective in addressing tobacco control. This is also because they resonate well with the younger demographics who are basically the primary targets for the tobacco industries. The social media platforms like, Face book, Instagram, Twitter and Linked In are all the ways they can use to amplify their voices and create an impact. In the past also, this has proven to be a game changer in reaching audiences across the geographic and socio-economic barriers. Moreover, young political activists are the ones that can bring a change because they are closely connected to the younger generation most vulnerable to tobacco marketing such as low income communities and youth. This way they can easily advocate for targeted policies and interventions that can help limit tobacco consumption. Just to name a few, the strategies that they can adopt for tobacco control include policy advocacy, community mobilization and challenging the tobacco industry. They can play an important role in lobbying for strict tobacco control policies such as increment in taxes on tobacco products and ban on advertisements of such products. They can also engage with policymakers, making sure that public health remains a priority over corporate interests. Secondly, workshops, anti-tobacco drives and conferences at grassroots level can help empower local communities and resist tobacco use. These platforms can also be used to challenge the tobacco industry by exposing how they target young and vulnerable communities through e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, flavored products and misleading advertisements.
Although in the past many such initiatives have helped achieve significant milestones, challenges such as limited funding, inadequate support from the government and overwhelming power of the tobacco industry do persist. This can be overcome by partnering with NGOs, health organizations and policymakers and help amplify their impact
