Jan. 21, 2009
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation Provides $75,000 Grant to Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition for Statewide Ad Campaign on Dangers of Secondhand Smoke to Youth
A television advertising campaign aimed at raising awareness to the dangers of secondhand smoke is reaching Kansans across the state, thanks to a partnership between the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program and Jones Huyett Partners, and a $75,000 grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation.
“Quitting smoking is the single best lifestyle change a person can make to improve both their own health and the health of those around them,” said Graham Bailey, chief operating officer of the BCBSKS Foundation. “However, if someone can’t quit for themselves, they should take steps to assure that the people around them are not put at risk. As these two ads remind us, there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke.”
Bailey explained that exposure to cigarette smoke at home and work increases many health risks for non-smoking adults and children. Children of smokers are at a significantly higher risk for developing asthma, pneumonia, ear infections, sudden infant death syndrome, meningitis and learning problems.
“This ad project was an excellent opportunity for our Kansas youth partners in TASK to collaborate with the BCBSKS Foundation to help protect other Kansas children and teens from the known dangers of secondhand smoke,” said Mary Jayne Hellebust, executive director, Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition.
Teens with TASK, the statewide youth movement against tobacco, came together from across the state to share ideas on what makes an effective ad, what people should know about secondhand smoke, how to encourage smokers to take smoking outside and how to encourage businesses to become smoke-free. Many of the teens who participated in the project appear in the commercials.
The Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition and the Tobacco Use Prevention Program helped facilitate the project while Jones Huyett Partners, a Topeka advertising agency, produced and placed the ads. The two ads can be viewed here.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation was incorporated in July 2005 by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas to further strengthen its role in promoting the good health of Kansans. The foundation focuses its giving on key health issues that can impact the lives of many Kansans, funding programs which are, at their core, health-related. The foundation seeks out programs that promote health improvement, health care access, health education, healthy behaviors and prevention initiatives.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and is the state’s largest health insurer. BCBSKS and the BCBSKS Foundation serve all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte.
The Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition is a statewide alliance of health, education, parent, youth, law enforcement and other civic organizations and individuals which advocates for laws, policies and programs that will result in significant reductions in tobacco use and addiction, especially among children and high-risk groups.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program provides resources and assistance to community coalitions to develop, enhance and evaluate state and local tobacco prevention initiatives.
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