Thai Health Initiatives: from Mr. Condom to Smoking Kid

Image from:http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/thai_anti-smoking_psa_shows_li.html

I came a across a youtube video put out by the Thai Health Promotion Federation called Smoking Kid.
I first became aware of some of the innovative health education practices happening in Thailand after seeing a Ted talk video in class last semester called Mr. Condom. This anti-smoking campaign takes a different approach from our current model of using scare tactics, via disturbing images and dire warnings, to discourage tobacco use.

Smoking Kid uses children to create dialogue and reflection of smokers on their reasons for smoking.  Instead of a warning, or scare tactic, the children in the video ask the smoker why they are smoking, and after listening to the warnings and appeals for the children not to smoke, they offer them a pamphlet about the dangers of tobacco use.

The video statistics sound impressive, though I'm unsure of the scale of the promotion and or of its lasting power on the individuals approached by the children, or those who see the campaign. Scare tactics and shame do little to address the physiological and psychological dependence many smokers struggle with, and I'm unsure if this style of campaign does either.

Nevertheless, an interesting idea on a health concern whose current campaign needs desperately to be readdressed in North America.