A STUDENT with designs on anti smoking is spearheading a Teesside campaign to help teenagers stub out the habit.
Cleveland College of Art & Design graphic artist Jamie Mansfield, 19, has created a poster for the South Tees Stop Smoking Service to encourage young people to stop or never start smoking.
Jamie’s design was chosen from a brief set by the Tobacco Control Smokefree Alliance, as part of a drive to tackle smoking prevalence in Middlesbrough, with particular focus on 16 to 19–year-olds.
Smoke Free Alliance lead for Middlesbrough Rachel Mcilvenna said: “We were invited to CCAD to do a talk to students on stopping smoking.
“Seeing all the creative talent within the college gave us the idea to set the students a challenge to come up with an eye catching poster which would appeal to young people to encourage them to give up cigarettes or not to start smoking at all.
“As a service we need to engage with young people and Jamie’s poster will now help us to reach our target audience in a visually and creative way.”
From 38 poster entries The Smoke Free Alliance chose its top five with the final choice going to an online public vote.
The five finalists were added to Instagram accounts belonging to both CCAD and the Graphic Design course, and by ‘liking’ the images Jamie’s work polled 181 of the 267 votes cast.
“I was really surprised by how many votes I got,” said Jamie, of Middlesbrough. “And I didn’t even vote for myself.
“It took a while to sink in that I’d won and that my poster would be used for the campaign.
“I’ve got a lot of friends that smoke and I’ve even tried it once myself, but didn’t like it, - I just think a lot of people do it because of peer pressure or because they are trying to look cool.”
Smoking costs the NHS in Middlesbrough around £6.48 million per year with approximately 229 deaths each year, in adults aged 35 and over, directly attributable to smoking.
Jamie’s poster will used to target young smokers in Teesside University and colleges and youth centres across Middlesbrough and Redcar.
Councillor Julia Rostron, Middlesbrough Council's Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: "The Smokefree Alliance chose to ask students to design the posters for the Stop Smoking Service as they know best what will influence their age group to quit the habit.
“Smoking is a major problem in Middlesbrough with cigarettes being sold illegally in the town - mainly to young people.
“We hope that when they see Jamie’s poster it will make them think twice before they start to smoke helping them to live longer and healthier lives.”
CCAD graphics tutor Chris Beadle added: “One of the lessons on this course is how to communicate with different target audiences.
“Jamie’s design, targeting social smoking, really appeals to young people and that’s why it works so well.
“Jamie has had an incredible first year at CCAD - he has a real passion for advertising and a very bright future ahead of him.”
For help and support to stop smoking, contact the stop smoking service on 01642 383819.
Stop Smoking Clinics are held every Tuesday at The Life Store and Wednesday at the Community Hub, Thorntree, starting at 10am.
For more information on opportunities at CCAD contact (01642) 288888 or log on to www.ccad.ac.uk.