Brussels, 14/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - "Feel free to say no" is the slogan of the EU-wide anti-smoking campaign to help combat smoking among young people. This campaign shifted into higher gear at the weekend, with a roadshow featuring a huge campaign truck and over 40 events organised in the Member States. A new series of campaign adverts is being published in all Member States, in youth press and on Internet. The campaign's website (http: //http://www.feel-free.info ) has been revamped to include all these partners. The campaign, which started on 31 May 2002 with the kick-off of the tobacco-free World Cup, benefited from the active support of UEFA and dozens of European World Cup players. These footballers were joined by popstars like Moby and Sophie Ellis Bextor in November last year. The campaign's official song, "Feel free to say no" by Before Four, which has only been released in two countries as yet, went straight into the Top Ten of the German charts. The campaign, which is part of the Commission's broader tobacco control strategy, targets 36.2 million young people between the ages of 12 and 18 throughout the European Union. Its overall budget is 18 million Euro over three years (six million per year).
The campaign truck, which is nearly 17 metres long, contains event tools like a stage which will be used for games, competitions - like the casting for the MTV show "Becoming", karaoke ,TV shows and live acts of bands such as Before Four. The following towns and events will be part of the roadshow: Athens, a music event in the city centre on 12 April; Rimini, Paganello Frisbee Party/World Beach Ultimate Cup on 18 - 20 April; Madrid, Fiesta Dos de Mayo on 2 May; Viseu, qualification matches for the FIFA under-17 World Cup on 7 May; Essen, International Youth Fair on 29 - 31 May; Luxembourg, Euro qualification match Luxembourg versus Denmark on 11 June; Vienna, Danube Island Festival on 20 - 22 June; Mol, Pennenzakkenrock Festival on 26 June; Dieppe, Tour de France à la Voile on 30 June - 2 July; Utrecht, Megafestatie on 12 - 13 July; Ishoj, Denmark Soccer Festival on 20 - 24 July; Östersund, Storsjö Yran Music Festival on 31 July; Helsinki, Opening event of the FIFA under-17 World Cup on 13 August; Edinburgh, Funfest on 30 - 31 August and Dublin, All Footballs Finals on 21 September 2003. All "Feel free to say no" events in Member States are organised in co-operation with national and/or local authorities, health agencies and NGOs, like the European Network on Young People and Tobacco (ENYPAT).
In the European Union, almost one in three young people smokes regularly: in the last Europe-wide survey, 36.8% of young people aged between 15 and 24 said they smoked regularly- 38.8% of young mena and 34.9% of young women (Eurobarometer, October 2002). The years between 12 and 18 are crucial for the rejection or adoption of a smoking habit. Research carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has shown that the rate of young smokers is increasing in all Member States of the European Union.