Damages from the Smoking Epidemic

778 Words2 Pages

“Smoking isn’t just suicide. It’s murder.”
A worldwide epidemic has threatened to change the course of our lives. A rise in deaths from cancer have shaken the world and something must be done. In April of 2008, this image was used in the Public Health and Safety Campaign called, “Smoking is Murder”. Paulino Caffarena, the illustrator, partnered with a non-profit health organization called the Chilean Corporation Against Cancer, otherwise known as CONAC, to sponsor the campaign. This image was used to raise awareness of the effects of second hand smoking.
In the image, a young boy weeps helplessly as a cloud of cigarette smoke engulfs him. The cloud of smoke covers his face in the shape of a plastic bag, as to show he is suffocating from the smoke. His mouth open wide as he gasps for air in the midst of falling tears and thick smoke. The image draws the viewer’s attention to the young boy, while depicting him falling victim to someone else’s life choices. The creator does this by showing the boy in front of a black shadowed background which gives the image a sense of despair and loss of hope. The dark background and shadowing, the light on the child’s face, and the portrait style image that shows no body allow the face to be the focal point of this image. With the child’s face as the focal point the emotions are able to speak louder. Also, with the child’s lower body hidden from view, we are not able to see what type of clothes he has on; that prevents the reader from judging the boy based on social class. This allows this image to be more widely relatable, and for the pain and suffering on the child’s face to make a stronger point. Also, included on the image are the words, “Smoking isn’t just suicide. It’s murder”.
Many people t...

... middle of paper ...

...le as long as people continue to smoke without regard of the effects of their actions. The destructive nature of smoking is easily disregarded when the effects it has on others aren’t visible and evident. Neither effects of firsthand or secondhand smoking can be visibly seen nor are the effects instantiations. With cancer being one of the leading causes of death in the world, this vicious cycle will continue to destroy families and end lives if no action is taken. Paulino Caffarena and the Chilean Organization Against Cancer worked together to make a visually striking image to raise awareness of the effects of second hand smoke. They effectively took a stand against firsthand smoke, secondhand smoke and cancer. The fight against secondhand smoke and cancer may seem impossible, but as a community, working together can help to make the world a cleaner and safer place.

Open Document