Laine Antonio's Blog: 6 - The Anti-smoking Campaign

“We smoke because we don’t wanna get old.” - smokers

Indeed. Smokers won’t get old because they’ll die young.

Last 21^st of October 2015, anti-smoking campaign seminar was conducted at Multipurpose Hall 2 of Asia Pacific College which aims to rase awareness about the dangerous effects of cigarette smoking.

There were two speakers whose names I was not able to take note of. The first speaker was a smoker himself. I was not able to come on time but I heard most of what he has to say. He was a smoker and now he’s suffering from a medical condition. It’s hard for him to talk in the extent that he has to use a small device so he could be understood.

On the other hand, the second speaker was never a smoker. He is a professional. He is a doctor. He has patients suffering from medical conditions and most are suffering from cancer basically because of smoking.

Both are advocate of anti-smoking and are part of Cancer Party-list which continues to fight for their advocacy and have contributed to help the Filipno communty by the implementation of the Graphic Health Warnings Law.

I appreciate the combination of the speakers. A smoker and a non-smoker, professional and non-professional - which makes it more convincing to just stop smoking.

I highly support the pictures they'd like to be part of the cigarette boxes. Those pictures will help each smoker to remember what they could be in the future.

The presentation of arguments as part of persuading the audience to stop smoking is nearly a good presentation. the points were there, however, we know public speaking is a publicly delivered speech that checks the credibility of the speaker and the effectiveness of delivery. Speakers are credible enough to be the speakers of the seminar however some of their statements make them look unreliable.

During the Q&A portion at the latter part of the seminar, audience were given chance to ask questions to the speakers. I am quite disappointed with the 2^nd speaker. Being a doctor and an authority of medicine, I was expecting an answer full of conviction specifically when he was asked if there was ever a discovery to cure cancer; however, as he started his statement with an “I think”, he sounded doubtful.

But overall, it was a good seminar. Focusing mainly on all the points and arguments they have presented, smokers might be convinced enough to stop smoking. Considering all the dangerous effects it can bring, who would want to continue smoking?! Honestly, I believe there still is. It’s innate to humans to disregard these kinds of information until it’s too late.