Helpers!

This is one of the funniest and weirdest cartoons we've ever seen. Check out our collection of the Helpers' webisodes, and prepare to be creeped out at the thought of smoking!

There's 2 new videos every month so re-visit this entry or go to the EU Helpers website for your next dose of craziness.

Smoke & Mirrors

Congratulations to the winners of Smoke & Mirrors' film competition. We think they're awesome and really effective.



You can see more about their campaign @ Smoke & Mirrors website

African Children Poisoned by Nicotine

Here are some shocking facts from an article about how the tobacco industry is poisoning children in Africa.


Children in Malawi who are forced to work as tobacco pickers are exposed to nicotine poisoning equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day, an investigation has found.

It is estimated that more than 78,000 children work on tobacco estates – some up to 12 hours a day, many for less than 1p an hour and without protective clothing.

The children reported common symptoms of green tobacco sickness (GTS), or nicotine poisoning, including severe headaches, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, coughing and breathlessness.

Everyday symptoms of GTS are more severe in children than adults as they have not built up a tolerance to nicotine through smoking and because of their physical size.

These children are risking their health for 11p a day.

Full article @ The Guardian.co.uk

Green tobacco sickness is a kind of poisoning that happens when you come into contact with wet tobacco leaves. Your skin absorbs the nicotine from the leaves. Think how at risk these kids are with no protective clothing on.

See also: 'Up In Smoke' documentary @ YouTube

The Truth About Tobacco Companies

If you've seen our page about the tobacco industry, you'll know how bad these businesses are. Even with age limits in place, they still try to hook the next generation of young smokers. They want your money at the expense of your health in order to sell more cigarettes to even more people.

thetruth is one of the best sites we've seen in a long time. It puts you in the role of someone applying to work for Big Tobacco. See if you're the kind of person who could do that job.

British Annual Tobacco's AGM Demonstation

ASH Wales organized a demonstration outside the annual general meeting of BAT last week. Quit Because presenters Ed, Hayley and Michelle joined forces and protested out on the frontline.

It was good to see some really enthusiastic young people from London, Wales and Liverpool challenging members of the tobacco company. They did it in a polite and friendly way but really drove the point across. They also made some really great banners.

- Hayley

Last year, ASH and Ffaith laid out 1,000 shoes outside the BAT's AGM to symbolise the 100,000 Africans killed by BAT products each year.

British Annual Tobacco is one of the largest tobacco companies in the world. The tobacco industry is well aware of the risks of smoking, yet they continue to endanger people’s health and negatively affect the environment.

Martin Broughton, BAT's executive chairman, advised his children not to smoke, according to an interview in the Times. He said his son and daughter do not smoke but that he would have warned them if he "caught them behind the bike sheds" when they were younger.

"I said to them, 'I would advise you not to smoke. But if you want to smoke it is your affair. It is not good for you. You are better off not smoking'."

Read more about what the tobacco industry really thinks.