Dorval Queen of Angels Academy student Karalyne Fosty distinguishes herself

The drawing she submitted was chosen for its originality and its effectiveness in conveying the message against tobacco ads in retail outlets.

An initiative of the Direction de santé publique de l’Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal (DSP) and the Québec Council on Tobacco and Health, the contest invited cycle 2 high-school students in Montréal to submit their creations on the theme of banning tobacco ads in stores. Over 500 entries were submitted by students from more than 15 participating schools. The two other grand-prize winners are Lida Alavi (collège Sainte-Marcelline) and Éric Robillard (collège Charlemagne). Each winner received an IPod touch and their work will be included on a poster that will be distributed in schools.

The DSP and the QCTH handed out the prizes to the winners during a forum on this theme held last March 14th. The contest and forum were part of a campaign to mobilize high-school youth and raise their awareness about tobacco manufacturers’ marketing strategies that target them specifically.

The regulation to limit advertising in retail outlets (grocery stores, corner stores) made under the Tobacco Act comes into force on May 31, 2008.