Smoke-Free Mexico

This landmark campaign focused on children’s risks from secondhand smoke as a way into the larger issue, by highlighting exposure in educational institutions. The media drive went beyond awareness; it brought the issue into the national conversation and catalyzed a formidable online community of more than 70,000 staunch supporters who urged politicians to prioritize health. “Mexico sin Humo’s” strategic communication campaign fomented online advocacy, saturated news outlets, and broadcast videos that tugged at heartstrings by featuring children.

The comprehensive law unequivocally designated all public areas, and any location that serves food, as 100% smoke-free zones and prohibited all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Regulations that followed in December 2022 further strengthened the smoke-free legislation by adding all outdoor places where people gather, including beaches, parks and stadiums, firming up a unified, nationwide commitment to preserving public health. Mexico’s first tobacco control law had been passed in 2008, but it was weak, and enforcement was lax.

Although smoking was technically prohibited in primary schools, kids were still exposed to secondhand smoke there, and people were allowed to smoke in universities. Smoking was banned in bars and places that served food, but that tended to drop off after midnight or 1 a.m., when inspectors signed off for the night. Smoke permeated restaurants, public transportation and schools.

“Mexico’s journey to robust tobacco control is a testament to unwavering commitment and strategic action,” said Benjamin Gonzalez Rubio, communication manager for Vital Strategies’ Policy Advocacy and Communication division. “With the 2021 win, Mexico stands united in its commitment to public health and providing smoke-free air in all indoor public spaces and outdoor gathering areas. This is a significant victory for public health.”

There are 14.9 million smokers in Mexico, out of a population of 128.9 million, and secondhand smoke wafts out to millions more. Adult men are most likely to smoke, with 27% of men, 8.7% of women, 6.7% of boys and 3% of girls using tobacco, according to the National Survey of Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Consumption (ENCODAT). More than 60,000 people die annually in Mexico from smoking-related diseases.

When it came to advertising, the tobacco industry had spent years enticing youth to inhale. Mexico Salud Justa, a local health advocacy organization, calculated that 15,000 lives could be saved over 10 years if tobacco advertising were banned, and $1 billion would be saved in health costs. And as many as 20,000 lives could be saved each year if a national smoke-free law were enacted, the group said.

Rather than appealing directly to smokers, “Mexico sin Humo” focused on the people tobacco users love, the innocents most vulnerable to tobacco damage yet most helpless to prevent it: Children. The campaign shined a light on the invisible ways young ones are affected by smoke.

“In Latin America it’s all about the kids and families,” Gonzalez Rubio said. “So that’s what people respond to.”

Salud Justa and Refleacciona worked with Vital Strategies to make the “Mexico sin Humo” campaign stronger, illuminating the degree of secondhand-smoke exposure rampant in schools and making many people see the health implications for children of passive smoke.

More than 70,000 people became part of the “Mexico Sin Humo” movement by signing a petition supporting a smoke-free Mexico. That “advocate army” then shared messages about tobacco harm online with their congressional deputies and senators. They peppered their politicians with information on evidence-based practices promoted by the World Health Organization to protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke and tobacco marketing.

The bill’s passage was made possible by a series of strategically timed, coordinated activities that created the proverbial perfect storm for the ban to move forward and become law. Leading up to “Mexico sin Humo”, in 2017 local health organizations launched a multi-year campaign promoted among congressional decision-makers. At the same time, partner campaigns pressed for a vote on a law to protect children from secondhand smoke. Collectively the organizations distributed handbooks to members of the legislature’s health committee called “Es por todos, Sí a la Reforma de Ley para el Control del Tabaco, meaning “It’s for all, yes to the tobacco control law amendment.” They also supplied lawmakers with key data outlining tobacco’s damage via a series of infographics.

In addition, Vital Strategies campaigns contributed to more than 30 national news stories about the damages and devastation of smoking and secondhand smoke and to call on decision-makers to implement the most effective tobacco control practices, including a tax increase. The strong public relations effort also led to more than 20 interviews in top news programs and newspapers, including Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, El Universal, La Jornada, and with the nationally known journalist Eduardo Ruíz-Healy. Local partners held press conferences, which also amplified the cause in national and local newspapers.

The partners worked with media outlets, placing a series of ads in national newspapers, including Reforma, El Heraldo and Proceso, the key newspapers read by decision-makers. Campaigns brought the unseen dangers of secondhand smoke into the limelight, especially within environments designed for learning, growth, work and leisure. Two compelling videos brought the issue into sharp focus.

“Invisible Killer, Schools,” showed an elementary school teacher smoking and exhaling out the classroom window. Then the kids start pouring in, as she waves away her smoke, and a caption says, “Most smoke is invisible,” as the camera pans back to make that smoke visible—and the viewer sees a classroom filled with gray smoke, in which children frolic.

“How Do I Explain It?” showed a man making personal appeals and papering utility poles with flyers calling for a reformed tobacco law. After finishing his task, he visits his young daughter at the respiratory clinic. She stares mournfully at the camera, her wide eyes peeking over the top of an oxygen mask.

“These ads weren’t just ads; they were powerful narratives that resonated deeply with the public. They exemplified the unseen yet profound impact of smoking and secondhand smoke, especially in environments where our children learn and play,” Gonzalez Rubio said. “The remarkable engagement with these messages is evident from the impressive social media reach, which saw a peak of 35 million in 2020, significantly up from around 10 million in the preceding years.”

In addition, the campaigns achieved an extraordinary ad value equivalent of US$1.71 million, a testament to their wide-reaching influence, as well as in-kind contributions for placement in public transportation, valued at US$1.77 million. Media outlets including El Heraldo TV aired the videos for free, and TeleUrban also did so at minimal cost. “These campaigns are more than just awareness tools,” Gonzalez Rubio added. “They are catalysts for change, motivating individuals and policymakers to take decisive action against the tobacco epidemic.”

Vital also created a dedicated website, “Mexico sin Humo”, that offered comprehensive insights into the campaign and its ongoing endeavors.

“Mexico sin Humo’s” campaign strategy was fueled by meticulous research that revealed the best way to reach audiences and sway public opinion. Organizers surveyed pivotal key opinion leaders, from media to government officials, to learn about prevailing perceptions of tobacco. This generated significant insights into cultural behavior patterns influencing tobacco use and revealed the social-cultural factors influencing tobacco use. Flush with knowledge from this data, the partners were able to craft comprehensive, high-impact tobacco control campaigns that would engage and influence decision-makers.

The push continues—now focused on compliance. While the campaign made people more conscious of the issues and got the law passed, it now needs to be paired with enforcement efforts, so the law is followed. Recently, Gonzalez Rubio went to a sports event with his child and came across someone vaping inside the venue. When he asked them to stop, they put it away.

Ideally, they would simply not have started vaping in the first place. But when asked to stop, he said, “they were respectful and they accepted it.”