Health groups want Alberta cancer victim's photo on anti-smoking ads

Canadian Press Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

CALGARY - The grim photo of anti-tobacco activist Barb Tarbox, taken while she was in the final stages of her battle with lung cancer, should be used in new anti-smoking ads across the country, says her husband and two Alberta health groups. Tarbox, who died in 2003 when she was 41, became an anti-tobacco activist a decade ago after she learned she had the disease. The photo in question shows her bald-headed, wasted away to nothing, lying in a bed, her mouth open, gasping for breath. The Campaign for a Smoke-Free Alberta and Alberta Policy Coalition for Cancer Prevention, say they are frustrated that Health Canada announced in September that proposed new health warnings on cigarette packages have been stalled indefinitely. The groups, along with Tarbox's husband Pat, held a news conference Tuesday in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's riding, trying to jump-start the stalled process. "I know Barb, before she passed away, was aware that things like this could happen and that would be part of her legacy. She had a chance to speak to about 50,000 kids over an eight-month period but she would have liked to speak to 500,000 if she could," he said softly.
"Maybe this is the way that she can speak from the grave to another half million kids that might think of or are currently smoking." Despite being the first country to develop large, graphic health warnings on cigarette packages, Canada has fallen behind other countries. Canada's health warnings are now ranked 15th compared to other countries, says a recent report by the Canadian Cancer Society. "The previous ones that we had did work. We know that, but they're stale and old and people are turning off to them," said Dan Holinda, executive director of the Alberta division of the Canadian Cancer Society.

"How could you not pay attention to this picture?," he said pointing to a large photo of Tarbox.
"So we have to refresh this campaign because we have been successful in lowering the smoking rates, but we want to get them down to zero and that's just the reality we're faced with." Tarbox's photo is being considered by the United States Food and Drug Administration to be included on American cigarette packages.
Her husband said it would be a "terrible shame" if Canadians are deprived of Barb's message while it could appear on millions of cigarette packages in the U.S. "If I was (the prime minister) I would be pretty embarrassed that the United States wants to do something with a Canadian and he doesn't. Maybe it's time for the government to take another look at this and maybe for Mr. Harper to step forth and do the right thing."

The proposed Canadian warning ad with Tarbox's likeness says: 'You have what it takes to quit,' and includes a quote from her before she died. "It hurts so much to think of the pain I'll cause my daughter."