Renowned cartoonist James Kazembe has launched Amtchona for Health, a comic book that uses the popular Amtchona character to promote tobacco harm reduction and healthier lifestyle choices among smokers.
The book launched at the National Library Service Headquarters in Lilongwe on Sunday follows the long-running Weekend Nation cartoon, Amtchona and his longtime friend Khwilikhwili, a chain smoker whose health has deteriorated after years of tobacco use.
In the story, Amtchona, illustrated by James Kazembe returns home after spending years in Lusaka, Zambia, only to find Khwilikhwili battling health problems after years of smoking.
On arrival, Amtchona finds his friend coughing and showing signs of poor health, raising concerns about his well-being and the impact on his family.
He encourages Khwilikhwili to understand the dangers associated with combustible tobacco and consider less harmful alternatives for nicotine consumption.
Speaking in an interview after the launch, Kazembe said the publication targets smokers who have become dependent on cigarettes and struggle to go without smoking.
“This book is about tobacco harm reduction. We are trying to reduce the harmful effects that come with smoking tobacco. People smoke tobacco for nicotine, but they are dying from tar,” he said.
Kazembe said the book explains that while nicotine is what smokers seek, it is the harmful substances tar, produced by burning tobacco that pose the health risks.
He said the story introduces vaping as one of the alternative nicotine sources that can help smokers move away from combustible tobacco while emphasising that the campaign is not against tobacco production.
“It is not about stopping tobacco production. We want people to understand why they smoke and realise that the danger lies in the tar found in tobacco smoke. However, nicotine can be found in different things including coffee, specific sweets and vapour products,” he said.
Besides the printed edition, Kazembe said the book is also available online through his social media platforms to ensure a wider reach.
He has further appealed for support from organisations and development partners to print more copies, saying the plan is to distribute the booklets free of charge to targeted communities and institutions across the country.
“We have printed out 200 copies but we want to print more so we are able to distribute them for free,” he Kazembe.
The 20-paged booklet is in Chichewa language.
One of the speakers during the launch, journalist Patrick Njawala, commended Kazembe for using art to address public health challenges, saying creatives have a responsibility to contribute to positive social change.
“It should complement efforts to address challenges affecting our communities. Art should be a voice that informs, educates and inspires people to make better decisions while supporting national development,” he said.
The project was supported through the Tobacco Harm Reduction Programme, an international initiative delivered by Knowledge Action Change and funded by Global Action to End Smoking to advance tobacco harm reduction awareness and research.
