Seeing Beneath The Truth the Surface€¦ · smoking prevention programme which discourages young...
Transcript of Seeing Beneath The Truth the Surface€¦ · smoking prevention programme which discourages young...
Most governments, NongovernmentalOrganizations (NGOs) and tobaccocontrol advocates in the Western PacificRegion have meagre budgets to develop,implement and sustain their tobaccocontrol programmes. The tobaccoindustry has apparently seized upon thisvulnerability in attempts to promotethemselves as “responsible corporatecitizens” while they continue to thwart realprogress in reducing tobaccoconsumption.
Industry documents reveal that BritishAmerican Tobacco (BAT), Japan TobaccoInternational ( JTI), Philip Morris (PM)and their local subsidiaries have offeredmoney, expert consultants and supportservices to governments and civicorganizations in drafting tobacco controllegislation and carrying out educationaland advocacy projects purportedly to helpprevent young people from using theirproducts. The industry is aggressivelypromoting their “Youth SmokingPrevention” programmes within theWestern Pacific Region.
Introduction
2002 – Philip Morris (PM)Asia offers its “youthsmoking prevention”programme to the Ministryof Health. At the sametime, it warns of the“adverse consequences ofdrastic increases intobacco taxes.”
Lao People’s
Democratic Republic
Malaysia
2001– “On Top of the World WithoutSmoking” was launched in August by theConfederation of Malaysian TobaccoManufacturers (British American Tobacco(BAT), JTI and Godfrey Philips Malaysia),with “full endorsement of Malaysia’sMinistry of Youth and Sports.”
1994 – tobacco industry funded “YouthShould Not Smoke-Right Decisions RightNow” undertaken by the Junior Chambersof Malaysia (JAYCEES), endorsed by theMinistry of Education.
2000 – “I’ve got the Power” programme
1999 – “18 + It’s the Law” retail access programmedeveloped for supermarket chains and for the AustralianConvenience Stores Association by Philip Morris.
Australia
1999 – Philip Morris provides funds for the “I Am Strong” programme, officially endorsedby the Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. University of Asiaand the Pacific also received PM support to train teachers for this programme.
2001 – Philippine JAYCEES and Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Body) partner with PhilipMorris for a youth smoking prevention programme.
2002 – Japan Tobacco announces a smoking prevention ad campaign, aired in thePhilippines and 132 other Asian countries on MTV channels, with the catch phrase “Youthshould not smoke”.
Philippines
2001– BAT launched an educationcampaign programme in Port Moresby topersuade children and young peoplenot to smoke.
Papua New Guinea
1999 – the Tobacco Instituteof Japan launched anationwide retailer supportprogramme to “enhancetobacco retail outlets’compliance with the country’sexisting minimum age law.”
Japan Are these offers
for realor are they
too goodto be true?
Are these offers
for realor are they
too goodto be true?
“No one should
welcome the tobacco
industry’s youth anti
smoking campaigns,
a cynical attempt to
make smoking seem
more grown-up and
even more appealing
to youth.”Tobacco Free Kids
Action on Smoking andHealth, UK. 2001
What They Say, What
They Mean and What
the Evidence Shows
The tobacco industry multinationalsclaim they do not want young peopleto smoke:
BAT: “Ensure that only adults smoke.”
JTI: “No one wants minors to smoke.Neither does Japan Tobacco. Smokingis an adult choice. When we say that,we mean it.”
PM: “Every decent minded personagrees that it is wrong for minors tosmoke. Smoking is an adult choice…”
But the internal tobaccodocuments say otherwise:“(Brown and Williamson) (the USsubsidiary of BAT) will not support a youthsmoking prevention programme whichdiscourages young people from smoking.”Tobacco Institute, 1983
And the evidence indicates:A major motivation for teen smoking is theaspiration to adulthood… The positioningof tobacco as ‘adult’ and ‘forbidden’ is,therefore, a thinly concealed pitch toaspirational and rebellious youth.Danger! Public Relations (PR) in thePlayground, ASH, 2001.
The tobacco multinationals’ smokingprevention programmes emphasize limitingyouth access to tobacco through the use ofretailer schemes, identification cards andlaws to increase the age limits for tobaccosales. “Philip Morris International activelysupports laws worldwide that establish aminimum age of at least 18 for the lawfulsale of tobacco products.” PM, 1999
What they say:
“If we can frame proactivelegislation or other kinds of
action on the youth access issue…we will be protecting our industry
for decades to come.” PM, 1995
What they reallyintend:
Point-of-sale restrictions may havecontributed to increasesincreasesincreasesincreasesincreases in non-commercialacquisition…. Legislation designed toprevent adolescents from purchasingcigarettes is an insufficient strategy forreducing adolescent smoking, as there areseveral other easily available sources ofcigarettes for adolescents. Castrucci BC, etal; Journal of Adolescent Health, 2002
What the evidence shows:
“Lastly, we discussed the issue of taxationfor tobacco products. While we recognizeand respect the rights of governments todetermine tax rates for consumer products,we wish to inform you…of the possibleadverse consequences of drastic increasesin tobacco taxes…(that) would not onlydefeat the purpose of the tax increase butcould also undermine the work of thegovernment on tobacco regulation andyouth smoking prevention.” PM, 2002
What they say:
“The 1982-83 round of price increasescaused two million adults to quit smokingand prevented 600,000 teenagers fromstarting to smoke…. we were hitdisproportionately hard. We don’t need tohave that happen again.” PM, 1987
What they reallyacknowledge:
“…. the most effective way to deter childrenfrom taking up smoking is to increase taxes increase taxes increase taxes increase taxes increase taxeson tobacco.on tobacco.on tobacco.on tobacco.on tobacco.” WB, 1999
What the evidence from theWorld Bank (WB) shows:
“It seems to me our
objective is…. a
‘media event’ which in
itself promises a lot
but produces little.”(Tobacco Institute Vice
President Franklin Dryden,
1979)
The evidence is clear – a comprehensive and integratedThe evidence is clear – a comprehensive and integratedThe evidence is clear – a comprehensive and integratedThe evidence is clear – a comprehensive and integratedThe evidence is clear – a comprehensive and integratedapproach to tobacco control is necessary, with the followingapproach to tobacco control is necessary, with the followingapproach to tobacco control is necessary, with the followingapproach to tobacco control is necessary, with the followingapproach to tobacco control is necessary, with the followinginterventions all playing a role:interventions all playing a role:interventions all playing a role:interventions all playing a role:interventions all playing a role:
••••• Increasing tobacco prices through taxes and other meansIncreasing tobacco prices through taxes and other meansIncreasing tobacco prices through taxes and other meansIncreasing tobacco prices through taxes and other meansIncreasing tobacco prices through taxes and other means••••• Banning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotionsBanning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotionsBanning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotionsBanning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotionsBanning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotions••••• Implementing smoke-free workplaces, public places, vehiclesImplementing smoke-free workplaces, public places, vehiclesImplementing smoke-free workplaces, public places, vehiclesImplementing smoke-free workplaces, public places, vehiclesImplementing smoke-free workplaces, public places, vehicles
and homesand homesand homesand homesand homes••••• Educating youth on nicotine addiction and the risks of tobaccoEducating youth on nicotine addiction and the risks of tobaccoEducating youth on nicotine addiction and the risks of tobaccoEducating youth on nicotine addiction and the risks of tobaccoEducating youth on nicotine addiction and the risks of tobacco
useuseuseuseuse••••• AAAAAddressing smoking cessation among all smokers, young andddressing smoking cessation among all smokers, young andddressing smoking cessation among all smokers, young andddressing smoking cessation among all smokers, young andddressing smoking cessation among all smokers, young and
adultadultadultadultadult
WH
AT
At the same time, they lead us to believe that theirproduct is only harmful to young people.
••••• Establishing youth prevention and education programmesEstablishing youth prevention and education programmesEstablishing youth prevention and education programmesEstablishing youth prevention and education programmesEstablishing youth prevention and education programmesas stand-alone interventionsas stand-alone interventionsas stand-alone interventionsas stand-alone interventionsas stand-alone interventions
••••• Laws, programmes and policies that focus only on preventingLaws, programmes and policies that focus only on preventingLaws, programmes and policies that focus only on preventingLaws, programmes and policies that focus only on preventingLaws, programmes and policies that focus only on preventingsmoking by youth enacted in isolat ion from othersmoking by youth enacted in isolat ion from othersmoking by youth enacted in isolat ion from othersmoking by youth enacted in isolat ion from othersmoking by youth enacted in isolat ion from otherevidence-based interventions of comprehensive tobaccoevidence-based interventions of comprehensive tobaccoevidence-based interventions of comprehensive tobaccoevidence-based interventions of comprehensive tobaccoevidence-based interventions of comprehensive tobaccocontrolcontrolcontrolcontrolcontrol
••••• TTTTTelling young people they shouldn’t smoke because they’reelling young people they shouldn’t smoke because they’reelling young people they shouldn’t smoke because they’reelling young people they shouldn’t smoke because they’reelling young people they shouldn’t smoke because they’renot adultsnot adultsnot adultsnot adultsnot adults
••••• UUUUUsing Ising Ising Ising Ising ID cards and signage to enforce age limits for theD cards and signage to enforce age limits for theD cards and signage to enforce age limits for theD cards and signage to enforce age limits for theD cards and signage to enforce age limits for thesales of cigarettessales of cigarettessales of cigarettessales of cigarettessales of cigarettes
••••• Interventions that do not address adult smokingInterventions that do not address adult smokingInterventions that do not address adult smokingInterventions that do not address adult smokingInterventions that do not address adult smoking••••• VVVVVoluntary marketing restrictions by the tobacco industryoluntary marketing restrictions by the tobacco industryoluntary marketing restrictions by the tobacco industryoluntary marketing restrictions by the tobacco industryoluntary marketing restrictions by the tobacco industry
WH
AT DOESN’T WORK:
WORKS:
Industry sponsored youth smokingprevention programmes distract usfrom the interventions that work:
Industry sponsored youth smokingprevention programmes distract usfrom the interventions that work:
then the “Youth Smoking Prevention” programme you are
considering is likely to be ineffective. Rather than protecting
youth from tobacco, it may actually encourage an increase
in youth smoking.
If you answered,
“YES” to any of
these…
YES
NO
Does it advocate any of the following messages:
••••• “Youth should not smoke”
••••• “Smoking is an adult decision”
••••• “Only adults should smoke”
••••• “It’s the law: obey the law”
“Just say no”
YES
NO
Does it stress peer pressure as the most
important reason for teen smoking without
acknowledging the role of environment cues,
especially from advertising and promotions?
YES
NO
Does it emphasize restricting access by youth to
tobacco products through the use of ID cards,
signs prohibiting sales to minors, policies to
raise the age limit for tobacco sales and
“voluntary cooperation” of “tobacco retailers?
YES
NO
Does it involve a “partnership” between the
tobacco industry and government, educators’
groups, parents’ groups or civic institutions?
YES
NO
Is the tobacco industry promoting the programme
as part of its “responsible marketing” policy?
Is yourprogrammeeffective?
If you answered
“NO” to any of
these, and …
A QuickTest
YES
NO
Does it clearly mention that
youth smoking prevention
interventions should be framed
within a comprehensive
tobacco control programme?
YES
NO
Does it support cigarette price
increase through taxation?
YES
NO
Does it support total advertising
bans?
YES
NO
Does it deal directly with
nicotine addiction as a major
cause for compelling people to
continue smoking?
YES
NO
Does it talk about the risks
associated with smoking?
Five Recommended Action Points
Know the evidence on what works
and what doesn’t work to protect
young people from tobacco.
When individuals or groups offer to
fund a “youth smoking
prevention” programme, evaluate
the programme elements against
the evidence. Refuse all
programmes that are based on
weak and ineffective interventions.
Require all prospective donors to
your tobacco control programmes
to complete a legally binding
disclosure form that identifies all
possible links with the tobacco
industry.
Turn down all offers of support,
funding and/or expert assistance
that require you to trade the more
effective interventions (i.e. price
increases, total ad bans) for less
effective interventions (i.e.
educational programmes, partial
and/or voluntary ad bans).
2.
1
3
4
5
“A hallmark of
all (tobacco)
industry-designed
efforts is the absence
of the most effective
tools for combating
youth tobacco use.”
Tobacco Free Kids, 2000
Finally, the Tobacco Free
Initiative in The Western
Pacific Regional Office
(TFI-WPRO) strongly
urges all governments,
NGOs, academic and
health institutions and
other entities to refuse
all offers from the
tobacco industry to
provide funding support,
assistance and/or expert
consultations to help you
design and implement a
tobacco control
programme.
Finally, the Tobacco Free
Initiative in The Western
Pacific Regional Office
(TFI-WPRO) strongly
urges all governments,
NGOs, academic and
health institutions and
other entities to refuse
all offers from the
tobacco industry to
provide funding support,
assistance and/or expert
consultations to help you
design and implement a
tobacco control
programme.
“If the nations of the world cannot once and for all conclude thatthe tobacco industry should not be trusted, they will continue tosuffer the disease, death and disability caused by the industry’s
promotion of its products and its search for profit.”
TFI Western Pacific Regional Office 2002
No sensible, ethical person will take money from drug dealers fora youth programme to prevent drug abuse. No one in their rightmind would accept money from child pornographers to teachchildren about avoiding sexual harassment. So why should
governments and private entities accept money from the tobaccoindustry to teach young people not to smoke?
The tobacco industry “should not be allowed to run youthsmoking prevention programmes. No department or school should
be fooled by the tobacco industry’s youth smoking preventionprogrammes.”
Glantz, SA, American Journal of Public Health (AJPHA), June 2002
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Action on Smoking and Health, 2002
The truth about the tobacco industry’s youth smokingprevention programmes: They don’t work.