The Department of Health (DoH) has refused to endorse a six million euro advertising blitz by the European Union Tobacco Fund, set to run later this month with the strapline 'Feel Free To Say No'.
The Fund had sought assistance from the UK government in distributing campaign materials, but an e-mail sent by the DoH to officials at the Tobacco Fund, and seen by Marketing, rejects the approach.
The DoH believes the European message, which will highlight the social and health risks of smoking, is not sophisticated enough, because many teenagers begin smoking after being warned against it by adults.
It also fears that the work too closely resembles the tobacco industry's own anti-smoking messages.
Last year, tobacco firms including Philip Morris and British American Tobacco launched a £1.5m television push aimed at dissuading young people from smoking.
The initiative was dismissed by anti-tobacco groups as a token gesture that would have little impact.
The DoH e-mail read: "We do not feel that the approach adopted by the 'Feel Free To Say No' campaign is the right one. We understand that during the planning of the 'Feel Free' concept representatives from the UK and other member states expressed serious reservations."
"The Health Development Agency [has] previously expressed concerns that these materials do not reflect the current evidence and we have concerns that the messages do not fit with the work we are already doing."
The European Union campaign is being created by Media Consulta, a German agency that fought off competition from shops including St Luke's to take on the assignment.
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