The International Union Against Cancer, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and World Heart Federation will today (Wednesday) issue an open letter to cigarette manufacturers condemning their messages that purport to dissuade young people from smoking.
Led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), they will accuse tobacco firms such as Philip Morris and British American Tobacco of "deceit" because they only back anti-smoking measures "known not to work", while opposing powerful mechanisms such as advertising bans and rises in taxation.
WHO director-general Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland is quoted in the letter as saying: "While tobacco companies fund and develop their own information campaigns to inform young people that smoking is an 'adult choice', studies show that, at best, these campaigns have no effect to reduce or prevent youth smoking. In some cases they may actually encourage young people to smoke."
Dr Brundtland’s comments are echoed by UK pressure group Action on Smoking and Health, which argues that the media tobacco firms use for YSP messages are not as sophisticated as the marketing tools – such as Formula One sponsorship – they use to promote smoking.
The call comes as cracks emerge in the tobacco industry’s YSP strategy.
YSP activity on MTV this year was hit by the withdrawal of BAT, which said it had been criticised by anti-smoking campaigners (Marketing, August 22).
In the UK this week, MPs cleared proposals to ban tobacco advertising and severely restrict other forms of marketing following the Third Reading in Parliament of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill.
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