The tobacco industry has initiated massive public relation campaigns to persuade government policymakers and the public that they have turned over a new leaf and are now responsible corporate citizens. Central to this effort are the tobacco industry’s claims that they do not market to children, but are working hard to reduce underage smoking, and have no interest in the youth market. But they are lying. Every year the tobacco industry invests more than US$ 9 billion to advertise its products. Increasingly, it is targeting young people with nicotine and tobacco products in a bid to replace the eight million people that its products kill every year.
No matter what the tobacco industry says or does, they cannot stay in business unless children smoke. As the companies know, the vast majority of all smokers begin their addictive habit before they reach age 18, and almost nobody tries smoking for the first time after 18. In other words, if large numbers of children did not try smoking and go on to become regular users, the tobacco industry eventually would not have enough adult customers to make staying in business worthwhile. Truthfully their aim is to find new customers to replace the customers who die due to smoking related illnesses.
“Educating youth is vital because nearly 9 out of 10 smokers start before age 18. We want to provide young people with the knowledge to speak out against tobacco industry manipulation,” said Ruediger Krech, Director for Health Promotion at WHO.
In addition, smokers develop strong brand preferences and loyalty during their childhood years; and most adults continue to smoke the brands they used as children. Therefore, it is not only important to tobacco companies that large numbers of children smoke, but also that the underage smokers choose their brands— and that cannot happen unless children are exposed to the tobacco industry’s brand advertising and promotional efforts. In documents made public through the tobacco lawsuits, several companies of the industry acknowledged the critical role underage smokers play in its success: “Today’s teenager is tomorrow’s potential regular customer, and the overwhelming majority of smokers first begin to smoke while in their teens . . . it is during the teenage years that the initial brand choice is made… “The ability to attract new smokers and develop them into a young adult franchise is key to brand development.”
Despite their inescapable reliance on youth smoking, the tobacco companies continue to claim that they do not market to children, but their actions contradict their words. They are well aware, for example, that any efforts to target college-aged youths will appeal to underage audiences, as well. Moreover, although some companies of the tobacco industry have stopped advertising their tobacco products in magazines, others have not. As a result, tobacco advertisements still can be found in many magazines with large numbers of young readers.
The 2012 US Surgeon General Report provides strong evidence that counters the industry’s claims that it does not market to children. Among its major findings is the conclusion that the advertising and promotional activities of the tobacco industry cause the onset and continuation of smoking among adolescents and young adults. The 2014 Surgeon General Report expands on this finding, stating, “…the root cause of the smoking epidemic is also evident: the tobacco industry aggressively markets and promotes lethal and addictive products, and continues to recruit youth and young adults as new consumers of these products.” While tobacco industry claims that they want to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco products, they continue to oppose the evidenced-based policies that work to shield youth from a lifetime of increased tobacco taxes, comprehensive smoke-free laws, and sustained funding for comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programmes.
Factors associated with youth tobacco product use are as follows:
Lower socio-economic status, including lower income or education
Not knowing how to say “no” to tobacco product use
Lack of support or involvement from parents
Accessibility, availability, and price of tobacco products
Doing poorly in school
Low self-image or self-esteem
Seeing tobacco product advertising in stores, on television, the Internet, in movies, or in magazines and newspapers
The way mass media show tobacco product use as a normal activity can make young people want to try these products.
Youth are more likely to use tobacco products if they see people their age using these products.
More likely to use tobacco if a parent uses these products.
When young people expect positive things from smoking, such as coping with stress better or losing weight, they are more likely to smoke.
Availability of single stick cigarettes for sale
Point of Sale (POS) advertising also includes promotional payments to retailers by tobacco industry to have their products placed in specific store locations, making it more likely that consumers will see them. This is called product placements. POS advertising and promotions are effective because they target and attract shoppers at the exact place and time when they can buy a specific product. When it comes to children, the tobacco industry’s marketing has been found to impact not only what products and brands children use, but also the chances that children will start smoking.
The tobacco industry spends the vast majority of their total marketing expenditures (95%) on price-related strategies at the POS. These strategies work to keep tobacco prices low through price discounts, promotional allowances, and “retail value added” offers and multi-pack discounts (e.g., buy two packs get one free). They also include coupons and free gifts with cigarette or smokeless tobacco purchases.
The implementation of the following strategies would be suitable and effective activities to reduce and prevent youth tobacco product use;
Increase of cigarette prices.
Ban of single cigarette sales.
Raising the minimum age of sale for tobacco products to 21 years.
TV and radio commercials, posters, and other media messages aimed at children and teens in order to counter tobacco product advertisements and promotions and sponsorships.
Community programmes and school and college policies that encourage tobacco-free places and lifestyles.
Community programmes that lower tobacco advertising, promotions, and help make tobacco products less easily available.
Building up of effective collaboration with media, medical professionals and clergy.
Countries can protect children from industry exploitation by putting in place strict tobacco control laws, including regulating products like e-cigarettes that have already begun to hook a new generation of young people.
The WHO also recommends that
·Schools refuse any form of sponsorship and prohibit representatives from nicotine and tobacco companies from speaking to students
·Celebrities and influencers reject all offers of sponsorship
·Television and streaming services stop showing tobacco or e-cigarette use on screen
·Social media platforms ban the marketing of tobacco and related products and prohibit influencer marketing
·Government and financial sector divest from tobacco and related industries
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