Evidence on how the Tobacco Industry targets Children

 

Evidence on how the Tobacco Industry targets Children. 

Key facts

There are 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. Tobacco kills around 8 million people every year (more than 7 million active smokers and over 1 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke), including 1 million in the Americas. The life expectancy of smokers is at least ten years less than that of non-smokers.

Tobacco is the only legal consumer product that kills up to half of its users when used exactly as intended by the manufacturer. Tobacco companies spent over 8 billion dollars on marketing and advertising.

Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life. 

[ https://exposetobacco.org/tobacco-industry-allies/ ] 

Research and internal industry documents reveal their multi-pronged tactics designed to attract new generations of

tobacco users by:

• Marketing products using appealing designs and packaging

• Adding popular flavours to attract children

• Launching celebrity sponsorships and brand sponsored contests

• Expanding point-of-sale marketing promotion around schools

• Using allied front groups to promote their commercial interests in opposing health

• Flooding markets with new products they claim to be safe or safer

• Marketing tobacco products via social media and vending machines

• Threatening legal actions to block and delay tobacco control policies.

More details at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/protecting-children-from-tobacco-industry-dr-tony-thomas-q1rac/