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Proceedings INGCAT International
NGO MObilisation Meeting
Geneva, 15-16 May, 1999.

 

Children Exposed to Tobacco Smoke And to smoking
Children as the raw recruits For the tobacco market
Clive Bates
Director, Action on Smoking and Health, London W1H 9PL


According to the world's largest tobacco multinational, Philip Morris, recruitment works as follows: "(A) Cigarette for the beginner is a symbolic act. I am no longer my mother's child, I'm tough, I am an adventure, I'm not square… As the force from the psychological symbolism subsides, the pharmacological effect takes over to sustain the habit." (1969) Targeting of children is sophisticated in the words of one advertising agency: "In the young smoker's mind, a cigarette falls into the same category with wine, beer, shaving, wearing a bra (or purposely not wearing one), declaration of independence and striving for self-identity… Thus, an attempt to reach young smokers, starters, should be based, among other, on the following major parameters:

· Present the cigarette as one of the few initiations into the adult world. · Present the cigarette as part of the illicit pleasure category of products and activities." (Ted Bates advertising New York, 1975)

Tobacco is thus carefully positioned as an inevitable rite of passage to adulthood. This is why health educators, teachers and parents find it so hard to dislodge the appeal of tobacco to children in their care. Tobacco is positioned as an intrinsic rejection of the gatekeepers of childhood. A worldwide clampdown on tobacco marketing would begin the process of demythologising tobacco and deconstructing its symbolic power as rite of passage.

Given that smoking rates are lower for women world wide, and especially in developing countries, the biggest potential new market for the tobacco industry is the recruitment of girls. In developing countries, smoking is not only associated with the rite of passage to adulthood, but with aspirational values attached to "westernisation". .For some women, smoking may symbolise newfound liberation in a "modernising"society.

Children as passive smokers
Other people's tobacco smoke causes a range of health problems. Unlike adults, children have little control over their exposure - most of which will be determined by their parents and will be dominated by parental smoking. The impacts are serious and start before birth:

  • Low birth weight and pregnancy complications.
    Sudden infant death syndrome (cot death). The British Medical Association estimates that 100 babies per year die from smoking related SIDS in the UK.

  • Respiratory illnesses in babies and toddlers. In the UK. The Royal College of Physicians estimated there are 17,000 hospital admissions per year in the under 5s in the UK attributable to parental smoking.

  • Asthma can be made worse, attacks can be triggered, and there is some inconclusive evidence that the conditions may be caused by smoke exposure-80% of people with asthma report that other people's tobacco smoke makes their symptoms worse. There are about 2 million children with asthma in the UK.

This is not a problem that can be easily legislated for and generally reduction of exposure emerges culturally. As a society becomes more aware of the problem, adults may try to avoid smoking near children: parents may leave the room or house: parents avoid smoking in the car; areas where children go such as schools or nurseries may be designated non smoking.

There is an open question about the extent of adults' responsibility: if an adult knows that a form of behavior (smoking) will lead to a distressing and painful outcome for a child (an asthma attack), and still goes ahead and does it, how should that action be regarded?

Parental and adult influence
Children who parents smoke are typically twice as likely to smoke as those with non-smoking parents. In a sense this is a particularly insidious form of "passive smoking to have a higher propensity to smoke and therefore to suffer the eventual consequences and addiction.

Similar arguments apply to teachers and to other role models. Public figures such as popstars, actor, sports people or super-models, may be amplified dramatically among their fans - the responsibilities such people have is a debating point. Many simply do not recognise that through a long chain of cause and effect, theire personal choice may be seriously harming or killing others.

Aspirational role models have also been used as a form of paid advertising by tobacco companies for example, Sylvester Stallone was paid to smoke a particular brand in Rambo and Rocky, and The Muppet Movie and Who Framed Roger Rabbit had tobacco products placed in them. This is the most exploitative form of advertising and it will be banned in the US and European Union.

Working group report

Clive Bated, facilitator NGOs: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, European Network for Smoking Prevention, European Network on Young People and Tobacco, INFAC, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, World Heart Federation, World Vision
Other:WHO
Long-term goals:
Reduce and eliminate tobacco use by prevention of exposure, initiation and addiction in children. To do this:

  • Recast tobacco control programmes with concepts of freedom, democracy and welfare.

  • Develop adult-oriented programmes for childre. Short term activities:

  • Youth programmes need to be re-evaluated Adult-oriented children programmes and policies should be implemented.

  • Effective campaigns with media coverage should be aimed in order to distribute the situation analysis and by creating images for key audience.

  • Educating the already involved organisations and not as yet involved organisation and not as yet involved organisations on children's specific needs, Educating parents, pregnant women, caregivers, teachers and health professionals.

  • Disclose the tobacco industry tractics and campaign using the freedom argument.

  • Individuals start smoking at an early age. The tobacco industry needs young customers. Therefore industry needs young customers. Therefore, more should be learned about tobacco industry youth programmes. The tobacco industry sould not be allowed to carry out campaigns on protection of youth against smoking. Their idea behind this strategy should be disclosed.

  • Policy meetings and youth meetings must be used for policy and strategy development and definition, particularly: Integration of the right of children to live smoke free with a "convention on children to live smoke free with a "convention on children's right" Application to tobacco of the normal standards used with other products. Reduction of financial loss to improve the welfare of children in developing countries.