WHO: The Tobacco Lobby Targets Children And Young People

(MENAFN- AzerNews) The World health Organization (WHO) estimates that 37 millionadolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 use tobacco, and that inmany countries the rate of e-cigarette use among teenagers exceedsthat of adults, according to the official website of the UNRIC, Azernews reports.

In the WHO European Region, 20% of 15-year-olds surveyed saidthey had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. This shows that thetobacco industry has no qualms about targeting the youngergeneration.

Deceptive strategies targeting the very young

In its new products, the tobacco industry promotes sweet,innocuous-looking flavors reminiscent of childhood, such as candy,fruit or chocolate, rather than the“tobacco” taste that doesn'tappeal to the youngest generation. In fact, over 70% of younge-cigarette users in the United States said they would stop smokingaltogether if the only flavor available was“tobacco”.

The e-cigarette is just as dangerous and addictive as thetraditional cigarette, but it is designed and presented as a toy,and at a low price.

'These industries are intentionally designing products andutilizing marketing strategies that appeal directly to children'says Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of the WHO's Department of HealthPromotion.

'The use of child-friendly flavours like cotton candy andbubblegum, combined with sleek and colourful designs that resembletoys, is a blatant attempt to addict young people to these harmfulproducts,' he adds.

Greenwashing by the industry

Big tobacco companies present themselves as leaders in socialand environmental responsibility, but only choose evaluationcriteria that give them a positive image.

In an attempt to give themselves a good reputation, they promotesimple environmental actions, such as planting trees or collectingcigarette butts on beaches, but in reality these actions havelittle impact, according to the WHO.

On the contrary, tobacco seriously harms the environment atevery stage of its production; cigarette filters, made of toxicplastics, are one of the main sources of pollution.

Since the development of electronic products in the industry,toxic waste has been on the increase, particularly with the arrivalof single-use e-cigarettes known as“puffs”.

New product, same danger

Despite existing progress in tobacco cessation, the emergence ofe-cigarettes and other novel tobacco and nicotine products poses aserious threat to young people, and even children, and isundermining efforts to combat smoking.

Studies show that using e-cigarettes almost triples the risk oflater smoking conventional cigarettes.

These deceptive strategies underline the need for strictregulation to protect young people from a harmful addiction thatwould last a lifetime.

'History is repeating, as the tobacco industry tries to sell thesame nicotine to our children in different packaging,' says DrTedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO. 'Theseindustries are actively targeting schools, children and youngpeople with new products that are essentially a candy-flavouredtrap. How can they talk about harm reduction when they aremarketing these dangerous, highly-addictive products tochildren?'

Combating aggressive industry lobbying

The WHO is calling on governments to take strict measures toprotect young people, by banning or severely regulatingnicotine-based products, creating 100% smoke-free public spaces andincreasing taxes on these products. Raising public awareness ofmisleading industry advertising and supporting youth-lededucational initiatives are also essential.

'Addicted youth represent a lifetime of profits to theindustry,' adds Jorge Alday, STOP Director at public healthspecialist Vital Strategies. 'That's why the industry aggressivelylobbies to create an environment that makes it cheap, attractiveand easy for youth to get hooked. If policy makers don't act,current and future generations may be facing a new wave of harms,characterized by addiction to and use of many tobacco and nicotineproducts, including cigarettes.'

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