Highlights: U.S. National Conference on Tobacco or Health (Nov 19-21)
Anna White
awhite@essential.org
Tue, 03 Dec 2002 02:05:44 -0500
Dear Friends,
Last month, over 3,500 people convened in San Francisco, California for
the annual U.S. National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Dozens of GPTC
participants attended, including more than 10 from outside the U.S.
(Bulgaria, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nigeria, Palau, Senegal, Togo,
Uganda). Below, please find some highlights of GPTC and SFTFC events at
conference, including links to photos.
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Highlights: U.S. National Conference on Tobacco or Health
November 19-21, 2002 * San Francisco, CA
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CONTENTS:
1. What is Big Tobacco up to around the world?
2. Tobacco marketing promotions in Africa rile African-Americans in U.S.
3. Press conference lambastes U.S. support for Big Tobacco's global
expansion
4. Media coverage: U.S., stop fronting for Big Tobacco!
5. Teen's take on the tobacco industry -- creatively & at little/no cost
6. Global partners meet face-to-face (photos)
####
1. WHAT IS BIG TOBACCO UP TO AROUND THE WORLD?
A number of GPTC participants are partnered with San Francisco groups
through the San Francisco Tobacco Free Coalition's Buddy System project.
SFTFC flew their international buddies to the National Conference, where
they participated in numerous events, e.g. GPTC ancillary meeting, a
SFTFC press conference, multiple sessions, and a one-day post-conference
workshop. Here are some examples they shared re: Big Tobacco's latest
misdeeds around the world:
COLOMBIA
Guillermo Martinez Gallon (Liga Colombiana Contra El Cancer) described
Kool cigarette brand's latest raffle marketing ploy. Also, a Marlboro
bus travels around his city and distributes free cigarettes. Children
sell single cigarettes on the street.
For more info: <guillom@hotmail.com> (Spanish/English)
ECUADOR
Angela Pinoargote (C.I.L.A) opened up by asking, "What does the tobacco
industry do in my country? Rather, what haven't they done?!" She noted
that the tobacco industry is "strangling a population that is already
poor and fragile in health." Children are used to sell cigarettes and
start smoking as young as 8 years old. She was deeply honored to meet
GPTC member Wayne Baker (USA), who is featured in Infact's "Making a
Killing" video, as she has shown the video in many schools. View a
picture of Angela and Wayne
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/angelawayne.jpg
For more info: <gaviotata@hotmail.com> (Spanish)
INDIA
Bobby Ramakant (INGCAT) described how the children's section of a
popular newspaper ran a "Funny Bones" story about some cool rats that
smoke "Red & White" cigarettes (a brand manufactured by a Philip Morris
subsidiary). Also, when Swedish Match entered the Indian market
recently with its "Click" oral tobacco brand, it ran an advertisement
that took up the entire front page of the newspaper, i.e. there was not
a single news article on the page! As Bobby noted, "We have never seen
advertising like this before."
For more info: <bobbyramakant@hotmail.com>
NIGERIA
Eze Eluchie of PADDI emphasized that Nigeria, the country with the
largest population in Africa, represents a huge market to the tobacco
industry. Tobacco billboards as large as 35 meters wide have been
erected in the capitol city of Lagos. They can be found at the gates of
primary and secondary schools, and they often feature western imagery.
Recently, BAT launched a new promotional campaign called "Experience It"
which uses Hollywood films. At related events, no one's age is checked,
free packs of cigarettes are given out, and people are frisked at the
gates to remove recording devices, e.g. cameras.
BAT also sent the country's Senate Health committee on an
all-expenses-paid trip to Europe and U.S., in an effort to thwart tough
tobacco control legislation. To read more about these and other examples
check out Philippe Boucher's November 20, 2002 "Rendez-vous" with Eze:
http://www.globalink.org/list:nbrv:9242
For more info: <paddingr@yahoo.com>
SENEGAL
Medard Bassene (MAT-Senegal) noted that the tobacco industry presented
the country's president with 150,000,000 cfa ($225,000) for the
Senegalese soccer team on national television in May, leading up to the
World Cup. In Dakar neighborhoods, Marlboro sponsors events featuring
modern music. Access is controlled, but youth are allowed to enter. No
photos are allowed.
For more info: <matsn@ucad.sn> (French)
TOGO
Ghislain Aledji (ATLAT) described how the tobacco industry heavily
sponsors soccer, and other popular sports in his country. In some cases,
people get free cigarettes when they buy tickets to soccer tournaments.
And the Prime Minister himself donned FINE cigarette brand clothing when
his bestowed awards at the end of a cycling race. In contrast to the
U.S., the tobacco industry is free to do what it wants in Togo.
Ghislain concluded by emphasizing that Africans are tired of being
treated as less-than-human -- that there should not be global double
standards in public health, that treat one country's citizens
differently, just because they are poor. "Africans are not animals." See
a photo of Ghislain next to some Marlboro baby clothing from Togo:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/marlborobaby.jpg
For more info: <atlat92@hotmail.com> (French)
####
2. AFRICAN AMERICAN GROUP USES EXAMPLES OF BIG TOBACCO'S MISDEEDS IN
AFRICA
Carol McGruder, of the San Francisco African American Tobacco Free
Project, sees distinct parallels between the tobacco industry's
targeting of people in Africa and African-Americans in the U.S. In both
populations, tobacco control is not always a top priority or concern.
By talking about what the tobacco industry is doing in Africa, Carol has
been able to convince local African-American groups and faith leaders to
make the issue a higher priority. A presentation about the tobacco
industry that she gave at a recent U.S.-Africa sister cities conference
was well-received.
In particular, she has shown audiences a photo of a tobacco billboard
for the cigarette brand "Houston," complete with the skyline of the
city, from her buddy's country of Senegal. Many Senegalese live and work
in Houston to send money back to their families.
See billboard:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/sn/houston.gif
Marlboro baby clothing (see above - Togo) from West Africa never fails
to shock audiences. She has also used the Philip Morris' "Find Your
Voice" ad that exploits an African woman to illustrate the warped
psychology of tobacco industry ads.
See ad: http://tobaccofreekids.org/adgallery/display.php3?ID=3D23
####
3. SAN FRANCISCO TOBACCO FREE COALITION HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE ON U.S.
SUPPORT FOR BIG TOBACCO'S GLOBAL EXPANSION
At the press conference, tobacco control advocates from around the world
exposed what the tobacco industry is up to in their respective countries
and called for the U.S. to stop representing Big Tobacco at FCTC
negotiations. The press conference also featured a staff person from US
Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). Read the press release:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/nctoh2002/sftfcpress.html
The press conference highlighted a postcard/email campaign recently
launched by SFTFC that calls for the U.S. delegation to the FCTC to
support: 1. A total ban on tobacco advertising. 2. Prohibiting the use
of deceptive terms like =93light=94 and =93mild.=94 3. Language in the FCTC=
that
favors =93health=94 over =93trade.=94 4. Language that requires a minimum
warning size of 50 percent of the package. See
http://www.stopglobaltobacco.org
As Philip Karugaba aptly noted, it is imperative that the health treaty
trump trade treaties because "you can't trade with a dead man." Some
photos from the press conference:
A staff person for US Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco)
speaks in support of a strong FCTC
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/pressconf.jpg
Medard Bassene (Senegal) with U.S. buddy Carol McGruder (USA) describes
how the tobacco industry sponsors Senegal's popular soccer team
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/carolmedard.jpg
Angela Pinoargote (Ecuador) and Phillip Karugaba (Uganda)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/angelaphillip.jpg
Guillermo Martinez Gallon (Colombia) and Badru Mulumba (Uganda) with a
poster advertising the "Stop Global Tobacco" campaign
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/guillermobadru.jpg
Eze Eluchie (Nigeria), Badru Mulumba (Uganda), and Guillermo Martinez
Gallon (Colombia) hang out with Mr. Butts and President George "Dubya"
Bush
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/dubyabutts2.jpg
####
4. PRESS COVERAGE OF GLOBAL TOBACCO ISSUES
It's Easy to Sell Smoking Abroad - With US Support
Badru Mulumba, The Monitor (Kampala, Uganda)
November 26, 2002
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/nctoh2002/uganda.html
Smoking out Big Tobacco's global strategy
by Sophie Maxwell
San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, November 20, 2002
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/nctoh2002/sfc3.html
Tobacco -- greatest weapon of mass destruction
by John Seffrin
San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, November 20, 2002
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/nctoh2002/sfc2.html
U.S., pushed by Philip Morris, stalling global ban on tobacco ads
U.S. wants world to choke together
David Lazarus
San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, November 20, 2002
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/nctoh2002/sfc2.html
####
5. TEENS TAKE ON TOBACCO INDUSTRY AT NCTOH!
The 40+ teen attendees of the 2002 National Conference on Tobacco or
Health arrived in San
Francisco, ready to take action. Their edgy creativity, energy,
enthusiasm and commitment to standing up to Big Tobacco was inspiring to
all. Their activism included: a memorial vigil featuring teens with
their mouths taped shut, a midnight leafletting action, and a publicity
stunt involving cow manure. View photos of the memorial:
In 3 days, tobacco kills more Americans than Sept 11th. That's one dead
American smoker every 72 seconds. Today. All day. Every day.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/tobacco911.jpg
The youth at the memorial sounded a gong every 72 seconds, signifying
another American dead. They also wore duct tape over their mouths, as a
symbol of how Big Tobacco tries to silence youth.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/silenced.jpg
The youth handed out blank "in memory of" postcards that conference
attendees could fill in the name of a lost and add to a memorial wall.
The cards will be sent to Philip Morris.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/inmemory.jpg
GPTC participant Terra Gearhart, 17, of Fighting Against Corporate
Tobacco (USA - NM) wrote an excellent summary of teen activism during
the NCTOH. All activities are low/no-cost, i.e. adaptable for advocacy
events elsewhere. Read Terra's full report:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/nctoh2002/teens.html
Excerpt: On November 20th, we planned an event that was designed to let
people know the real truth behind Philip Morris changing it's name to
Altria - we wanted everyone to know that we didn't buy them trying to
polish their public image. So we put two large piles of cow manure next
to each other on two different street corners there in downtown San
Francisco: one pile had a sign that read 'Philip Morris', the other had
a sign reading 'Altria'. Between the two piles of manure was a large
sign proclaiming: "Same shit - different pile." We also handed out
flyers reading "Philip Morris is trying to change their image by
changing their name to Altria- but we can smell it from a mile away.
Don't be spoon-fed the bullshit."*
* Clarification of terms: In the U.S., "shit" and "bullshit" are vulgar
slang words. They literally mean feces (cow feces in the latter case),
but also connote "nonsense talk."
####
6. GLOBAL BUDDIES MEET FACE-TO-FACE IN SAN FRANCISCO!
Medard Bassene (Senegal) and Ghislain Aledji (Togo) hang out with their
buddy from Polaris (USA-CA)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/medardghislain.jpg
Felicia Aniniba (USA-CO), Eze Eluchie (Nigeria) and the director of GASA
(USA-CA)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/feliciaeze.jpg
Gene Ramos of the Youth Skills Project (USA-CA) and Bobby Ramakant
(India)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/genebobby.jpg
Angela Pinoargote (Ecuador), Guillermo Martinez Gallon (Colombia) and
Christina Reyes of the Latino Issues Forum (USA-CA)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/angelaguillermo.jpg
Badru Mulumba (Uganda), Bobby Ramakant (India), Eze Eluchie (Nigeria),
Ghislain Aledji (Togo), Lee Moultrie (USA-SC), Medard Bassene (Senegal),
and Angela Pinoargote (Ecuador) following the GPTC ancillary meeting
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/nctoh2002/global.jpg
Angela Pinoargote (Ecuador) says that across borders gives her gives her
strength to continue the fight -- La luche sigue!
####
For a full list of global events at the NCTOH, click on:
http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/gptc/2002/000003.html
---------------------------------------
Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
Essential Action
P.O. Box 19405
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030
Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: tobacco@essential.org
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco