U.S. Stop Exporting Death!: Report on March to MPAA, USTR & White House

[Anna White]

Dear Friends,

Earlier this month, 4,500 people converged in Washington, DC for the
13th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH). More than 100 of
them were youth -- the largest number ever to attend a WCTOH. Nearly 100
of these youth, heralding from over 30 countries around the world,
participated in a two-day pre-conference Global Youth Advocacy Training
(GYAT) organized by Essential Action and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free
Kids.

One of the purposes of the GYAT was to prepare for a major youth-led
advocacy event during the conference: a march to the White House, via
the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and United States Trade
Representative (USTR). Below, please find a brief report on the march,
including details regarding how the petitions that the youth tried to
deliver to the USTR and White House were treated (not nicely). Also, we
recommend checking out these links:

Super collection of photos from the march:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/sets/72157594199869663/

Youth activism video shown which features great footage from the march
(as well as the GYAT and a youth protest of Kool at Fur nightclub):
http://www.gyatnetwork.org/

Excellent New Zealand television coverage of the petition delivery to
the White House (click on the video link):
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/788151

*******************************************
REPORT: MARCH TO THE WHITE HOUSE
U.S.: Stop Exporting Death!

* Tobacco out of Youth-Rated Films *
* Tobacco out of Trade * Ratify the FCTC! *
*******************************************

The march kicked off at 12 noon on Thursday, July 13 from the Washington
Convention Center. Carrying 25 coffins draped with international flags
to represent the global epidemic of death and disease caused by tobacco,
several hundred youth and adult advocates from around the world took to
the streets of Washington, DC. To the rhythm of boisterous chants and
drumming, they proceeded down New York Ave then I St, many in their
traditional dress, waving their national flags, holding signs, and
carrying banners representing their organizations.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189828822/in/set-72157594199869663=
/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189831925/in/set-72157594199869663=
/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189829740/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


At the first stop, youth called on the MPAA to remove smoking and
tobacco product placement from youth-rated films. Tobacco on screen is a
powerful recruiter of new smokers, 90% of whom begin by age 18. Studies
suggest the more smoking that adolescents view in movies, the higher the
risk that they will start smoking. More than 50% of Hollywood=92s box
office earnings come from outside the U.S. and Canada, making tobacco in
movies a problem of international scope.
Youth engaged in a creative street theater focused on how the movie
industry helps the tobacco industry promote its products and delivered a
petition to the MPAA.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189833618/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


Stan Glantz of the Smoke Free Movies Action Network spoke:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189832620/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


Isha Gupta (India) made the connection to India's movie industry, aka
Bollywood:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189832997/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


Andrea Vidler (USA) also spoke:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189833139/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


At the second stop, march participants called on the USTR to keep
tobacco products out of trade agreements, in recognition that tobacco
products are uniquely harmful and require special rules similar to those
that already apply to trade in other hazardous products, such as
hazardous waste, firearms, land mines, narcotic drugs, ozone-depleting
chemicals, and persistent organic pollutants. A USTR representative
rudely refused to accept a petition signed by the youth and other WCTOH
attendees.

Esteban Hebel Neira of Chile denounced the last minute inclusion of
tobacco in the U.S.-Chile free trade agreement several years ago:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/197514985/

Robert Weissman, Director of Essential Action, called for the exclusion
of tobacco from trade agreements:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189834668/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


The march then led to the gates of the White House, where the coffins
were temporarily laid in a long row and a small internationally
representative group of youth from Brazil, Indonesia, New Zealand,
Nigeria, Romania, Russia and the United States tried to deliver a
petition calling on the U.S. to ratify the Framework Convention on
Tobacco or Health (FCTC). To date, over 130 countries have ratified this
treaty, which commits nations to ban all tobacco advertising, promotions
and sponsorships, place large graphic health warnings on cigarette
packs, and increase the price of tobacco products. The United States has
not yet ratified the FCTC, failing to lead the fight against the tobacco
epidemic that is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and
kills five million people worldwide.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189835417/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


A White House security guard told the youth that he needed to telephone
the White House to find out if the petition would be accepted. After
waiting for awhile, the youth finally chose to deliver the petition
under the gate. The security guard then proceeded to step on the
petition, kick it back onto the sidewalk, and inform the youth that the
White House =93does not accept=94 it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189836096/in/set-72157594199869663=
/

New Zealand television coverage of refusal:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/788151

The march culminated with a short rally in Lafayette Park, in front of
the White House, where the youth re-emphasized their demand that the
governments of the United States and other countries to ratify the
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189836321/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


Alex Koryagin (Russia) described how the U.S. refusal to ratify the FCTC
hurts Russian groups' efforts to get their country to ratify the FCTC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189836656/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


Tyson Suzuki (USA-HI) announced a call in to the White House
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/189836400/in/set-72157594199869663=
/


Note: Several counter protesters took part in the first segment of the
march and stood behind speakers at the MPAA stop. We believe one of them
is an employee of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which has had a
longterm financial relationship with the tobacco industry.

RELATED EVENING EVENT: PROTEST OF KOOL SPONSORSHIP

That evening, youth converged at Fur nightclub in northeast Washington,
DC to protest Kool sponsorship of a musical tour featuring The Roots w/
Talib Kweli & The Pharcyde. Kool, a cigarette brand of the U.S. tobacco
company R.J.Reynolds, has aggressively targeted African-Americans and
exploited hip hop culture in recent years. A previous =93Kool Mixx=94 tour
was stopped after U.S. Attorneys General raised concerns, but the brand
has since launched a =93Kool Jazz=94 tour.

####

MEDIA COVERAGE

The following media outlets were at the march: ABC radio, New Zealand
TV, Turkish TV, Metro Networks, Talk Radio News, WTOP (radio), AP Photo

A professional photographer documented the march. The photos are great!
Check all of them out at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/sets/72157594199869663/

And the youth activism video screened at WCTOH closing plenary, which
features super footage from the march (as well as the GYAT and protest
of Kool at Club Fur), is online at: http://www.gyatnetwork.org/ (kudos
to Andy Berndt and Matt Novak)

Additional photos of the march, as well as other GYAT-related events,
are at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gyatnetwork/

---------------------------------------
Anna White
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: awhite@essential.org (or awhite@essentialinformation.org)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco