[Intl-tobacco] ASH UK report on tobac industry youth smoking initiatives

[Robert Weissman]

DANGER! PR in the Playground: tobacco industry youth smoking initiatives
           
10 October 2000: Tobacco companies such as BAT and Philip Morris are
guilty of a sickening fraud over teenage anti-smoking initiatives.
Companies have adopted a public posture of opposition to teenage smoking
and even funded anti-smoking initiatives for teenagers. But an
investigation by ASH and The Cancer Research Campaign has revealed that
this is no more than a sinister and cynical public relations strategy. The
purpose is to fend off meaningful restrictions on tobacco advertising and
gain PR advantage, while proposing only measures that are unlikely to
reduce youth smoking and likely make it more attractive by positioning
cigarettes as an adult product and smoking as rebellious.

To see the full report and related information, go to
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/press/001010.html and follow the links.

Robert Weissman	<rob@essential.org>
Essential Information
P.O. Box 19405, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: 1-202-387-8030
Fax: 1-202-234-5176
www.essential.org