[Intl-tobacco] Thailand: Activists see through cigarette firms' smokescreen (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Activists see through cigarette firms' smokescreen
Boosting sales still the ulterior motive
by Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Source: Bangkok Post, Tuesday, 1/23/01

Anti-smoking activists yesterday pledged to step up moves against the
"good citizen campaigns" of tobacco companies which aim to create a
positive public image for themselves.

Dr Prakit Vathisathokit of Action on Smoking and Health Foundation, said
it was necessary to make the public understand the ulterior motive of
tobacco firms-that their aim is to sell their products, rather than work
for the public benefit.

Such campaigns observed in Thailand include tobacco giant Philip Morris'
"18 Plus" project which states they do not sell cigarettes to minors, and
Thailand Tobacco Monopoly's television advertisements portraying its
support for social development.

Citing the "18 Plus" campaign, Dr Prakit said instead of reducing
cigarette smoking among the youth, it has instead provoked them into
picking up the habit faster.

The Philip Morris campaign was introduced in support of the government's
ban on sales of tobacco products to minors. The campaign goes on to say
that "smoking is an adult affair".

Dr Prakit said the campaign has made more children want to smoke because
they wanted to feel like adults.

"We have to be very careful of such campaigns because they give the public
a misconception and they may think that tobacco firms may not be that bad.
This public attitude would in turn make policy makers hesitant when they
have to take firm decisions which affect tobacco companies," Dr Prakit
said.

Chris Poole-Johnson of Western Australia's Health Department said the
prime target of tobacco firms is to behave as if they are good citizens
and sponsor sports and cultural programmes attractive to the youth.

Mr Poole-Johnson, who has worked in tobacco advertising for over 10 years
before joining the Australian government's health promotion programme,
said indirect advertisement on the Internet was another venue where
tobacco firms were targeting the youth.

He said a website on music, fashion and entertainment which attracts young
girls 13-25 years old, and sponsored by Philip Morris, compiles data on
those who log in for further direct marketing.

Mr Poole-Johnson said it would be very difficult to counter the good
citizen campaigns in Thailand, as the sentiment against smoking was not
very strong among the majority of Thais.