[Intl-tobacco] Report (Part I): Youth Advocacy Events Around 2006 Altria Shareholders
Mtg
robert weissman
rob@essential.org
Sat, 06 May 2006 13:35:04 -0400
Dear Friends,
Last week over 100 youth and adult advocates from around the U.S. and
world participated in advocacy events around the 2006 Altria
shareholders meeting in East Hanover, New Jersey.
On April 25-26, a youth advocacy training was held in East Hanover, New
Jersey and New York City, followed by a demonstration in front of
Altria=E2=80=99s headquarters in New York City. The next day, a demonstrati=
on
was held at the entrance to the shareholder meeting, while 25 youth and
adults went inside the meeting to confront CEO Louis Camilleri about the
company=E2=80=99s practices around the world.
For the full report, including links to photos and media coverage, read
below and the email to follow!
Part I:
1. April 25-26: 4th Annual Youth Advocacy Training
2. April 26: Demonstration at Altria=E2=80=99s NYC Headquarters
3. April 27: Demonstration Outside 2006 Altria Shareholders Meeting
Part II (in email to follow)
1. April 27: Activism Inside the 2006 Altria Shareholders Meeting
2. Media Coverage
List of groups that collaborated to organize the events: ADFY=E2=80=99s Y.E=
.S
Team Youth Extinguishing Tobacco (AR), Essential Action (DC), REAL (HI),
Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MT), Dover Youth 2 Youth (NH),
Reality Check (NY), FACT (WI), Rock County Youth 2 Youth (WI), Waukesha
County Tobacco Free Coalition (WI), Te Reo Marama/M=C3=A4ori Smokefree
Coalition (New Zealand) and more!
Best wishes,
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
*****************************************
REPORT ON 2006 ALTRIA SHAREHOLDER MEETING
*****************************************
Background
Altria Group, the parent company of Kraft, Philip Morris USA and Philip
Morris International, the world's largest multinational tobacco company,
has announced that it is considering breaking up into three separate
companies in the near future. Measured by units, 80 percent of Philip
Morris' sales are outside of the United States. According to the World
Health Organization, tobacco kills 5 million people annually worldwide;
by 2025, it will kill an estimated 10 million annually, 70 percent in
developing countries. Decisions that an independent PMI makes will have
major global public health ramifications. Over 100 organizations in more
than 50 countries around the world calling on PMI to make commitments =E2=
=80=93
in advance of a breakup =E2=80=93 to ensure that the separation of Philip M=
orris
International and Philip Morris USA does not worsen the tobacco epidemic.
In solidarity with groups around the world, youth and adults advocates
from Arkansas, California, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Illinois, Montana,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin and
New Zealand took the message to Altria's headquarters in NYC on April 26
and Altria's shareholder meeting in East Hanover, N.J. on April 27.
Specifically, they called on Altria/Philip Morris to "Give the World a
Break" from:
=C2=B7 Tobacco advertising & misleading descriptors like "light" & "mild"
=C2=B7 Lobbying on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control & against 10=
0
percent smokefree places
=C2=B7 Invoking trade agreements to challenge tobacco control legislation
=C2=B7 Secrecy about advertising expenditures, political contributions, &
lobbying costs
=C2=B7 Bogus "youth smoking prevention" programs
=C2=B7 Smoking & tobacco produce placement in movies and other media
For more information on the demands and the list of organizations that
have signed on to them, go to: http://www.givetheworldabreak.org
Check out a related visual designed by Kristi and Ken Dahlgren of
Reality Check (New York):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/altria.jpg
####
1) APRIL 25-26: 4th ANNUAL YOUTH ADVOCACY TRAINING
Dover Youth 2 Youth (New Hampshire) kicked off the training with an
excellent multimedia presentation detailing Philip Morris=E2=80=99 =E2=80=
=9CHistory of
Lies.=E2=80=9D Joel Dunnington, a longtime tobacco control activist based i=
n
Texas, then gave an entertaining and informative overview of the history
of activism against Philip Morris, including how activists succeeded in
halting Philip Morris=E2=80=99s infamous =E2=80=9CBill of Rights=E2=80=9D t=
our.
Next up were a series of short presentations related to =E2=80=9CWhat Phili=
p
Morris is Up to Around the World.=E2=80=9D Shane Bradbrook and Skye Te Rang=
i
Kimura (Te Reo Marama/M=C3=A4ori Smokefree Coalition, New Zealand) detailed
how Philip Morris misappropriated the Maori name and culture when it
launched a =E2=80=9CMaori Mix=E2=80=9D line of its L&M cigarette brand in I=
srael at the
end of last year. Youth with the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program
then gave a superb presentation, based on blogs, websites, and internal
tobacco industry documents, on Marlboro=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CCrazy Ranch=E2=
=80=9D in Montana.
Reality Check (New York) coordinators then described activism that New
York youth did around Philip Morris=E2=80=99 celebration of Marlboro=E2=80=
=99s 50th
Anniversary last November. Nicole Sutton (REAL/Hawaii) and Anna White
(Essential Action/DC) shared photos of Philip Morris promotions in
Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, from a delegation to South America last
August. Examples submitted by advocates in Romania, India, Hong Kong,
Jordan, Romania, Vietnam, & more rounded out the presentation. Check out
the world tour at: http://www.philipmorrisbreakup.org/photos/worldtour/
The remainder of Tuesday=E2=80=99s training focused on advocacy skill-build=
ing
workshops, e.g. working with the media, making effective visuals, event
coordination, developing chants, creating zines, and preparations for
those going into the Altria shareholder meeting. Wednesday morning, the
training continued in New York City, culminating with a large role play.
Check out photos of the training:
NJ: http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/1/
NYC: http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/2/
####
2) APRIL 26: DEMONSTRATION AT ALTRIA=E2=80=99S NYC HEADQUARTERS
The media (and police) were already waiting when youth showed up at
Altria=E2=80=99s headquarters, which is adorned with the company=E2=80=99s =
logo.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/slides/mtkp116.htm=
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The youth, who had decided to do a silent protest, stood in one long
line with their mouths taped shut to symbolize the millions of people
killed =E2=80=93 silenced =E2=80=93 by tobacco around the world each year. =
Every 7
seconds, a youth would kneel to the ground to represent another person
killed by tobacco.
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They also held a long =E2=80=9Chuman billboard=E2=80=9D that read =E2=80=9C=
ALTRIA SPLIT =3D
=E2=86=91PROFIT$ =E2=86=93GLOBAL HEALTH=E2=80=9D and displayed examples of =
what Philip Morris is
up to around the world.
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http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/slides/argp038.htm=
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Argentina:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/slides/mtkp108.htm=
l
India:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/slides/wilw039.htm=
l
Vietnam:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/slides/wilw059.htm=
l
The human billboard was reflected in a window across the street
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Two youth also wore skull masks, cowboy hats, skeleton gloves, and
carried inflatable globes to symbolize the Marlboro Man=E2=80=99s deadly gl=
obal
expansion.
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Youth held signs that said =E2=80=9CAltria=E2=80=9D=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9CGive t=
he World a Break!=E2=80=9D
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l
They also handed out palmcards with information about why they were
there to people passing by. The image on the palmcard was designed by a
Wisconsin youth.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/marlborolasso.jpg
Near the end of the demonstration, a small group of youth tried to
deliver a bunch of sarcastic =E2=80=9CHappy 50th Birthday Marlboro=E2=80=9D=
cards
collected by Americans for Nonsmokers Rights from youth around the
country. A sampling of the inscriptions on the cards:
* Happy 50th=E2=80=A6150 people died using your product during the timeI
made this card! Way to Go!
* Thanks Marlboro for 50 wonderful years of being unable to breathe!
Here=E2=80=99s to not having 50 more!
* Happy Birthday!...be fortunate you had yours=E2=80=A6=E2=80=99cuz your=
buyers won=E2=80=99t!
* Happy Happy Birthday=E2=80=A6You take my breath away.
* We were going to send you flowers for your birthday=E2=80=A6but we had=
to
use them for all the funerals instead. Sorry =E2=80=93 and you shouldb=
e too.
* On Your Birthday, a poem: Roses are red, Violets are blue, Tobacco
kills people, Thanks to you!
* Happy Birthday!! Sorry I can=E2=80=99t be there to celebrate with you=
=E2=80=A6but
I was a life long customer. Now I=E2=80=99m 6 feet under. Thanks a lot=
L
(opens up to coffin).
The delivery of the cards to Altria=E2=80=99s main entrance was quickly
prevented by a detective with the New York City police who informed the
youth that the company would not accept any materials from them. In
response, the youth led the whole group in a rousing rendition of =E2=80=9C=
Happy
Deathday Marlboro.=E2=80=9D
The youth then decided to try and deliver the cards to the Whitney
Museum of Art at Altria halfway down the block. Inside the entrance,
they explained their desire to deliver the cards and the appropriateness
of doing so at an art museum sponsored by Altria. The man at the door
explained that the art museum has no connection to Altria=E2=80=99s headqua=
rters
=E2=80=93 =E2=80=9Cit=E2=80=99s just in the same building=E2=80=9D =E2=80=
=93 and encouraged the youth to deliver
the cards to the headquarters (where they had just been denied
entrance). The group questioned the man=E2=80=99s contention that he was no=
t
connected to Altria, pointing out the =E2=80=9CAltria Corporate Security=E2=
=80=9D pin on
his shirt.
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At the close of the demonstration, all the youth decided that they would
like to check out the Whitney Museum of Art at Altria, which is open to
the public, with their mouths still taped shut. Frightened by the
prospect of dozens of silent young people invading the art museum, it
was =E2=80=9Ctemporarily=E2=80=9D closed to prevent their admittance.
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Youth involved with the FACT movement of Wisconsin posed in front of the
Whitney Museum of Art at Altria, to which they were just denied entrance.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/slides/wilw027.htm=
l
By the end of the demonstration a whopping total of 67 police cars had
surrounded the area. Initially the youth thought it was an overblown
response to their peaceful demonstration, but a police officer said that
it was actually a routine weekly drill. Specifically, one officer said,
while chumming it up with some Altria security guards, that it was =E2=80=
=9Ca
show of force against terrorism=E2=80=9D -- ignoring the world=E2=80=99s bi=
ggest
purveyor of weapons of mass destruction in their midst.
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Agence France Presse and Getty Images took many photos of the youth and
Associated Press television shot footage of it and interviews with Shane
and Skye for New Zealand television. There was also local newspaper
coverage.
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Meanwhile a smoker, who spouted standard tobacco industry rhetoric,
repeatedly tried to confront youth and engage the media. We think he was
planted.
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Check out the AFP and Getty Images photos at: http://www.gettyimages.com
(Click on "Editorial", then "News", then do search for "Altria". 12
photos should turn up)
Check out more photos of the demo:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/3/
####
3) APRIL 27: DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE 2006 ALTRIA SHAREHOLDERS MEETING
The youth rose at the crack of dawn so that they could be in position
when the shareholders started arriving. They staked out the corner
between the two entrances to Kraft=E2=80=99s headquarters, where the meetin=
g was
held, and erected a large, inflatable cigarette pack labeled =E2=80=9CGloba=
l
Killer.=E2=80=9D
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They carried many of the same visuals from the day before, including a
slightly shortened human billboard that read =E2=80=9CALTRIA SPLIT =3D =E2=
=86=91PROFIT$ =E2=86=93
HEALTH.=E2=80=9D
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The participants in the chant workshop led everyone in a series of
spirited chants that had everyone not only shouting, but kicking their
legs and shaking their fists in synchronized cheerleader fashion! A few
shareholders =E2=80=9Cflipped them the bird,=E2=80=9D but the reaction from=
most cars
passing by was very positive.
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Media filmed a youth wearing a skeleton Marlboro costume and holding globe
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Some youth wore =E2=80=9CAltr-uistic View of the Global Teenager=E2=80=A6Re=
placement
Smoker=E2=80=9D t-shirts
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Youth held signs at one of the entrances
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A youth from Montana displays a photo of the Marlboro Crazy Ranch
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A youth holds a sign =E2=80=9CEvery 7 seconds tobacco kills=E2=80=9D
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Check out full set of photos at:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria06/4/
Note: The above photos were taken by many different people. They may be
used for noncommercial purposes, as long as they are properly credited.
To obtain credit information, contact <tobacco@essential.org> and
include the photo=E2=80=99s url.
This report will soon be posted at
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/altria06/ and will be
updated as groups that participated submit additional photos, media
coverage, and other materials.