News Analysis

340 Tobacco Control 1998;7:340–344 Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.7.4.340 on 1 December 1998. Downloaded from NEWS ANALYSIS Clinton and his entourage, includ- All articles written by David Simp- ing 250 journalists, saw none of the son unless otherwise attributed. starred and striped tobacco hype. Per- Ideas and items for News Analysis haps fearful that the president, on a should be sent to David Simpson at rare step outside Air Force One, the address given on the inside would catch a glimpse of his cowboy front cover. kinsman and cry “Foul play!”, Philip Morris had taken acute pains to cover the “evidence”, strategically banishing all their advertising: radio, posters, and billboards. Philip Morris had good reason to Senegal: now you be afraid. Proposed tobacco legisla- see it, now you tion in the United States at the time A young Senegalese mother holding her was calling for strict international Marlboro-bedecked son (not quite two years old). don’t—PM’s April tobacco control measures which would bar government funds from Fool’s joke on being used to promote American tobacco overseas; further, it called for Clinton increased funding for overseas When President Clinton arrived in tobacco control via international Dakar, Senegal on 31 March 1998, on agencies such as the World Health an exuberant tour to promote trade Organisation, UNICEF and through and goodwill in West Africa, he prob- an American-sponsored technical http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ ably didn’t realise that another Ameri- assistance body, and a code of can icon had already beaten him to conduct for American tobacco the sale. companies abroad comparable to The “Marlboro Man” had long domestic anti-tobacco laws; and a since established himself as the crack down on tobacco smuggling. number one American businessman Furthermore, the US State Depart- in town (see ment had issued a new directive on Tobacco Control A young boy getting the feel of a Marlboro pack. 1997;6:243–5). Months before Clin- international tobacco policy less than ton’s arrival, Philip Morris had no two months earlier, encouraging qualms about cashing in on American embassies to “assist and was again as strong as ever. Sexily Senegalese youth’s fascination with promote tobacco-control eVorts in clad Marlboro women hand out free the United States. “Come to host countries”. cigarettes in popular nightclubs. Tod- on September 24, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Marlboro Country”, invited large According to one local radio dlers in rural villages sport “Marl- billboards at every turn. “America, station technician with a friend work- boro” outfits. And Dakar schoolchil- here I come!”, exclaimed a poster for ing for Marlboro, Philip Morris dren were spotted carrying their L & M, Marlboro’s sister brand, pulled all their radio advertisements books in red and white “Marlboro” sporting a trendy, young, white during the week coinciding with the backpacks. Philip Morris’ great April couple sharing a smoke beside a pay president’s and first lady’s visit. Local Fool’s Joke in Senegal was over. ’phone before they zip oV to New store owners in the Grand Dakar “If Americans know cigarettes kill York City on their shiny new neighbourhood confirmed that Philip people, how come they let ‘Marlboro’ motorcycle. “Win a trip to the US Morris representatives had paid a promote them in Africa?” a young withL&M”,itenticingly announced visit to remove posters before the Senegalese man, sharing a smoke to passers by. Clintons’ arrival. The explanation with his buddies, asked in genuine Philip Morris even employed given to one store owner was that wonder. Good question. It is at the Senegal’s best loved wrestler, Mo- the “mayor of Dakar has put a very heart of the international hamed “Tyson” Ndao (namesake of tax on posters”. Funny timing, and the American boxer Mike), often seen since when has Marlboro been so tobacco hypocrisy that Philip Morris wearing an American flag during his “poor”? wishes to cover up. trademark victory dance, to plug their With Clinton gone, Philip Morris ANNA WHITE addictive sticks. Last autumn, a began repainting whole storefronts in Federation des ONG et OCB television advertisement showed a red and white, a strategy often used Luttant Contre le Tabagisme (FLCT), close up of Tyson giving the “thumbs by other products to dominate and c/o 103 RadcliVeDrive, up” sign as the camera panned eliminate competing advertising. And Newark, Delaware 19711, USA; “M-A-R-L-B-O-R-O”. the Western cowboy’s omnipresence [email protected] News analysis 341 Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.7.4.340 on 1 December 1998. Downloaded from How to make the Development (USAID), but USAID’s Although the ambassador could not five-year plan focuses on family endorse any specific organisation, he US State planning, child and maternal health, agreed to issue a public statement on and AIDS prevention—and not the occasion of World No-Tobacco Department’s tobacco control. Day: “Growing up Tobacco Free” (31 There is little evidence so far that May 1998). This statement ran in at tobacco directive local anti-tobacco movements have least one local paper and served as benefited from the measure—except important foreign political support for work for you: in Senegal. Perhaps the Senegalese the local anti-tobacco activists’ cause. Senegal’s case example can give tobacco control After World No-Tobacco Day, the groups elsewhere ideas on how best to new anti-tobacco federation wrote a It is laudable that the State approach their local American letter of introduction to Ambassador Department issued a directive on embassy and make the directive work Smith, also thanking him for issuing American international policy on for them. the public statement, and inquiring as tobacco in February 1998. At the The key for tobacco control groups to whether the embassy had any old same time it represents no real change is to think of ways American computers available for donation. The in policy. embassies can lend support without response was favourable and two Old fair trade rhetoric and a new using American funds or compromis- months later a shiny new-looking pro-health agenda aren’t easily ing their integrity as a front for official computer found a new home at the squared, as the directive clearly United States policy. Perhaps the folks federation. This generous donation indicates. Wrought with the old will allow the federation to establish misguided logic of the “legal” in Senegal have a good deal: Ambassador Dane F Smith is a mem- itself much more rapidly, by making product, its policy objective of everything from letter writing to elec- ber of Action on Smoking and Health ensuring American companies “equal tronic communication much more (USA) and confesses to “biting his access to a shrinking global market for eYcient. tobacco” echoes the old USTR tongue” when forced to deal with (United States trade representative) American tobacco companies. In a ANNA WHITE brief meeting with the ambassador, he mentality: “We know cigarettes are Federation des ONG et OCB bad, but hey, we’ve got to help ‘poor’ acknowledged having read a New York Luttant Contre le Tabagisme (FLCT), American companies get their ‘fair’ Times article on American corpora- c/o 103 RadcliVeDrive, share of the pie!” This ignores the fact tions selling cigarettes in Senegal Newark , Delaware 19711, USA; that these companies’ marketing tech- through liberal use of American [email protected] niques are often more aggressive. The imagery. Familiar with the State result? American companies end up, Department’s directive, he was openly EU/UK: ad ban not only hogging the pie, but also receptive to the idea of lending support to Senegal’s anti-tobacco increasing its size. busting plan http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ Furthermore the policy suVers movement. Tobacco control advocates in the from a lack of “teeth”. Although the United Kingdom and other western first guideline of the directive European countries which have not explicitly states: “Posts [embassy oY- yet banned tobacco promotion are cials] are encouraged to assist and busy trying to ensure the eVectiveness promote tobacco-control eVorts in of legislation being drafted under the host countries,” there is no mention of European Union’s ad ban directive. how exactly posts might do so. Ameri- Of greatest concern is some can embassies are not in the business governments’ apparent weakness of of providing financial assistance to resolve. The cause of this is unclear, local non-governmental organisa- but may be presumed to be tions. That’s the job of the United exacerbated by budgetary restrictions on September 24, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. States Agency for International and the near certainty of the industry’s now routine twin proce- dures of (a) legal challenges and (b) deliberate “breach-and-see” tactics to test out the government’s commit- ment to its new law. The big loophole in the EU ad ban is on branding of non-tobacco products. However, the wording does not give an unqualified exemption as a right. The relevant article in the directive (98/43/EC, 3, para 2) says that the ad ban “shall not prevent the member states from allowing a brand name already used in good faith for both tobacco products and for other goods and services traded or oVered . prior to July 1998 to be used for the advertising of those other goods and services.” This wording does not L&M hats, Lucky Strike shorts, Marlboro baby clothes: ways in which American companies increase require member states to exempt brand the size of the market pie in Senegal. stretching, but merely allows them the 342 News analysis Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.7.4.340 on 1 December 1998.

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