Tobacco Control 2000;9:9–15 9 Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from NEWS ANALYSIS

All articles written by David Simp- One can understand the reluctance nation’s youth, a new message had son unless otherwise attributed. of the hapless skipper. In addition to appeared asking the government to Ideas and items for News Analysis earlier posters branding the voyage an arrest the “merchants of death”, and should be sent to David Simpson at invasion designed to recruit the for the vessel to be impounded or the address given on the inside front cover. Asia: choppy seas for BAT butt boat British American Tobacco’s John Player Gold Leaf, the only known sailing boat to advertise two cigarette brands at the same time, sailed into a storm of controversy last September as it approached Sri Lanka. Billed as under- taking the “Voyage of discovery”, the 80 foot racing yacht had left Tower Bridge in London, UK, in mid June with a seven person British crew. BAT’s press hype, faithfully reported by most news- papers in Bangladesh (but not Bhorer Kagoj—see Tobacco Control 1998;7:228– http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ 9), boasted that the “challenging and exciting” 170 day trip would cover 17 countries and three continents, with the ultimate destination being the Bangla- desh port of Chittagong in the Bay of Bengal, scheduled for November. BAT augmented the coverage with large col- our advertisements in the newspapers covering the story. So all seemed set fair for a straightforward cruise (the boat was not, after all, racing against competitors) to promote cigarettes to on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. some of the company’s prime develop- ing markets. However, the organisers omitted to take a forecast of the climate of public opinion along the route. Clearly, many people were appalled at the trip’s asso- ciation with the largest known cause of respiratory illness, cancer, and heart disease, none of which mix well with the rigours of intercontinental sailing. In October, as the boat was nearing the southern Sri Lankan port of Galle, widespread protests were organised by local health groups. When the boat failed to enter port as expected, no oY- cial explanation was forthcoming, but reading between the lines of statements from Galle harbour police, local health advocates concluded that the boat’s plans for a Sri Lankan layover had Advertisement appearing in a Bangladesh newspaper promoting BAT’s “Voyage of discovery” by the either been changed or cancelled as a racing yacht John Player Gold Leaf—the only known sailing boat to advertise two cigarette brands at result of the protests. the same time. 10 News analysis Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from

The well known Hindi actress, Ms Shabana Azmi, and two scenes from a film based upon the real life story of Santokben Jadeja, a woman from Gujarat who is currently a Member of the Legislative Assembly of India, and who comes from the traditional Mehr community where her smoking would be strictly taboo. Ms Azmi herself is considered the most socially conscious and socially active Hindi film actress — no better role model could have been found for introducing Indian women to smoking. chased away from Sri Lanka’s shores. ing field”—in other words, no serious Kenya, showing women being oVered Anti-tobacco banners were reportedly resistance from the health side. It is cigarettes by their menfolk, and displayed at almost all police stations heartening to see that the supplies smoking them. Now the same assault and schools, and at many road required by health in the war against on the taboo of women smoking is junctions in the city. Picketing and tobacco—information about the epi- beginning to be seen in more strongly demonstrations took place at schools demic, and the skills for using it—are traditional India. until the police chief of the province now being eYciently distributed in Last July, a row blew up in India took the precaution of stopping them, developing countries, and people are over the evidently desperate attempts in case any got out of control. coming out to fight. by a movie producer to stop the Meanwhile a float in the form of a censor’s scissors from cutting out ship, decorated with skeletons and scenes of smoking by the heroine from satirical anti-tobacco slogans, toured India: movie shoots a new Hindi film “Godmother”. As the city and visited schools. the title suggests, the film is about a Twenty years ago, the majority of at women woman whose husband is an http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ cigarette promotion by transnational In the early days of the spread of ciga- underworld boss. Among other bad tobacco companies in developing rette smoking, there must have come a influences on her, he introduces his countries was in the form of regular point in the United States, Britain, wife to smoking. When the husband is advertisements on billboards and in and other industrialised countries murdered, the woman, despite being newspapers and magazines. The ads when tobacco executives woke up and illiterate, decides to take over his busi- were relatively simple in design, and realised they were missing out on half ness. How to convince the male domi- typically for cheap, local brands. the market. As many as half the men, nated world that she is every bit as Nowadays, tobacco promotion has or even more, were smoking, but it competent as any man? By smoking. become much more homogenised all was not considered “nice” for women She smokes when she is under stress, over the world, with a large proportion to smoke. The taboo said that she smokes when she is happy, and being via sponsorship and brand smoking was a sign of women being she even smokes in front of her young stretching, and regular advertising has “fast” and disreputable. One result of son. Most of the other characters on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. become more sophisticated. And this revelation was the appearance of seem to smoke, too; in fact, smoking, exploiting the ever increasing reach advertisements, of varying degrees of especially by the heroine, is apparently and audience of transnational media, subtlety, showing that even nice a central theme interwoven through- especially via television, the companies women, often pictured as part of a out the film. BAT’s international are tending to concentrate on interna- happy, secure married couple, were brand State Express 555 is clearly vis- tional brands, using sponsorship and beginning to smoke. Helped by social ible in at least two scenes. other internationally coordinated pro- changes accelerated by the second The film was based upon the real motional techniques. BAT’s “Voyage world war, tobacco companies life story of Santokben Jadeja, a of discovery” illustrates these changes, managed to eradicate the taboo, woman from Gujarat who is currently which pose an increasing challenge for before going on to associate their a Member of the Legislative Assembly national governments and the interna- products as a symbol, even an of India, who comes from the tional health community. accessory, of the increasing social lib- traditional Mehr community, where But the Sri Lanka episode eration and emancipation of women. her smoking would be strictly taboo. illustrates something else, too, which Despite the familiarity of this aspect The film makers had evidently gone to gives cause for optimism. BAT cannot of western social history, it is still great lengths to research and have foreseen the diYculties encoun- deeply shocking to see exactly the same realistically portray the culture, tered in Galle. Even if its marketing process being repeated now in traditions and beliefs of the executives had considered the possi- developing countries. Less than 10 community—except for the smoking, bility, they would no doubt have years ago, delegates at a health confer- together with drinking and bad brushed it aside with the usual ence in Africa could hardly believe language shown in some scenes. arrogant industry talk about there still their eyes when shown a videotape of a Before the film’s general release, Ms being a decade or so of “an open play- BAT ad from comparatively liberal Jadeja filed a case of defamation News analysis 11 against the film producers; apart from Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from smoking, drinking and swearing being taboo for Mehr women, she said that she herself had never indulged in any of these activities. The court issued an order preventing the release of the film. Stung by the financial implications, the film director, together with the well known Hindi actress portraying the Jadeja character, Ms Shabana Azmi, and her husband, a renowned poet, set oV for Gujarat to try to placate Ms Jadeja. Their first attempt failed, but somehow the deadlock was eventually broken; perhaps the resources of the world’s second largest tobacco com- pany had something to do with it. In any case, compromises must have been made, not least by Ms Azmi. She is recognised as by far the most socially conscious and socially active Hindi film actress, was nominated as a mem- ber of the upper house of the Indian parliament for a five year term, and has made a celebrated and widely aired advertisement about AIDS. All in all, tobacco companies could not have a better role model for introducing Indian women to smoking. India’s film making capital Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is reputedly the world’s largest movie market. “Bolly- wood”, as film folk call it (now perhaps more appropriately “Mollywood”) is merely following the traditions pio- neered by its US mentor. With http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ spiralling production costs and increas- ing diYculties to raise the money for movies, commercial interests have got an eager partner for the promotion of their products. As the federal and state governments show greater interest in the control of regular tobacco advertis- ing, tobacco is bound to be among the greatest beneficiaries of the trend. As they say in show business, this one will run and run. on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Czech Republic: Gauloises dates for students A “student diary” distributed free in the Czech Republic, bearing advertising for the Gauloises As students returned to their places of cigarette brand, Gauloises Blondes, both on the cover and on all the top right hand pages within the education after the long summer diary. Opposition from medical faculty members at universities in Prague and Brno managed to limit vacation last autumn, some of them the distribution of these diaries. must have been pleasantly surprised to be presented with a useful gift to help But despite DownTown’s intentions, Masaryk’s rector, Professor Jirí Zla- organise both their studies and their not all students received the gift. Mem- tuska, immediately ordered that no social life during the coming academic bers of staV at Masaryk University in students in any faculty of the university year: an attractive, pocket sized the southern city of Brno noticed that should receive the diaries, and called a “Student’s diary”. The donor, a the top of all the right-hand pages of press conference for later the same day. company called DownTown based in the diary was adorned with a coloured StaV members ensured that the diary the capital, Prague, had organised the band showing the logo of the French was not distributed to students, and production of the free diary, a cigarette brand Gauloises Blondes. In alerted their colleagues at other schools previously unknown concept to Czech addition, each coloured band carried, in Brno and at medical faculties in students, whose requirements are alternately, a quotation from a famous other parts of the country, as well as normally met by a publication prepared person, or the brand’s name. Appalled alerting colleagues overseas, and a and sold every year by each faculty. by the temerity of the scheme, flood of protests poured in. 12 News analysis

It turned out that DownTown had with BAT’s fiasco in Sri Lanka, shows Health Organization. It was the Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from previously contacted the university, that tobacco companies can no longer monthly meeting of the Association of saying it was preparing the diary, and rely on the factor they used to dub so International Business Lawyers, and oVering to include appropriate infor- cynically the “open playing field” in the speaker was Bruce Ventura of the mation about the university; but it had countries that are now their priority US (now Japanese owned) tobacco omitted to mention that the diary targets. giant RJ Reynolds. His topic was would be distributed free, or that it was “Smoking and health litigation”, a sponsored by a tobacco company. review of the industry’s legal Despite a personal visit from Down- Australia: Philip headaches past and present. Town’s Brno representative (who got After giving a brief history of US oV to a bad start by complaining about Morris exploits tobacco litigation, Mr Ventura the row that had been stirred up), the SIDS research reviewed the main categories of litiga- rector remained firm. He added that if tion: individual cases, class actions, the company found other ways to get The world’s largest tobacco company, and health care cost recovery actions. the diaries into the hands of his Philip Morris, came under fire once He saw three distinct waves of students, he would launch a campaign again towards the end of last year, this litigation, from personal injury cases against Gauloises, using posters from time for listing itself in a corporate up to the late 1960s, through product the French national anti-tobacco cam- promotional brochure as sponsoring liability and “failure to warn” cases in paign. The strength of his stand seems the Red Nose Day Foundation, the decade beginning in the early to have helped convince the company Australia’s largest research charity 1980s, to the class actions and health to back oV, though it did not stop it supporting research on sudden infant care recovery actions of today. As he from posting staV in the streets near death syndrome (SIDS). Sleeping in saw it, the diYculty in the first phase individual faculty buildings, oVering the prone position and exposure to of proving causation, and the the diaries to passers by including, of tobacco smoke are the two most reluctance of jurors to make awards course, numerous students. In a more- important, known risk factors for for injuries that were the result of an in-than-sorrow-than-in-anger tone, it SIDS. The glossy brochure, resplend- individual’s behaviour, led plaintiVs’ later said it accepted the rector’s ent with photographs of the lawyers to concentrate in the second decision, while declaring its extreme company’s products including ciga- phase on focusing jurors’ attention on surprise at the rejection of such a gen- rettes, identified the charity as among the industry’s behaviour. Summaris- erous oVer. Adverse publicity had “recipients of support or sponsorship ing the first two phases of individual apparently been a major factor in the from Philip Morris and its operating cases as industry success, he repeated climb down. Its “oVer” was also companies in Australia”. Red Nose the boast that despite some adverse spurned by other educational estab- Day organisers are believed to have trial judgements, the industry had lishments in Brno, and thanks to the obtained, for fundraising purposes, never lost a case on appeal, nor had eVorts of medical faculty staV,in two giant bars of Toblerone chocolate “ever paid a centime” in damages. Prague’s Charles university. from Philip Morris’s Kraft corporate With regard to the successful US http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ While these victories were welcome arm, not realising the connection with flight attendants’ case, Mr Ventura said news to the public health community, the tobacco parent company. the industry had settled to encourage a DownTown is known to have pursued On learning from tobacco control congressional deal, but this was now similar eVorts elsewhere, and presum- advocates that Philip Morris was using seen as a mistake. Similarly, the indus- ably met with success in some of them. the Toblerone donation as part of its try had oVered a $350 billion In Brno alone, it had approached the eVorts to promote its corporate image, settlement deal to Congress as a “Stop widest range of educational institu- the executive director of the founda- the madness!” tactic, but the counter tions, including technical high schools, tion, Ms Kaarene Fitzgerald, com- proposal by Congress of a $500 billion a military academy, a university of for- plained that its name and cause had deal and limited pre-emption of future estry and agriculture, and an academy been misused and announced that the liability had been the cause of the of art. Advertising is a relatively new money raised would be returned as settlement’s failure. The industry had phenomenon in the Czech Republic, unwanted to Philip Morris. settled the cases brought by state attor- on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. and most people have little awareness World wide Philip Morris has neys general, however, for “political about it how it works, presenting an aggressively disputed evidence that and stock price” reasons. And politics added diYculty for those trying to pro- environmental tobacco smoking is featured large in the rest of the talk: the tect public health. Medical faculty staV harmful. Anne Jones, director of US federal government’s suit claiming at Masaryk described how students Action on Smoking and Health $25 billion annual health care costs had not seen the diary as much of an (Australia) commented that Philip was “highly political...probably un- issue, not least because they thought Morris claiming to support SIDS constitutional and...an attempt to advertising could not influence their research was “about as oVensive as avoid congressional oversight and own behaviour. In an unfortunate echo Slobodan Milosovic donating to Koso- approval”. of tobacco industry propaganda, some var refugee relief”. Speaking of the class action suits even said the health warning (a small, SIMON CHAPMAN started in other countries around the dull block of text at the side of each Editor world, the industry saw these as “copy Gauloises panel) oVered a positive cat” eVorts to emulate what Mr message about not smoking, especially Ventura called the US “El Dorado”. as most were unaware that Gauloises Litigation: a tobacco But if any of the foreign health care was a cigarette. And the idea of a free recovery suits succeeded, he told his diary was not unwelcome to students lawyer’s view audience to watch out for “the whose limited funds are needed for the Tobacco was on the menu in Geneva, deluge”. In summary, the industry basic necessities of life. Switzerland last October, when sees the situation as politicised and Nevertheless, whatever gains Gau- around 30 high powered lawyers gath- volatile, with the US government’s loises made, the resistance that this ered at the Hotel Metropole, not far suit likely to encourage more private cigarette promotion encountered, as from the headquarters of the World suits. If a single multi-billion dollar News analysis 13 suit succeeded, said Mr Ventura, it At the mobile village you could also “It’s really great to see you folks,” he Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from could bankrupt the tobacco industry. find sponsors’ information, and many says, “and we’re so pleased to be able Doubtless, many readers of Tobacco will be surprised by some of the to take care of you again. But first Control would wish every success to all names—BP, Kenwood, Captain Mor- there’s something I want to mention those working on such suits. gan Rum, Decca, even Medical Rescue tonight: the food is poisonous. It won’t International (MRI). After a flurry of necessarily kill you, though the protests generated by the Tobacco medical folk say that if you keep on South Africa: one Action Group, BP South Africa eating here, there’s a fifty-fifty chance. announced it was pulling out of the And even if it doesn’t actually kill you, life, waste it! venture—a major victory for health, as they say it could still make you very ill As South Africa struggles to improve had been Land Rover’s pullout the and disabled. You remember all that the health of its people with grossly previous year. Decca and MRI also scare stuV in the press about food poi- inadequate resources, one of the most indicated that they might reappraise soning in the restaurants on this street? precocious forms of tobacco promotion their participation, though initially And how all the restaurateurs have is providing highly attractive imagery MRI bought the Camel line that the always denied it? Well, in this place, for RJ Reynolds’ Camel cigarette show was not connected with we’ve decided to come clean. It’s only brand. Under the slogan “ONE LIFE. cigarettes. In response to an enquiry right, and you’ll find that as a LIVE IT”, newspaper advertisements from a surprised customer of an company, we’ve really changed lately. for the Camel Road Show, like the associated health care company, MRI Sure, we were less than frank in the website to which they refer, must break wrote that its association was past, but things are diVerent now. We records for the sheer exuberance of “with . . .a separate business from the have the public interest at heart. About words and images conveying associa- company that produces Camel ciga- the poison, we’ve put all the details on tions of excitement, physical fitness, rettes. The Camel Trophy company a website, so those of you with home fun, and other positive concepts. New, sells adventure related clothing. Our computers can check it out at your lei- exciting (twice), high tech state-of-the- association is therefore . . .with this sure. But it’s all a matter of risk and art, opportunity, lifestyle, excitement— company rather than Camel ciga- what you, as adults, choose to eat, and these adjectives were just the start. At rettes”. Apart from this being an we hope you will choose to eat here for the show itself, which the ads aVront to common sense, there is of many years to come. Take care, enjoy promised could be found at a mobile course a wealth of evidence to prove your meal, and have a nice day!” Camel Trophy road show village, the the link, of which one of Tobacco Some of the American customers reader would find “a selection of Control’s favourites is that reported by a begin to put their coats on and quit Camel Trophy experiences” including health advocate who met a group of the place; others say they will stay climbing walls, abseiling, video walls, Camel Trophy organisers on a flight to around this time but maybe decide photographic exhibitions, a parallel South America. These macho men, later about whether to come back or mountain bike trials course, internet wearing jungle gear liberally adorned not. But while the waiters up this end stations, and orienteering/GPS (glo- with the Camel name and logo, were of the room do not seem to be pushing http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ bal positioning system) activities. oV to the Amazon. When asked the food quite so hard, what you most These are at the very furthest end of whether the Camel Trophy had notice is that elsewhere they are the spectrum from what is attainable anything to do with the cigarette brand, swarming around more than ever. for a smoker suVering from, say, they replied that they were, well, They are telling the foreign customers emphysema or lung cancer, and this instructed to say that they were promot- that this dish is the one that really paradox is presumably an essential ing boots and outdoor wear, not fashionable people are eating these design aspect of the marketing plan. cigarettes. They added, however, with a days, and that one is what all the grin on their undoubtedly manly faces, sports stars go for. And as for women that the similarity with the cigarette who want to be glamorous and brand was, er, not coincidental. independent, the chef’s new sweet (it’s for the slim, modern woman,

made only with “lite” synthetic on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. It’s true. It kills. It’s cream) can really help them make a statement about themselves. great! This scenario is, of course, pure You are in a restaurant. It is a smart fantasy, but a parallel one involving place, obviously very prosperous, and the Philip Morris company is not. In vast. The clientele is truly mid October last year, Philip Morris international—you can see men and announced that it believed there was women from every corner of the “an overwhelming medical and scien- world. Waiters are going around the tific consensus that cigarette smoking tables cheerfully pressing the spécial- causes lung cancer, heart disease, ités de maison on the customers, emphysema, and other serious especially the large numbers of diseases in smokers”. It placed this Africans, Asians, and Latin Americans admission on its corporate website, down at the far end of the room, and under the Health Issues for Smokers also, you note, on a newly arrived section. The admission was well pub- party from Central and Eastern licised, albeit briefly, in the United Europe. But wait. One of the proprie- States and elsewhere in the west, but Advertisement from a South African newspaper, promoting the Camel Trophy road show at tors, an American, seems to be having apparently received little coverage in which readers can participate in all manner of a serious talk with a group of his the developing world. physically stimulating and challenging fellow countrymen sitting near the Breathtaking audacity? Perhaps, but activities—provided, of course, they have not succumbed from emphysema or lung cancer as a door. Quietly, you go to the edge of when one considers the small propor- result of smoking. the group to hear what he is saying. tion of its customers, real or potential, 14 News analysis

similar tale, this time involving a Chris- Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from tian missionary who, on arrival at his new parish in the same part of the world, was delighted to find many peo- ple stopping him and, unprompted, asking whether he could get them a copy of the Holy Bible. And yes, it was with regret that a more experienced colleague took him aside to explain that the bibles sent out by missionary societies in the UK were highly rated by some of the local men for the ultra fine paper of their pages.

Cartoon strip run by Philip Morris Polska in a popular Polish TV guide. who might get as far as reading the that TV guides have everywhere. No, Hong Kong: down website or those genuine health sites this is a company of strategy, not to which it is hyperlinked, it begins to change. at the fair look more like a straightforward busi- On October 27-29 last year, Hong ness decision. In the United States, Kong was host to the World Tobacco President Clinton said: “This formal UK: no cigarette International Tobacco Symposium acknowledgement comes far too late, and Trade Fair. Oddly enough, few but still we must all welcome it”. under the stiV Hong Kong newspapers paid much While he went on to repeat his view attention to “the event for everyone in that tobacco companies should upper lip tobacco”, except for two pro-Beijing answer for their actions in court, and StaV of the British Foreign and organs We n We i Po and Ta Gung Pao stop marketing to children, it was at Commonwealth, traditionally reputed which, presumably with encourage- least a partial softening in his tone. to be inscrutable and wily operators ment from the industry, gave full cov- The Financial Times (UK), however, when posted to embassies overseas, erage over three days. saw Philip Morris’s move simply as may have been more secretive than The symposium president Jiang part of a strategy to head oV “juror their American colleagues about Chengkang, deputy director of the rage” and to reposition itself in order supporting their country’s tobacco China State Tobacco Monopoly, deliv- to fend oV attempts to bring in more interests, but apparently in many cases ered a mainly bland assessment of the regulation. But what really matters is they were no less active. So a logical status of 400 year old China tobacco. whether the company changes its development in Britain’s espousal of a He saw, at the least, stability despite the behaviour abroad, especially in devel- broadly health driven policy on “impact of anti-smoking propaganda” http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ oping countries, where access to the tobacco was to stop them backing the and the possibility of growth as young web is small and restricted. After lim- tobacco industry in any way. people in coastal areas and medium to ited coverage of the admissions, there Anyone knowing how these diplo- large cities increase their consumption have been no reports of changed mar- matic “mandarins” work will under- of blended type cigarettes. In his view, keting practices, nor of local press ini- stand the potential diYculties of the achievements in the last 20 years tiatives to draw foreign smokers’ changing their rule book, so the news included “rejuvenating (the) tobacco attention to the admissions. Far from last year that they had been instructed industry with science and educa- that, some of Philip Morris’s overseas to stop their support of tobacco was as tion...acomplete scientific develop- operations seem to be doing their best surprising as it was welcome. ment and popularisation system, to distance themselves from them. In Following similar measures pioneered quality supervision...and the to- the Czech newspaper Lidove Noviny, by the US government, British bacco educational system including

Dagmar Staroveska, of Tabak, a.s., embassy staV are no longer allowed to colleges, technical secondary schools on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. 77.6% of which is owned by Philip promote, endorse or advise tobacco and training centres...”. Morris, was quoted as saying: “It is companies in overseas operations, and However, Ooi Wei Ming, managing the position of the American are forbidden to attend parties or director of BAT China, was more company, not of our company.” And if promotional events hosted by the com- focused on the challenges of “low Philip Morris’s record on promotion panies. For the tobacco companies that market growth and...continuing long is anything to go by, it would be once appeared to be so thoroughly term decline exacerbated by an increas- almost as dangerous as smoking to sheltered by the commercial and politi- ingly dark business, legal and regulatory hold ones’ breath waiting for any cal establishment, another small but landscape”. He identified the Tobacco change in practice to follow the significant tile has fallen oV the roof. Free Initiative as the biggest challenge admissions on disease. The section on “because it brings the spectre of global marketing of the unctuously self tobacco control frighteningly close... righteous Philip Morris website Holy smoke! The WHO, in its Framework declares: “The company will not use Some years ago, a British physician vis- Convention...seeks to deny access to cartoon characters in its advertise- iting a hospital in southern Africa a legal product enjoyed by hundreds of ments or promotions.” However, just found a heavy smoking patient making millions of adult smokers...theimpli- a few months before the disease hand rolled cigarettes from the pages of cation is that we...don’t take our admissions, Philip Morris Polska, the old copies of medical journals thrown social and economic responsibilities company’s Polish subsidiary, was run- out by the hospital library. The seriously, that we aren’t capable of self ning a cartoon strip ad in a popular lightweight paper of The New England regulation and need to be nannied by TV guide with a circulation of around Journal of Medicine was his preferred governments...Weknow this is not two million readers, and no doubt the choice, apparently, though The Lancet thecase...itistime to push back... same high proportion of child readers came a close second. Now we hear a to make our case in a compelling way”. News analysis 15

“BAT...is taking the lead in of the world...to retaining, and present a real and immediate Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.9.1.9d on 1 March 2000. Downloaded from dealing with these very public issues... where necessary, rebuilding and challenge to tobacco control advo- and we believe in doing this in a respon- resuming what we believe is our right- cates in the Asia Pacific region. These sible way...Ourvision is an environ- ful place in society...” redefinitions of the industry’s persona ment where we work in partnership Woodward stated that “the general in Asia were followed by a candid with all our (sic) stakeholders— public in Asia is not ‘out to get’ account by Brenda Chow (BAT) of including those we perceive as our tobacco companies”. His carefully how the Tobacco Institute cosied up adversaries—to promote mutual under- crafted anthology contains many to the Hong Kong government’s standing benefit and interest. As an powerful word bites that will Finance Bureau and secured a freeze example of this, we have been actively predictably impress Asian business on tobacco duty increases in 1998-99 seeking to cooperate with global organi- people (in chambers of commerce), and aims to do the same for sations like the WHO on issues such as legislators, and civil servants. They 1999-2000. But that is another story. youth smoking prevention...wehave sponsored such programmes in partnership with China’s State To- bacco Society and Soong Ching Ling Foundation. Is this not socially responsible behaviour?” Other good works rattled oV by Mr Ooi included an aVorestation programme in Cam- bodia and sponsorship of academic scholarships for outstanding tertiary students in Malaysia. “Is this not con- tributing to economic well being and “giving back” (sic) to the communities in which we live and work?” The formation of partnerships in the community was picked up by Ellis Woodward, vice president for corpo- rate aVairs of Philip Morris Asia Ltd. He thought that “Any number of pub- lic issues have the potential to derail industry’s ability to eVectively manage the public environment. But... thesinglegreatestthreatis...youth smoking . . . Concern about youth http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ smoking is not just a fad or a passing phenomenon . . . And we in the indus- try share that concern”. Mr Woodward felt there was some good news, however, “that our industry has been— and can be—on the right side. We agree with our critics and with the general public that kids should not smoke,” adding that they have made good progress on youth smoking in Asia. These youth smoking activities included: a radio campaign in Hong on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Kong; anti-youth (sic) access pro- grammes in Korea, Singapore, Malay- sia, and Pakistan; a marketing code in the Philippines; an “unprecedented partnership between the industry and Tapei City government in Taiwan led by the very popular Mayor of Taipei”; in Indonesia and India “the industry is pulling together to get those (mini- mum age) laws on the books”; and in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand “a variety of youth smoking prevention programmes”. “Youth smoking prevention...isa Vietnamese tobacco companies are not cooling their heels in pursuit of the local teenage market. The Saigon shining example of why we must reach Cigarette Factory’s Boy, the Vinasa Tobacco JV Company’s Rave (manufactured under the authority of out when we do share the same goals Net Corp, USA), and the HTF company’s Titanic all sink to new lows. The Titanic pack shows Leonardo as our critics and society at DiCaprio and Kate Winslet looking wistfully into the fog as the Titanic goes bottom up. With Vietnam being the world’s capital for unauthorised copying of designer goods, software and CDs, the stars’ images are large...We believe that by taking almost certainly being used without their permission. In May 1999, pop icon Robbie Williams was angered these actions we can avoid the same to find that his photo was being used unauthorised by BAT to promote Benson & Hedges in a music mistakes we made in the United supplement in Sri Lanka. An unrepentant BAT trotted out the usual nonsense about sponsorship having nothing to do with selling cigarettes. We can almost hear the Vietnamese company explaining that the States...Ourcompany is committed Titanic imagery is in fact an eVort to warn smokers of their impending doom. Tobacco Control challenges in Asia, in the US, and in every corner DiCaprio and Winslet to follow Williams’ lead in condemning their exploitation. Simon Chapman, Editor.