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Call to ban all
tobacco adverts
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has
called on governments to ban all tobacco advertising to help prevent
young people taking up the habit.
It accused manufacturers of using increasingly sophisticated
marketing techniques to ensare young people, particularly girls in
poorer countries.
The UN agency says the more they are exposed to tobacco advertising,
the more likely people will start smoking.
The appeal was issued to mark the WHO’s World No Tobacco Day.
The organisation said only five per cent of the world’s population
was covered by comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion
and sponsorship.
It says current restrictions are not enough to protect the world’s
1.8bn young people, who are targeted through the intenet, magazines,
films, concerts and sporting events.
‘Dangerous messages’
In Russia, which has few anti-smoking laws, the number of female and
adolescent smokers has tripled in the last decade.
However, in Canada, where smoking and cigarette advertising has been
severely restricted, numbers of smokers are at their lowest in 40
years.
The UK has recently announced plans to outlaw cigarette vending
machines and packets of 10 to prevent children and young people
smoking.
The WHO also accused manufacturers of continuing to attract young
people by “falsely” associating cigarettes with “glamour, energy and
sex appeal”.
Most smokers take up the habit before the age of 18, with almost a
quarter of those before the age of 10, according to the organisation.
In a WHO worldwide survey of 13 to 15 year olds, 55 per cent
reported seeing billboard advertisements for tobacco, while 20 per
cent owned an item with a cigarette brand logo.
Douglas Bettcher, director of the WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative,
said a full ban was necessary to ensure young people were shielded
from dangerous messages.
“Half measures are not enough,” he said.
“When one form of advertising is banned, the tobacco industry simply
shifts its vast resources to another channel. We urge governments to
impose a complete ban to break the tobacco marketing net.”
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