ASH Australia media release                                       August 4, 2007

Tobacco pushers target teens at youth events

Call to end mobile selling and tobacco sponsorship deals

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(This is a joint media release by ASH Australia and the Heart Foundation)

Health groups have accused the tobacco industry of flying under the radar to push their addictive products to young people – and have called on governments to ban mobile tobacco selling and promotional deals with event organisers.

Health leaders say the industry has turned increasingly to “below the line” marketing at events popular with young people - including music events such as the Big Day Out - since more conventional forms of tobacco advertising have been banned.

Heart Foundation National Tobacco Spokesperson Maurice Swanson said: 
“In the last few years, tobacco companies have turned their attention to targeting teenagers at youth events, as governments have been slow to ban mobile sellers and sponsorship deals between the tobacco industry and event organisers .*

“The Big Day Out is just one of several popular youth events attended every year by hundreds of thousands of teenagers – some as young as 13. 

“The reportedly large sums paid by these tobacco pushers buys them prime near-stage locations where they can set up tobacco tents with smokers’ chairs and attractive young models to promote their special brand.”

Anne Jones, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Australia said: 
“The tobacco industry knows that to compensate for the more than 15,000 Australians dying from their products each year, new smokers must be recruited – and they’re well aware that 90 per cent of new smokers are under 18.

“This makes teenagers and young adults the prime target of these companies, and they’ve shown they’ll stop at nothing to recruit from this market.”

ASH and the Heart Foundation have called on all Australian governments to end the delays over banning remaining forms of tobacco advertising, including:

·         mobile and temporary selling of tobacco products at both indoor and outdoor events; and

·         all forms of tobacco sponsorship, licensing, marketing and promotional deals between tobacco agents and event organisers.

 
* See recent article on WA mobile tobacco selling in  Tobacco Control journal

Comment:

Maurice Swanson, National Heart Foundation of Australia    Ph. 0414-922-902
Anne Jones, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Australia   Ph. 0417-227-879 

Media inquiries:    Stafford Sanders    ph. (02) 9334-1823;   (m) 0412-070-194

Page last updated 4/8/07