A “Redheads” matches competition targeting primary school children was exposed today by a health group as tobacco industry propaganda in the playground.

Owned by Swedish Match Australia Pty Ltd, the well known “Redheads” brand of matches featuring a redheaded woman first appeared in 1946, but like vegemite and other Aussie icons was taken over in 1998 by a tobacco company.

The tobacco company this week launched a nation wide art competition for schools and others with cash prizes on their website that also features a full range of tobacco products at www.redheads.com.au

Claims that the competition will teach kids about fire safety were rejected by health groups as “hard to believe” since the website is loaded with tobacco products and matches are mainly used to light cigarettes.

As entrants have been asked to design an image of the redheaded woman in an “international costume”, ASH has entered the open category with a realistic drawing of a red headed woman with hair loss from lung cancer and an oxygen mask to help her breathe.

“Our entry by an award winning artist Jenny Coopes is socially responsible as kids need to know that smoking is the biggest serial killer in Australia with 19,014 Australians dying each year ”, said Professor Simon Chapman, ASH chairman.

“As Swedish Match has a series of redheads we challenge the company to produce an anti smoking redhead as a warning to children about the dangers of smoking”, said ASH CEO Anne Jones.

For further comment contact:
Anne Jones, Chief Executive on mobile 0417 227879 or (02) 93341876
Email: annej@ashaust.org.au

Page last updated on 2/11/2001