This Sunday, put away your cigarettes and lighters and turn on your “reflecting caps.” May 31 marks World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), one of the eight major global health days observed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other public health advocates worldwide. On this day, we reflect on the various health risks associated with using tobacco, as well as the many ways in which the tobacco industry has achieved hooking millions of people to its products with overwhelming disdain for the value of human life and dignity.
As we approach this day and on this day, let’s also reflect on how far we have gotten as a global community in saving many people’s lives that otherwise would have fallen at the hands of tobacco companies. Let’s congratulate all those who, through perseverance and hard work, have fought the behemoth that is the tobacco industry to get us where we are today. Let’s also learn from them about how we can continue to tackle current and new challenges, such as illicit trade (this year’s WNTD focus), intelligently addressing e-cigarettes, and shifting our efforts to other parts of the world where regulation is weaker without lowering our guard where progress has been made.
Finally, let’s remember that these efforts need to be concerted and involve many actors—government, doctors, public health professionals, lawyers, activists, media, funders, and the general public, among many others. It has been a steep uphill battle, but we have achieved much.
During the 24 hours of World No Tobacco Day, should you stumble, below are a few things to reflect on:
“Long after adolescent preoccupation with self-image has subsided, the cigarette will even preempt food in times of scarcity on the smoker’s priority list.”
— November 26, 1969 presentation to the PM Board of Directors, “Smoker Psychology Research.” Bates No. 1000273741.
“It is important to know as much as possible about teenage smoking patterns and attitudes. Today’s teenager is tomorrow’s potential regular customer and the overwhelming majority of smokers first begin to smoke while in their teens. . . . The smoking patterns of teen-agers are particularly important to Philip Morris. . . the share index is highest in the youngest group for all Marlboro and Virginia Slims packings. At least a part of the success of Marlboro Red during its most rapid growth period was because it became the brand of choice among teenagers who then stuck with it as they grew older. ”
— March 31, 1981 market research report on young smokers titled “Young Smokers Prevalence, Trends, Implications, and Related Demographic Trends,” written by Philip Morris researcher Myron E. Johnston and approved by Carolyn Levy and Harry Daniel. Bates No. 1000390803
“The ability to attract new smokers and develop them into a young adult franchise is key to brand development.”
“They represent tomorrow’s cigarette business. . . As this 14-24 age group matures, they will account for a key share of the total cigarette volume — for at least the next 25 years.”
— September 30, 1974 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. marketing plan presented to the company’s board of directors. Bates No. 501421310-1335
“The studies reported on youngsters’ motivation for starting, their brand preferences, etc., as well as the starting behavior of children as young as 5 years old. . . The studies examined examination [sic] of young smokers’ attitudes towards ‘addiction,’ and contain multiple references to how very young smokers at first believe they cannot become addicted, only to later discover, to their regret, that they are.”
The views reflected in this blog are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law or Georgetown University. This blog is solely informational in nature, and not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed and retained attorney in your state or country.