Tobacco Companies Target Our Youth for Future Customers

Youth are healthier when their communities provide healthy environments. But when local stores expose our youth to tobacco and alcohol advertisements, they are more likely to try out these products. Unfortunately, advertising, especially point-of-sale advertising and signage, may promote lifelong unhealthy habits such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

Youth are highly susceptible to advertising and are three times more likely to be influenced by tobacco advertisements than adults. Research has shown that the more advertising youth see, the more likely they will try out these products. As a community we have the responsibility to prevent health problems by creating the environment in which all youth will make healthy choices.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics the tobacco industry spends about $30 million a day ($11.2 billion a year) on advertisements alone. Philip Morris, an American global cigarette and tobacco company, knew in 1981 that “Today’s teenager is tomorrow’s potential regular customer, and the overwhelming majority of smokers first begin to smoke while still in their teens”.

The United States have implemented regulations restricting media advertising. These policies limit available advertising methods for the tobacco industry. Therefore, the tobacco companies have focused on point-of-purchase promotion, which includes storefront advertising, in-store advertising and displays for promoting their products. In fact, point-of-sale advertising is the most important tool for tobacco industries to promote their products.

Tobacco companies pay financial incentives to store owners to encourage retailers to promote their products by posting point-of-sale advertising and signage, providing point-of-sale product displays, and providing pricing and promotional incentives to customers. To reduce some of the effects of excessive storefront advertising on our youth, the State of California passed the Lee Law (California Business and Professions Code § 25612.5) in 1994. The Lee Law limits the amount of advertising alcohol retailers may have on their storefront windows. Signs of any sorts cannot cover more than 33% of square footage of windows and clear doors.

Currently, the City of Fort Bragg is defining an amendment to their current SIGNS policy (http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/FortBragg/) to strengthen the Lee Law and reduce storefront advertising to 20% of storefront window and clear glass doors. This change is a step towards protecting our youth from the harmful influence of aggressive storefront advertising by tobacco and alcohol companies.

Mendocino County Tobacco Control Program will work with retailers to provide technical assistance in regards to the amended policy. The goal is: a healthy community and thriving stores.

For further information please contact Mendocino County Tobacco Control Program at 707-472-2611. For information how to get involved with tobacco issues, please contact Doris Sloan, Chair Tobacco Prevention Coalition at 707-467-5644. Cessation resources are available by calling the California Smoker’s Helpline at 1-800-NO BUTTS or at www.nobutts.org. Classes are also offered through local hospitals.

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Article submitted by the Mendocino Tobacco Prevention Coalition.