How Tobacco coys target kids in African schools

An Africa regional survey conducted by the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has reveals how multinational tobacco manufacturing companies are systematically targeting children as young as six years old to pick up cigarettes smoking habit. Ths years report’s investigation covers Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Uganda. The survey exposes the aggressive marketing […]

An Africa regional survey conducted by the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has reveals how multinational tobacco manufacturing companies are systematically targeting children as young as six years old to pick up cigarettes smoking habit.

Ths years report’s investigation covers Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Uganda.

The survey exposes the aggressive marketing tactics of tobacco companies, who display cigarettes next to sweet stand snack at kiosks directly outside the gates of primary and secondary schools.

At the launch of the survey findings at a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Mr. Deowan Mohee, the ATCA Executive Secretary, exposed the tobacco companies’ tactics by providing evidence based on research and monitoring in the five countries in Africa it covered.

“The evidence is clear. British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, and other tobacco companies deliberately and systematically target African children near their schools in order to encourage cigarette smoking among them” he said.

The survey was conducted in 2016 in a radius of 100 meters around 79 schools in 5 African countries.

“The survey findings lay bare the egregious tactics used by tobacco companies to market their deadly products to young school children, making them accessible and affordable,” Mr. Leonce Sessou, ATCA Communications Manager, added.

Apart from advertisements, tobacco companies also promote the sale of single sticks and child-friendly flavoured cigarettes to lure the children to the cheap and sweet-tasting products.

According to the ATCA survey, these marketing activities of the tobacco companies are being carried out in violation of existing national laws in countries like Nigeria and Uganda.

In both countries, despite the prohibition on tobacco advertising and promotion, BAT continues with the practice around schools.

Speaking on the report, the Deputy Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria(ERA/FoEN), Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “The ATCA report has again exposed the length the tobacco companies will go to addict our kids. Governments across Africa must put in place and implement effective measures to stop this unwholesome practice which is targeted at the lungs of our kids”

Oluwafemi added that recommendationsin the ATCA report, particularly the ban on single sticks and small packs sale, and total prohibition of tobacco advertising promotion and sponsorship (TAPS)near schools should be taken with more seriousness and enforced by African governments.