TOBACCO AND THE MEDIA: THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIESA new monograph comprehensively documents the key role that media has played in shaping patterns of tobacco consumption, especially of youth, and a new toolkit offers practical guidance for harnessing the power of the media in tobacco control campaigns. Evidence on impact of media on tobacco use“In the twentieth century, mass media helped create new generations of tobacco users even as evidence mounted about tobacco’s terrible toll on health” writes the United States’ National Cancer Institute with the launch of its new monograph, The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use. Synthesizing current evidence on the media’s impact on tobacco use, the monograph provides a comprehensive review of scientific literature from disciplines including marketing, epidemiology, psychology, communications, and public health to analyze media strategies to promote or reduce tobacco use. The monograph was launched in August and highlighted at the 2008 World Cancer Congress, held in Geneva by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC). Youth: vulnerable and targetedThe review concludes that much tobacco advertising specifically targets youth, and that exposure to tobacco marketing is causally related to youth smoking, influencing youth smoking behaviour even with brief exposure. As more restrictions are placed on advertising through traditional media, the industry has shifted to other approaches that reach youth just as effectively. These include internet, video games, product placement in films, price reductions, corporate sponsorship of concerts and cultural events popular with youth, and point-of-sale promotion. Partial ad bans ineffectiveExamining evidence on partial advertising bans and the impact of alternative marketing strategies (smoking in movies, for example, which can influence youth smoking uptake), the monograph concludes that alternative marketing undermines the effectiveness of partial ad bans and that only comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising and promotion can reduce tobacco use. Harnessing media to reduce tobacco useThe good news, according to the monograph, is that mass media campaigns can also help curb tobacco use. Some approaches work better than others, however: campaigns eliciting strong negative emotions tend to work better than humorous ones. Anti-tobacco youth campaigns sponsored by the tobacco industry have proven ineffective, in some cases even increasing adolescent smoking. Workshop offers evidence-based toolsThese findings are consistent with earlier studies on media campaigns, and with the tools and guidelines developed by Global Dialogue for Effective Stop-Smoking Campaigns. These were presented in a two-day workshop just before the World Cancer Congress, organized with UICC as a part of its 2008 World Cancer Campaign, “I love my smoke-free childhood” which focuses on the dangers of secondhand smoke. Offering its 60 participants (who came from 34 mainly low- or middle-income countries) a comprehensive view of successful tobacco control campaigns, the workshop aimed to intensify the global effort to create a smoke-free environment for all, especially children. It presented international lessons learned from public education/mass media campaigns, as well as tips for using GLOBALink and other free tools to develop online campaigns. The workshop gave campaign managers from Latin America, Asia and the Middle East a chance to share their experiences, and allowed all participants to learn from interactive exercises on strategic planning and working with the news media. World Heart Federation Advocacy Coordinator Lauriane Zonco described it as “a hands on, practical one-stop shop for anyone wanting to launch a tobacco control campaign”. Resource for developing tobacco control campaignsGlobal Dialogue for Effective Stop-Smoking Campaigns is an international collaboration among public, private and non-profit partner organizations committed to improving campaign effectiveness. It provides training, individual consultation and resources to help campaign managers plan, implement and evaluate tobacco control public education/mass media campaigns. The Global Dialogue website offers updates, news and events, lessons learned, and campaign documents and materials submitted from around the world. For more information:
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