Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets: discrediting tobacco industry tactics targeting kids through ads by school communities in 5 cities in Indonesia
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1
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Advocacy, Indonesia
2
Lentera Anak Foundation (LAF), Advocacy, Indonesia
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A202
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ABSTRACT
Background and challenges to implementation:
Lack of strong laws has led tobacco companies such as
PMI, BAT, and Djarum to systematically target children in Indonesia to start
smoking through aggressive marketing strategies, including placing cigarette
ads around schools. Influenced by ads, 30% of children picked up a smoke before age of 10. The LAF research in 2015 showed 85% of schools were
surrounded by cigarette ads. Only six
cities have issued bans on outdoor tobacco ads.
Intervention or response:
LAF, supported by CTFK, trained 2,700 school children, teachers,
and local leaders to do monitoring around 90 schools in 5 cities, and mobilise
a grassroots campaign to discredit tobacco companies marketing to kids. About
60 cigarette brands put advertising next to schools during the groups' research
between September 2016 and February 2017. The children removed tobacco
ads near schools with help of local authorities, leaders, and kiosk owners; galvanized
online campaign #RefuseToBeATarget; spoke to media; met with health and
education officials.
Results and lessons learnt:
In February 2017,
300 school representatives held a rally to call on President Jokowi to protect
kids from Big Tobacco tactics. The students laid 120 mainly PMI and BAT tobacco
advertisements removed around schools and displayed them as a “quilt” in front of Palace. The report, “The Invasion of Cigarette Ads around Schools" is being used by students from more cities to appeal to President
Jokowi and presented to Education Ministry. This Indonesian initiative
has spearheaded a global CTFK campaign discrediting Big Tobacco tactics
targeting kids in 10 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. A Global
Report will be launched in early 2018.
Conclusions and key recommendations:
The campaign got
significant media coverage and attention of policy makers. LAF and young
advocates are using this momentum to keep discrediting tobacco industry tactics. They will lobby government officials to scale up campaign in Child Friendly Cities program in 10 cities in 2018.