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Action on Smoking and Health
A National Legal-Action Antismoking Organization Entirely Supported by Tax-Deductible Contributions
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Germany: Anti-Smoking Ads Glamorize Smoking [08/18-3]
Excerpts From: German government under attack for anti-smoking advertisements
By Annette Tuffs BMJ.COM [08/16/03]
German Cancer Aid, the leading German cancer charity, has asked the German health ministry to stop its anti-smoking advertising campaign ("smoke free") immediately.
The advertisements show attractive young people smoking, accompanied by big
slogans such as "Smoking soothes" and "Smokers have contacts"
and with statements in smaller type such as "Right, but with carcinogenic
substances such as arsenic, radon, or tar."
The criticism was supported by delegates at the recent world conference on
tobacco and health held in Helsinki. John Seffrin, president of the International
Union against Cancer, said it was despicable that a government should take money
from tobacco companies that dictate the conditions of an anti-smoking campaign.
Two years ago the German health ministry signed a contract with the Association
of Tobacco Industry guaranteeing financial support of €11.8m (£8.3m;
$13.4m) over five years. The money must be used solely for campaigns for the
prevention of smoking in children and young people. Under the contract the tobacco
industry has no influence on the content or style of the campaigns.
The German health ministry rejects the charity's criticism, pointing out the
clause in the contract that sets out the independence of the campaign.
The Federal Centre for Health Education in Cologne, which developed the campaign,
said that it was tested on a representative audience before it went public and
this showed that the advertisements were not misunderstood and were clearly
seen as anti-smoking.
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