Tobacco Industries

The tobacco industries are constantly on the lookout for new, young smokers … why? Because the older ones are getting sick, quitting smoking, and dying. Who best with whom to replace them? Youth of course! One smoker is worth approximately $40,000 to a tobacco company. And further, smokers tend to be quite loyal to their brand of cigarette, making worth while for tobacco companies to aim for youth.¹Tobacco companies use many tactics to lure youth. They advertise at sports events that are common to youth; pay actors and actresses to display smoking as glamorous or rebellious in the movies; and, use other means to reach youth such as postings on youtube.

Tobacco companies also employ tricky tactics to get youth addicted to chewing tobacco.  They have various flavoured tobacco such as cherry, peach and licorice, and use candy-like packaging, as well as increasing the sugar content – all to lure youth! Check out http://www.lostjaw.ca/ for more information on tobacco industries and chewing tobacco. 

• www.thetruth.com –youth site to portray the dangers of tobacco and exposes the tobacco companies 
• L’industrie du tabac au Canada – contains tobacco industry information [French only]
• Exposé –  is a student led anti-tobacco industry campaign with the primary focus of exposing the tobacco industry tactics.
• The Power of One/The Power of Many – A tobacco action plan for youth
• The Industry – How tobacco Marketing makes us sick -  Tobacco Industry facts 
• Trinkets and Trash – A website that surveys and archives tobacco products and tobacco industry marketing materials.   

WebPage References

¹ The Canadian Lung Association http://www.lung.ca/ Date accessed: Oct 11, 2007