Tobacco Companies Targeting Kids & Adolescents

Tobacco Companies Targeting Kids and Adolescents

By, Julia Brownfield MPHE

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States (April 2016). It’s no secret that tobacco use is a major contributor to deaths from chronic illnesses. It’s also no secret that the number of smokers in the U.S. has been declining. Which is a good thing because smoking-induced lung cancer causes 90% of deaths (CDC, April 2016). Meanwhile, snuff and smokeless tobacco, i.e., e-cigarette (e-cigs) use are steadily increasing (CDC, December 2016). A contributing factor to this surge may be linked to a common practice, marketing.

The alarming reality is that the rise of smokeless tobacco will only increase the number of fatalities from illnesses incurred from use. The problem is that our kids are falling for the marketing hype and ignoring the facts. Smokeless tobacco causes mouth, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers (CDC, December 2016). The perception from such marketing strategies leaves our youth to assume that smokeless tobacco is harmless because it doesn’t cause lung cancer (CDC, August 2016).

Major tobacco companies spend about $9.1 billion per year to promote their products, and many of their marketing efforts are directed at kids (Bach, 2016). These companies use advanced marketing techniques and knowingly place ads in magazines popular with youth. In 2014, 68.9% of middle school and high school students admitted to being exposed to smokeless tobacco marketing (Bach, 2016). Plus, companies that sell e-cigs and e-cig products exclusively are not required to report their marketing expenditures (Tobacco Free Kids, 2006).

Also, athletes are more likely to utilize smokeless tobacco than their non-athletic friends. This medium may be in direct correlation to the liberal use of smokeless tobacco by those considered to be role models to youth, professional athletes (Otto, 2015). One Baseball Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn died of salivary gland cancer, a disease attributed to his longtime use of chewing tobacco. Before his passing, he spoke out against smokeless tobacco products (Otto, 2015). Was his message heard? Only time will tell.

References

Bach, L. (November 28, 2016) Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Fact Sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0008.pdf

Otto, M. (September, 2015) Smokeless tobacco use among teens on the rise, even among athletes. Association of Health Care Journalists. Retrieved from: http://healthjournalism.org/blog/2015/09/smokeless-tobacco-use-among-teens-on-the-rise-even-among-athletes/

Smokeless Tobacco Health Affects. (December, 2016). Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/smokeless/health_effects/

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (April, 2016). Youth and Tobacco Use. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (August, 2016). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm

Photo credit:Watchdog.org

Posted by, Julia Brownfield, ESAP Coalition Alcohol Committee Chair

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