Tobacco Industry Interference Targeting Educational Institutions

Bangladesh

M. D. Amin

PROGGA

The Interference

Battle of Minds (BoM):

A BAT Bangladesh (BATB) Initiative

Targeting University Students

What is Battle of Minds (BoM) ?

• BoM is a so-called ‘talent hunt platform’ of BATB organized since 2004

• Only university student (Hons. Final students mostly) can participate in BoM.

• BAT defines it as a ‘global internship competition’.

• In 2016, BoM was organized in at least 40 countries.

What happens in BoM?

• The Competition is divided into three levels:

Local Level.

Regional Level : Asia Pacific,

Europe and Northern Africa,

Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa and

The United States.

Global Level: Hosted in BAT HQ in London.

The Impact: How BoM Benefits BAT

Display Large Banners

and Posters

at Universities.

Violate TAPS Ban in

Indirect Ways.

Arrange Open Grooming Sessions, Seminars, and Road

Shows at Campuses

Tobacco: the Ultimate Destination for the Successful?

Media Highlight and Networking

Whole Pages of Newspapers

Often Dedicated to BoM

Grand Finales are : Hosted in 5 Star Hotels.attended by influential

politicians, policymakers, govt. high officials, media personalities, and business leaders.

Keep that Logo Afloat.

Sponsorship is banned by Bangladesh law

“the times they are a changing”

On-spot protest to stop BoM 2017

roadshow in BUET

Human Chain Protesting

BoM in 2015

Engagement with the Authorities

Meeting with vice-chancellor

of Dhaka University to

stop BoM Road Show in 2019.

Engagement with Media

Success Stories

• Prevented Dhaka City Mayor from attending BATB’s Battle of Minds 2017

Grand Finale.

• Successfully pursued University Grant Commission into issuing letter to

university authorities to stop all BAT Promotions in BoM Events

• Compelled BAT into issuing statements and remove all its logos and

company name from everything.

• Stopped road shows and seminars in many occasions.

• Stopped promotion of BoM on job portals.

Success Stories

Way Ahead

BoM is a global menace

that highlights

the importance of

Collaboration that transcends

borders.

BAT’s Battle of

Minds

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Indonesia?

Vietnam?

Thailand?

India?

South Africa

Bangladesh

COMPETITIONS TARGETTING YOUTH

INDIA

Dr Aastha Bagga

Generation Saviour Association

Motto of Tobacco Industry

CATCH THEM YOUNG

The Conrad Challenge

• Named after the astronaut Pete Conrad.

• A competition for children aged 13-18 years

• Claims of giving the participating students “the chance to become entrepreneurs and apply

innovation, science and technology to solve problems with global impact.”

• In 2019-2020 two new categories introduced in partnership with Foundation for a Smoke-

Free World (FSFW), funded by the tobacco giant Philip Morris International .

• Eliminating and reducing teen vaping

• Smoke Free World: Repurposed farmlands and tobacco Crops

The Challenge and Foundation for a Smoke Free World

• The Philip Morris’s FSFW’s branding

and name was displayed prominently

throughout the contest and on the

website .

• FSFW representatives were jury

members.

• They interacted closely with the

contestants and offered them career

advice or help on internships.

The Inventions by the Winning teams

The Winners and Prizes• The Title of Pete Conrad Scholar and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to meet

with the partner grantees that are members of FSFW

• Lucrative awards like a scholarship to a US college, an opportunity to go to Italy, or India

to meet with a grantee of the FSFW.

• Waivers of $300 for registration and other incentives for participation.

Classmate Spell Bee by ITC• Classmate Spellbee claims itself to be the largest

spelling competition of India,

• It is a competition for school children aged 10-16

studying in various schools of India.

• The competition receives wide publicity especially on

radio channels and social media.

• The finale is telecasted on television and is hosted by

movie actress Soha Ali Khan, sister of Bollywood

actor Saif Ali Khan (A heavy smoker accused of

promoting tobacco in his film Go Goa Gone)

Classmate Spell Bee by ITC• The title sponsors of the spell bee competition, is Classmate - a student stationery brand by

Indian tobacco company ITC Limited.

• It is an initiative by Radio Mirchi, an India wide network of private radio stations, owned by

the Entertainment Network India Ltd, one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group.

The Winners and PrizesThe Classmate Spellbee Competition tempts

students to “cast their magical spell” and win

the following big prizes

*A trip to White House

*Feature on National TV

*A cash prize of 200,000.

The Impact

Image promotion of tobacco manufacturers among youth

Indirect promotion of tobacco and nicotine products – violation of

FCTC Article 13

Image promotion of tobacco manufacturers among the public

Thank You

Together we can give our Children a tobacco Free

World

Domestic Tobacco Industries Targeting Children

Afghanistan

Dr. Said Habib Arwal

Tobacco Industry in Afghanistan

Domestic :-

There are local home based Naswar (Snuff) Factories.

Other players in the tobacco industry include Amal Trading, Asia Middle

East Co., Nasib Aria Co. Ltd, Sarco Abad, Tamana Ltd.

There is no domestic cigarette production at present.

Tobacco Industry in Afghanistan

International:

• KT&G global expansion included Middle East markets.

• Alokozay Group is a Dubai-based distributor that provides KT&G

products throughout the Region.

• Pine is the cheapest brand of cigarettes; Marlboro, Dunhill and Camel

are also available in the market.

Employing Children

Involving in Tobacco Trade

Involving in Promotions

Onsite Promotion

Other Promotions

تنباکو زړونه ماتويروغتوالي خوښ کړی نه تنباکو

وملیون۲

نړیوال روغتیایی سازماندعامی روغتیا وزارت

مننه تشکر

Thanks?

BHUTANIllicit Tobacco Trade Targeting Youth

Mr. Chhimi Dhorji

Mr. Chhimi DorjiDeputy Chief Program Officer, Tobacco Control Office, Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority

Thank you!

Smokeless Tobacco Industry targeting Youth

PAKISTAN

Muhammad Faisal

FFO

(Presented by: Ms. Chinthika Perera, CCT)

Smokeless Tobacco (SLT)

“products containing tobacco, which are consumedwithout burning through the mouth or nose”

High Affordability

• Naswar, Nass, Nasway – sun-dried powdered tobacco mixed with lime, ash + flavouring (cardamom), indigo – most commonly used product

• Placed between lip/cheek and gum

• The sachet of Naswar is available at only Rs. 10/-

High Availability

• Smokeless tobacco/ Naswar is available at almost all General Stores, Tobacco shops and

even available at shoe makers/ cobbler Kiosk.

Promotion

• No standardised packaging or packaging with health warnings

• No regulations of contents

• Newer “stronger, cheaper” products introduced to the market

• On-site promotion – placed at eye-level of children or near candy/sweets

The Impact

5.3% (4.2 million) of the country’s youth are current SLT users and another 4.7% were past users (2016 Global Youth Tobacco Survey – GYTS 2016)

Oral cancer is the second most common cancer and Pakistan is one of the countries that report highest global prevalence rates

Shisha Industry targeting youthMaldives

Fathmath Afa Adnan

Cancer Society of Maldives

How shisha industry targets youth

• Attractive advertisements

• With other activities activities (eg: footballl, music shows)

• With tourism

• As a tourist activity

• The flavors are named as fruits and desserts

• It is advertised as a healthy product

• By making it look “cool”

With other activities

As a tourist activity

During COVID-19 lockdown

The Impact

• Shisha has become a culture here in Maldives

• Number of restaurants/cafes serving shisha has increased

• Shisha is being promoted as a tourist activity (in resorts and at local tourist facilities)

• Tobacco use has increased vastly over the last few years

• Use of tobacco among females have increased

• More younger age groups are getting into the habit

Thank you!

CSR activities targeting kids/youthNepal

Bhisha KafleSecretary -Health Journalist Forum

Acting Editor- Healthaawaj.com

Tobacco Uses of Youth in Nepal

• 2.8million - 17.1 % of adults are smokers

•28 % of Men | 7.5% of women

•3 million - 18.3% of adults are Smokeless tobacco users

•33.3% of men | 4.9% of women

• 20.9% of adults were exposed to tobacco advertising and promotion in any

form of media

•11.2% of adults noticed on-site promotion of cigarettes in sales outlets

Tobacco Industry Manipulating Youth In Nepal

• Surya Nepal, the Nepal tobacco company jointly owned by ITC Limited and

British American Tobacco PLC conducts different CSR programmes targeting

youth

SNPL Asha (Young Women)

• A programme targeting young women by Surya Nepal

• Directly engaged more then 3000 young women

SNPL Khelparyatan (Sports Tourism)

The SNPL Golf Tour 9th event

SNPL Prakriti (Nature)

• SNPL tree plantation Programme in Birjung that involved youth and school

children.

SNPL Suswasthya (Health)

•Provide primary health services to the low-income groups

•Awareness camps on health and hygiene, family planning,

HIV/AIDS, women and child health care

Other CSR Activities Targeting Children

• Two storied RCC primary school building near Pokhara

Thank you

Social Media Promotion Targeting Youth

Sri Lanka

Hiruni Wijesuriya

Centre for Combating Tobacco(CCT), Sri Lanka

Legal back ground on social media promotions

What is a Tobacco Advertisement?

According to the NATA Act,

a tobacco advertisement “means any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or distinctive colors or other visual image or any audible message or any combination of the aforesaid that promotes or is intended to promote:

smokingpurchase or use of a tobacco producta trade mark of a tobacco product or articles that include tobacco productsa brand name associated with a tobacco productthe name of the manufacturer of a tobacco product.

Face book groups

Instagram pages maintain by popular characters

Photo shoots

Music Videos

Cigarette promotions in teledrama

Films with cigarette promotions

Films with cigarette promotions

Promoting new cigarette products

Online delivery of tobacco products

Facebook events/parties

Recruit young people to attend the parties.

Impacts

Forming a positive image on cigarettes & smoking

Peer-pressureInfluencing initiation and sustenance of

smoking behaviors

Normalisation of smoking

Trying to symbolize smoking as a feature of adolescence

Glamourisation and making smoking more attractive !

Thank you !!!