Earlier today, the United Nations (UN) called upon governments around the world to ban all tobacco-related advertising, including promotions and sponsorship of events, as a means of deterring young people everywhere from taking up the habit.

The UN chose today, one day before World No Tobacco Day, to highlight the alarming smoking statistics issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).  WHO data indicates most smokers begin using tobacco before turning 18 but many of them are regular smokers by the age of 10.

Douglas Bettcher, director of the UN’s Tobacco Free Initiative, describes the tobacco industry’s marketing strategies as predatory and designed to get young people addicted to the drug.  He says consumption has dropped by as much as 16% in some countries where the no-advertising initiative is already in place.

Tobacco advertising campaigns have gotten more aggressive in developing countries, where a government-mandated ban against such advertising is least likely to happen.  Girls and young women are also the target of an increasing amount of tobacco ads around the world.

Bettcher calls for a total ban to eliminate the tobacco industry’s practice of merely shifting advertising from one resource to another.  For example, when tobacco ads were banned on American television, marketing campaigns in magazines, movies, sports venues, and the internet became more aggressive.

According to a WHO survey, more than half of all teens around the world say they’ve seen a billboard advertisement for tobacco products within the past month.

Source: UN