Industry sponsored youth smoking prevention programme in Malaysia: a case study in duplicity

Abstract

Objective: To review tobacco company strategies of using youth smoking prevention programmes to counteract the Malaysian government's tobacco control legislation and efforts in conducting research on youth to market to them. Methods: Systematic keyword and opportunistic website searches of formerly private internal industry documents. Search terms included Malay, cmtm, jaycees, YAS, and direct marketing; 195 relevant documents were identified for this paper. Results: Industry internal documents reveal that youth anti-smoking programmes were launched to offset the government's tobacco control legislation. The programme was seen as a strategy to lobby key politicians and bureaucrats for support in preventing the passage of legislation. However, the industry continued to conduct research on youth, targeted them in marketing, and considered the teenage market vital for its survival. Promotional activities targeting youth were also carried out such as sports, notably football and motor racing, and entertainment events and cash prizes. Small, affordable packs of cigarettes were crucial to reach new smokers. Conclusion: The tobacco industry in Malaysia engaged in duplicitous conduct in regard to youth. By buying into the youth smoking issue it sought to move higher on the moral playing field and strengthen its relationship with government, while at the same time continuing to market to youth. There is no evidence that industry youth smoking prevention programmes were effective in reducing smoking; however, they were effective in diluting the government's tobacco control legislation.

Gender Differences in Responses towards Anti-Smoking Messages and Policy Implementation among Future Doctors in Malaysia

“…Our most alarming finding was the continuing negative influence of the tobacco companies, despite strict bans on direct and indirect tobacco advertisement in Malaysia (Assunta and Chapman, 2004a). The number of students who still own items with tobacco company logos and who continue to be offered free cigarettes illustrates this influence.…”

Avoiding “Truth”: Tobacco Industry Promotion of Life Skills Training

“…The tobacco industry has used its ineffective Youth Smoking Prevention (YSP) programs worldwide to avoid legislation harmful to the industry's profits [1][2][3]. The industry has also used its YSP programs to argue that governments need not establish tobacco control programs [4], to strengthen its relationship with governments [3], and to blame others for youth smoking [5].…”

Impact of Parental Tobacco Use on Child Malnutrition and Survival

“…The industry claimed this research would be used to persuade current smokers to switch brands, not to market to young nonsmokers. Certain actions, such as selling starter packs and single cigarettes and sponsoring sporting and musical events that appeal primarily to the youth culture, suggest ulterior motivations [57,61].…”

“…Yet, no research suggests that any industry-funded programs have been effective in preventing young people from smoking [57]. In Malaysia, the industry ran a youth smoking prevention program while simultaneously conducting market research on teenagers as young as 16.…”

“…Brand diversification consists of creating nontobacco products that use the tobacco brand name and logo, then marketing these new products to stimulate brand recognition. Transnational tobacco companies also admit to creating surrogate companies, which utilize the same brand logo, to sponsor events such as sporting events and pop concerts [57].…”