Philip Morris "Partnering" with State Public Schools?

Tobacco giant Philip Morris recently began a disturbing effort to fund school-based tobacco prevention programs through public school systems.  The first such endeavor was announced without warning in West Virginia, where the state Department of Education accepted a $4.5 million three-year grant from Philip Morris and Brown & Williamson.  Kentucky’s Jefferson County also agreed to accept a grant for a similar program. 

Most recently, the Denver Public Schools (DPS) were approached by Philip Morris to fund the Life Skills Training program.  Fortunately for Denver’s students, the school system has chosen to work with the Denver Tobacco Control Coalition (correct name?) and has rejected the money.  DPS recognized the tobacco industry’s shallow attempts to buy a good reputation and vowed to fund tobacco prevention programs independent of the tobacco industry.

This same thing may be happening in your state or local public school systems.  We urge you to contact your local school officials and/or state Board of Education to see if Philip Morris or other tobacco companies have approached them for a similar initiative and whether they have considered the conflict such a relationship represents.

The tobacco industry’s latest effort is another in a long line of public relations initiatives designed to give it legitimacy by making it appear reformed and responsible.  The truth is the industry is using these “partnerships” to avoid fundamental change in its marketing and manufacturing practices that would truly reduce youth tobacco use and save lives.

Ultimately, these tobacco industry efforts will do more harm than good for both the educational system and tobacco prevention efforts.  The tobacco industry’s affiliation with these programs will undermine their effectiveness.  How can the kids take seriously a program that is designed to reduce tobacco use among children when the program is paid for by the very same industry that is spending billions of dollars creating images that make tobacco products attractive to them?  What is the message that schools send to our children when they agree to take money from the very same people causing the problem?

The unfortunate reality is that Philip Morris has not changed.  Even while the company indicates it does not want kids to smoke, it has not curtailed the marketing that has made its brands the favorite among children.  The company also continues to oppose efforts to protect youth from tobacco.  Approximately 85 percent of youth who smoke prefer the three most heavily advertised brands, including nearly 60 percent (both boys and girls) who

smoke the Philip Morris flagship brand  Marlboro.  Between 1988 and 1997 alone, this campaign was responsible for convincing 1.4 million children to begin smoking.  About 200,000 of these new smokers are expected to die prematurely from tobacco-related disease.

Philip Morris knows that 90 percent of all smokers begin at or before the age of 18.  Court documents released during litigation with the tobacco industry show it recognizes the importance of the youth market and has actively sought to capture it as the next generation of “replacement” smokers.  So it is impossible for the tobacco industry to fund a real program aimed at reducing youth tobacco use and ultimately destroying that essential market. 

By funding these “partnerships,” Philip Morris should not gain the credibility it seeks.  Recently released internal tobacco industry documents show that the motivation behind these programs has not been to reduce tobacco use among kids, but rather to gain this positive publicity, deflect political pressure, avoid government regulation and create the appearance of action.  Unless it takes serious steps such as restricting marketing and advertising, Philip Morris must be seen as responsible for the problem, not as part of the solution.

Finally, while the tobacco industry claims there are “no strings attached” to these grants, the truth is quite the opposite.  In West Virginia, for example, Philip Morris will have input into the entity chosen to conduct the evaluation of the program it is funding.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to call us at 202-296-5469.

K/Acc Proj Final/Education/Memo-Ed Reporters PM Campaign 7-30-99