New Analysis Exposes How Big Tobacco is Exploiting COVID-19 Pandemic to Advertise Harmful and Addictive Products
PR84045
WASHINGTON, May 15, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
Tobacco and e-cigarette companies are exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to
advertise their harmful and addictive products on social media, undermine
minimum age purchase restrictions meant to protect youth and make unproven and
illegal health claims, according to new analysis published by the Campaign for
Tobacco-Free Kids. (
) The analysis includes tactics from big tobacco companies, e-cigarette makers
and vape shops in 28 countries.
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On social media, Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco – the
world's two largest tobacco companies – are appropriating popular "Stay at
Home" hashtags promoted by governments and health authorities to instead market
heated cigarette products like Glo and IQOS and e-cigarettes like Vype. In
Spain, British American Tobacco has posted photos advertising Vype e-cigarettes
accompanied by the hashtag #FrenaLaCurva (#FlattenTheCurve) and in Italy,
Philip Morris has used #DistantiMaVicini (#DistantButClose) to advertise IQOS.
The companies have also promoted at-home music series and launched exclusive
music videos to promote tobacco products online.
In the U.S., e-cigarette makers and vape shops have also turned to social media
to promote their products and boost sales during the COVID-19 crisis. (
) Pandemic-related promotions range from free masks with e-cigarette purchases
to offering COVID-19 discounts (get 19% off nicotine e-liquids by entering the
code COVID-19). E-cigarette makers have also used the pandemic to make unproven
and illegal health claims about e-cigarettes. Bidi Vapor claimed on Instagram
that "A bidi stick a day keeps the pulmonologist away."
In Kazakhstan, British American Tobacco provided Glo-branded facemasks (
) to more than a dozen Instagram influencers who posted photos wearing the
masks – all with the same caption advertising free Glo masks (#glomask) with
the purchase of a Glo device. These and other posts advertising tobacco
products were documented in dozens of countries, despite a December 2019
announcement (
) by Instagram and Facebook that the platforms would no longer allow
influencers to promote tobacco products online.
In addition to social media promotion, Philip Morris has waived ID validation
on delivery of IQOS in at least one country and references the COVID-19 crisis
in at least 18 countries to promote special offers and home delivery of the
product.
"Tobacco companies will stop at nothing to sell more products, even if it means
shamelessly capitalizing on a pandemic," said Matthew L. Myers, president of
the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "It's not just Big Tobacco – vape shops and
e-cigarette makers have stooped to new lows to target young people, mislead
consumers and sell more e-cigarettes. As we continue to learn more about the
harmful links between COVID-19 and tobacco use, these tactics should raise the
alarm in every country around the world."
Public health experts have warned that smokers and e-cigarette users face a
greater risk for severe illness when confronted with COVID-19. There is
conclusive evidence that smoking increases the risk for respiratory infections,
weakens the immune system and is a major cause of chronic health conditions
that increase risk for COVID-19, including lung disease, heart disease and
diabetes. There is also growing evidence that e-cigarette use harms lung
health.
For more information on COVID-19 and tobacco use, please visit:
https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/problem/covid-19
Source: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
CONTACT: Caroline Renzulli, crenzulli@tobaccofreekids.org, +1 202 415 5973
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