Tobacco Companies Outspend States on Marketing

Federal and state governments spend millions of dollars every year on anti-smoking programs, but in Wyoming, the tobacco companies are outspending the state government.

According to a report released today by The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, tobacco companies spent over $27 million on marketing on retail stores, while the state spent $5.9 million on anti-tobacco campaigns. Many of these cigarette marketing campaigns were shown to be effective at encouraging children to smoke, according to the report.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids claims that the tobacco companies have almost doubled the amount spent on marketing annually since the 1998 state tobacco settlement. According to the press release, tobacco companies spent $13.4 billion dollars nationally in 2005-- $36.6 million a day-compared with $6.9 billion dollars in 1998.

The Federal Trade Commission reports that over 90 percent of tobacco marketing is placed in convenience and retail stores. Common marketing techniques included colorful advertising, product discounts so products are affordable to teens, and free gifts with purchase. According to the press release, a May 2007 study by the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that the more tobacco marketing teens are exposed to, the more likely they are to form the habit.

The Food and Drug Administration has pushed for Congressional legislation to limit tobacco advertising in places and magazines popular with teens to black and white text only and ban free cigarette samples and non-tobacco related give-aways packaged with cigarettes. The FDA is also calling on a ban on tobacco brand sports sponsorship and entertainment as well as a ban candy-flavored tobacco products, claiming that these products are an enticement for new young smokers.

Other requirements of the legislation before Congress include labeling the ingredients in tobacco products, removing harmful ingredients from the products and including larger health warning labels. Says Matthew Myers, the President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, "The vast sums spent to market tobacco products show why it is so urgent that Congress pass legislation granting the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products.The FDA must have authority to crack down on tobacco marketing that impacts children and misleads the public. We urge all of Wyoming's U.S. representatives and senators to support this long-overdue step to protect our children and reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco use."

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids website, more than 1,200 people die every day from tobacco related illness. In Wyoming, 700 residents die of tobacco related conditions each year, and the state spends $136 million in tobacco related health care bills.

Other states didn't escape the report unscathed. In 2005, tobacco companies spent $160 million dollars in Arkansas, while the state spent just $15.1 million in 2007. Missouri and Mississippi did not allocate any state fund for anti-smoking campaigns.

Source:Press Release: New Report: Tobacco Companies Spend Massive $27.4 Million a Year on Marketing in Wyoming
Campaign for Tobacco: Free Kids: State by State Analysis: Tobacco Industry Spends $13.4 Billion on Marketing & Still Targets Kids