Tobacco Institute Youth Smoking Prevention Program Discussion Paper

This Tobacco Institute strategy document about youth smoking prevention programs explains the real reason why the tobacco industry has, and widely promotes, such "youth programs." Such programs, the document states, "...support The Institute's objective of discouraging unfair and counterproductive federal, state and local restrictions on cigarette advertising..." They also have the purpose of "Reinforcing the belief that peer pressure - not advertising - is the cause of youth smoking." Most importantly, enacting and promoting youth programs assist them in "seizing the political center and forcing the anti-smokers to an extreme ... " The "fairly simple" strategy of the Tobacco Institute, in its own words, is to "bait anti-tobacco forces to criticize industry efforts. Focus media attention on anti's extremism. Anticipate and blunt antis' strongest points," and "work with the through credible child welfare professionals and educators to tackle the 'problem,' " Note how the word "problem" is contained in quotation marks, as though it is not being taken seriously. Interestingly, nowhere in this document does it state that the purpose of their youth programs is to reduce youth smoking.

Title	 Discussion Paper Date	 19910129 (January 29, 1991) Type	 Report Bates	 TIMN0164422/4424 Collection	 Tobacco Institute Pages	 3 URL:http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/lyu82f00

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