WLF Unveils License-Free Video to Discourage Marketing Tobacco to Children

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Contact: Jorge Alday, Public Relations Manager

(New York) - The World Lung Foundation released a new customizable video that will be used by non-profit organizations and government health ministries around the world to combat tobacco companies' tactics of marketing their products to children.

The video, which can be translated into dozens of languages, is available license-free to promote awareness of the impact tobacco youth marketing has on public health. Images were sourced from the World Lung Foundation Image Library, an online resource with artwork donated by amateur and professional photographers from around the world. The video may be viewed on the World Lung Foundation's website, beginning May 27, 2008 through July 1, 2008.

"To tobacco companies, children are seen as fresh, eager, and potentially life-long customers," said Peter Baldini, Executive Director of the World Lung Foundation. "It is critical that organizations and governments work together to restrict the industry's ability to promote sponsorships, advertising images, jingles, and other tactics that captivate young minds, and get them to start smoking."

The video reinforces this year's World No Tobacco Daytheme, which is "Tobacco-Free Youth." It will appear on the websites of a wide range of organizations, including:

Ministries of Health
NGOs
Tobacco control organizations
World Lung Foundation grantees
World Lung Foundations partners, including the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease; Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization

See the customizable video.

For more information about World No Tobacco Day, please visit http://www.worldlungfoundation.org or http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2008/en/index.html.

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About World Lung Foundation
World Lung Foundation is dedicated to improving global lung health by improving local capacity to conduct research, develop public policy and deliver public health education. The organization's areas of emphasis are tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, asthma, acute respiratory infections, child lung health and tobacco control. For more information, please visit http://www.worldlungfoundation.org.