News
releases
Canadian Cancer Society – Coalition
québécoise pour le contrôle du tabac –
Non-Smokers’ Rights Association – Ontario Campaign
for Action on Tobacco – Physicians for a Smoke-Free
Canada
November 11, 2002
Put the Heat on Big
Tobacco:
KOOL Cigarettes Prompt Call for Tougher Tobacco Control
(Ottawa) –
Health agencies today called on Canada’s Minister of
Health to respond to the recent launch of KOOL
cigarettes by strengthening Canada’s advertising
restrictions on tobacco. In a
letter to Minister Anne McLellan,
the Canadian health groups are calling for strengthening
of Canada’s controls on tobacco marketing.
The letter
comes on the heels of the launch by British American
Tobacco (BAT) of a Canadian version of KOOL cigarettes.
KOOL is the first international brand to be launched in
Canada by BAT since it assumed full ownership of
Imperial Tobacco in early 2000. The new KOOL and KOOL
FROST were launched a few weeks ago through internet
marketing and bar promotions.
“KOOL
cigarettes highlight five major flaws in Canada’s
tobacco control regime,” said Dr. Atul Kapur, president
of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. “Each of these
flaws in itself is reason for the Minister of Health to
intervene quickly: together they provide a compelling
rationale to strengthen federal measures to control
tobacco.”
Dr. Kapur
outlined the five weaknesses highlighted by the launch
of this new brand. “Firstly, the launch of KOOL
cigarettes shows that tobacco companies can reach young
Canadians through the internet. Secondly, it shows that
BAT is interested in launching brands which are
advertised in Canada through magazines imported from the
United States. Thirdly, they show the important role
that retail stores play in the promotion of cigarettes.
Fourthly, they show that Canada’s failure to require
health warnings on tobacco promotion encourages the
companies to expand their advertising. Fifthly, they
show that the proposed ban on ‘light’ and ‘mild’ needs
to be much broader to cover all misleading words and
images, of which “KOOL Frost,” and “cooling menthol” are
current examples.”
 KOOL
cigarettes were launched by Imperial Tobacco with a
website
(www.theicebox.ca)
promoting nightclub events and a contest (for smokers
only) to attend the events. “This internet launch shows
that tobacco companies can slip through loopholes in the
Tobacco Act to continue to market to adolescents,”
explained Mr. Louis Gauvin of Quebec’s tobacco control
coalition.
KOOL
cigarettes are a flagship brand for BAT’s U.S.
subsidiary, Brown and Williamson. “KOOL is one of the
more heavily advertised youth brands in the United
States,” explained Mr. Michael Perley of the Ontario
Campaign for Action on Tobacco. “It is heavily promoted
in popular youth magazines – like Rolling Stone, Maxim
and Sports Illustrated.”
Ken Kyle of
the Canadian Cancer Society explained that BAT has been
able to create an image for this brand through the
staging of nightclub events, and by circulating images
of the event. Pictures mounted on the web-site show that
the KOOL logo, colours and imagery is displayed without
any indication that these cigarettes are both lethal and
addictive. “Canada is almost unique in not requiring
that health warnings accompany tobacco advertisements,”
he said.
A similar
regulatory void exists with respect to retail
promotions. Although two provinces (Saskatchewan and
Manitoba) have banned the display of cigarettes in
retail stores where children are allowed, the federal
government has not moved forward with the development of
regulations governing retail displays.
"As we wait
impatiently for the government to deliver on promises to
ban misleading descriptors such as 'light' and 'mild',
Imperial Tobacco has introduced yet another descriptor,
'Frost'," said Francis Thompson of the Non-Smokers'
Rights Association. "Last year we had Player's Silver.
Perhaps next we'll have Matinée Pure-as-the-driven snow.
Without regulation, the tobacco industry can use any
terms they like, even if they create the false
impression that one brand gives less tar than another."
 The
groups are asking the Minister of Health to tighten
federal control of tobacco promotions by:
-
Ending
internet promotions of tobacco brands
-
Requiring health warnings on all tobacco promotions
-
Restricting the retail display of cigarette packages
and promotions.
-
Developing effective methods to ban cross-border
advertisements
-
Banning
all terms which convey the wrongful impression that
some cigarette brands provide smokers with less tar
or nicotine.
Francis
Thompson concluded: “We see that Big Tobacco is
continuing to market aggressively to Canadian youth. We
call on the Minister of Health to fulfill her
responsibilities to protect children from tobacco
marketing.”
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Contact
Names:
Canadian
Cancer Society
Mr. Ken Kyle 613 565-2522 x 301
Coalition
québecoise pour le contrôle du tabac
Mr. Louis Gauvin 514 598 5533
Non-Smokers’
Rights Association
Francis Thompson 613 230-4211
Ontario
Campaign for Action on Tobacco
Michael Perley, 416 340 2992
Physicians
for a Smoke-Free Canada
Cynthia Callard 613 233 4878
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