Young women in the North East are being encouraged to smoke by tobacco industry bosses with the launch of a super slim “perfume pack” that exploits obsessions with, supermodels and staying slim

In the same week as a scholarship for Afghan women to attend Durham University was unearthed, the same tobacco company’s latest attempt to hook more young female smokers has been exposed.

Fresh, MPs and a leading doctor who treats women with smoking-related problems during pregnancy say they are appalled at reports in the retail press that British American Tobacco are gearing up for their new Vogue Perle packs to “take off in the North.”

The packs proudly boast of being designed in Paris, and are described as “taller and thinner than a king sized cigarette’’ with a “compact box that fits easily into a pocket or handbag”.

The North East has the highest rate of female smokers in England with:
• 250,000 female adult smokers (23% of adult women).
• 22% of mums-to-be still smoking when they have their baby compared to the national average of 14%
• 14% of girls reporting they smoke regularly compared to 6% of teenage boys

Cryptically, it has been reported there is a “multi-million pound support package” for the launch of the product at the “ASU30s market” – industry jargon for adult smokers under 30.

Dr Shonag Mackenzie, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Wansbeck Hospital, treats women every week whose smoking has harmed or damaged their baby’s growth, and said: “I am appalled. It is simply outrageous that they are allowed to get away with this. I think people will be shocked.

“They are focusing on the North because more women smoke here than in other parts of the country and it’s a prime market for them to reap. Young women are obsessed with fashion and staying slim that this is exactly the message this pack is trying to give.

“The frightening thing is that it is young teenage girls who don’t yet smoke but are probably experimenting who are most likely to be influenced by this advertising. They will see all the lovely colours and assume that something that looks so nice can’t possibly be as unhealthy as doctors say.

“This might mean more profits for the tobacco industry and for the shops selling these, but it also means more babies born with health problems, more costs to the NHS and more families losing daughters, mothers and grandmothers at an early age.

“Unfortunately the NHS has a tiny budget to tackle smoking compared to the almost limitless budgets of tobacco companies encouraging people to smoke.”

Catherine McKinnell, Member of Parliament for Newcastle North, said: “This cynical approach by the tobacco industry to use marketing to target young women is disgraceful.

“Creating a link between smoking, fashion and staying slim is a clear attempt to lure them into smoking. Women who take up smoking when they are young face a lifetime of addiction and health problems. The marketing budget of tobacco companies targeting our young people clearly dwarves the budget that the NHS has to discourage smoking or to help people who want to quit.”

Jenny Chapman, Member of Parliament for Darlington, said: "I think most people will be very concerned that the tobacco industry is allowed to get away with such a scheming, calculating approach to targeting women in the North of England. Anyone who has lost a mum or daughter to smoking will be particularly appalled.

"It's especially manipulative when you consider the same company is trying to position itself as a supporter of international women's issues to woo policymakers. This is one leopard that has no intention of changing its spots.

"This shows exactly why we need to follow the Australian Government's commitment to bring in plain packaging of all cigarette packs. Unless we act we will continue to see the ultimate consequences of this promotion and marketing on our hospital wards."

Ailsa Rutter, Director of Fresh, said: “The tobacco industry clearly sees the North as a huge pound sign. We have already seen glamorous cigarette promotional staff stalking our bars, but this is the first time we have seen this brand being promoted here.

“This highlights the urgency now to follow what is happening in Australia and seriously look at plain packaging on tobacco to plug a serious loophole in the tobacco advertising ban.

“If glamorous designs on packs did not help it recruit new customers, the tobacco industry would not spend millions of pounds on developing them. The packs themselves are as powerful as any TV or cinema advert.”

British American Tobacco (BAT) was recently criticised for offering a £125,000 grant to Durham University to enable Afghan women to study in the UK. Reports in the retail press claim BAT is hoping Vogue Perle will take off in the North where the most mid-price cigarettes are bought.

In March the Government committed itself to removing displays of glossy cigarette packs from large stores from 2012 and from smaller retailers by 2015. Packs were put out of sight in Ireland in 2009 to clamp down on one source of promotion, resulting in fewer children thinking that smoking is normal .
 

Plain packaging could be the next important step in the UK and the Government has announced plans to launch a consultation on whether manufacturers should be forced to put cigarettes into plain packets.

There is mounting evidence that smokers think cigarettes with lighter colours, or described as “light” “smooth” or “mild” are safer, even though a study of one million smokers found those who smoke these brands get lung cancer at the same rate and are less likely to quit.

Gateshead shopkeeper John McClurey, who has spent 28 years selling cigarettes from his North East store, said: “In my experience smokers see lighter colours as somehow being less toxic. I have certainly been aware of customers considering this type of cigarette as a way of cutting down.

“Health should always come before profits and that is why I am increasingly uncomfortable with children coming in every day and seeing these brightly coloured packets on the shelves.”

Tobacco companies have long understood the importance of young women in the overall market for cigarettes and as a source of new customers. They have conducted extensive market research on the attitudes of women to better understand how to target their products and their advertising.

According to internal tobacco documents, companies have donated to women’s organizations, participated in women's forums, and engaged with women they identified as 'active mums' in order to soften women's attitudes against the industry and, in some cases, ask them to support tobacco industry's issues.

Tracey Irving, a former smoker and mum of two from Bellingham in Northumberland said: “The tobacco companies are spending a fortune trying to con young women into buying cigarettes by making them appear stylish and sophisticated.

“When you’re trying to quit it’s really hard when you walk into a shop and cigarettes are there being promoted in your face. Kids really do see those big bright colourful displays as cool.

“The best thing women can do for their appearance is to quit smoking altogether. That’s what I did and I hope other women across the North East won’t fall for these tricks by companies which just want to get even richer.”

Martin Dockrell, of Action on Smoking and Health, added: “This feels more like a scene from the TV show “Mad Men” than something happening in 2011, but shows exactly how cynical the tobacco industry is.

“You can imagine the pitch – there’s a whole lot of money to be made from the female market, and if we have to give a few bucks to a worthy cause who will complain’?”