On the occasion of International Youth Day on August 12, global organizations representing the youth have condemned the tobacco industry’s creation of a new generation of addiction and calling for governments to make the tobacco companies pay for past, present and future harms.
The youth spoke on behalf of themselves as well as the future generation to seek justice and compensation and to ensure that the tobacco industry does not get a seat at the table. The statement outlined the tobacco industry’s hand in the vaping epidemic, digital marketing, sports sponsorship , child labor, environmental harms, including accumulated toxic single use plastics in the oceans, which are covered up by fake philanthropies and dubious grants.
Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) joined the call of the global youth. “When government allow the tobacco industry to influence tobacco control or vaping policy, they are serving the heads of our children to the tobacco industry in a platter. We should not allow this,” says Philip Jakpor, CAPPA Director of Programmes.
According to the statement, vaping policies should consider primarily the risks of youth addiction / recreational use. The youth also wants governments to exact tobacco industry accountability and liability, which can come in the form of revocation of licenses, compensation for harms, financial guarantees for future harms, and can involve court cases, tobacco surcharges, penalties, fees or taxes, among others.
Tobacco causes 8 million deaths a year in addition to causing addiction and environmental harm associated with deforestation in tobacco growing communities and discarded cigarette butts. Single use plastics in cigarette packs and butts alone cause at least 20B USD annually in marine resource losses Overall, the losses outweigh any economic gains of the industry, costing USD 1.4 trillion in economic losses annually.
CAPPA is a Pan – African organisation that is passionately devoted to working with African communities and to build partnerships with them towards taking collective social action towards the promotion and defence of the rights of peoples. It challenges the abuse of our natural resources, our environment and our people through corporate and state policies and practices.
