Phillip Morris �Health� Campaign Banned

13 April 2006

Phillip Morris Co. from Zagreb announced yesterday the start of the implementation of its campaign to restrict accessibility of cigarettes to minors, under the name �No to Youngher than 18!� The Croatian Ministry of Health today announced a ban of the campaign.

The campaign is implemented by Phillip Morris in a number of countries in which the company conducts business, with the aim to raise the awareness with retail sellers and consumers about problem of youth smoking and legal prohibition of sale of cigarettes to persons younger than 18. The campaign includes distribution of material with information on the existing legal provisions, prescribed penalties and moral obligation of all people to keep cigarettes outside of children�s reach, in places where tobacco products are sold.

According to �Jutarnji List� daily, Minister Neven Ljubicic announced that the campaign will be banned and initiated a procedure with State Inspectorate. Phillip Morris, claims Ljubicic, under the disguise of care for the health uses indirect advertising in its so-called healthcare campaign and violates the Croatian Law on Restricted Use of Tobacco Products.

�It is unacceptable�, says Ljubicic, �for people that are guilty for the deaths of almost five million people globally, 11,000 in Croatia, annually, to take care of our health. In addition, the World Health Organization prohibits any healthcare campaigns financed by the tobacco industry�.

Ljubicic added that Phillip Morris managed to �sell� its campaign in several other countries and has tried to do the same in Croatia for several months. However, since it met no positive response in the Ministry of Health, it made another attempt through the media.