Youth Health Priority: WHO's “Stop the Lies” Campaign Takes Aim at Tobacco Industry Tactics

The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023 highlights a concerning trend of tobacco companies working against health policies in dozens of countries, employing tactics to undermine protective measures. In response, WHO’s “Stop the Lies” offers a powerful PR campaign that seeks to expose these efforts and safeguard future generations’ health, explains Karla Jo Helms, Anti-PR® Chief Strategist of JOTO PR Disruptors™. 

(Tampa Bay, FL) March 25, 2024 — The World Health Organization (WHO)’s “Stop the Lies” campaign demonstrates a comprehensive and proactive approach to combating tobacco industry interference and protecting public health, particularly among young people. By leveraging evidence, amplifying youth voices, and advocating for policy protection, the campaign embodies WHO’s commitment to advancing global health goals. “The WHO campaign was impressive, a real PR win over big tobacco,” explains Karla Jo Helms, Anti-PR Chief Strategist of JOTO PR Disruptors. “It’s a proactive strategy that changed minds.” 

Evidence from the latest The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023, published by STOP and the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, supported WHO’s campaign. The report indicated a worsening trend in interference by tobacco companies against health policies. (1)  

What “Stop the Lies” Gets Right 

The “Stop the Lies” campaign initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) is commendable for several reasons: 

• Youth-Centric Approach: The campaign addresses a vulnerable demographic by protecting young people from the tobacco industry’s deceptive practices. This prioritization of youth health reflects a forward-thinking approach to public health advocacy. 
• Evidence-Based Advocacy: The campaign is supported by “The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023,” providing concrete evidence of increased tobacco industry interference in health policy. This reliance on data strengthens the campaign’s credibility and effectiveness. 
• Amplification of Youth Voices: By amplifying the voices of young people, the campaign empowers them to advocate for their health and well-being. This inclusive approach raises awareness and fosters a sense of agency among youth to combat tobacco industry manipulation. 
• Exposure of Industry Tactics: The campaign aims to expose the deceptive tactics employed by the tobacco industry, such as spreading misinformation through front groups, social media influencers, and biased research. By shedding light on these tactics, the campaign equips the public with knowledge to discern truth from falsehood. 
• Call for Policy Protection: The campaign calls for defending health policies from tobacco industry interference, urging governments to prioritize public health over corporate interests. This advocacy for evidence-based tobacco control measures reflects a commitment to safeguarding the population’s health. 
• Global Collaboration: The campaign operates globally, with WHO supporting countries in defending tobacco control measures against industry interference. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of international cooperation in addressing public health challenges. 
• Focus on Harm Reduction: By highlighting the harmful effects of tobacco products, including emerging ‘safer’ alternatives, the campaign emphasizes the importance of harm reduction strategies. This holistic approach to tobacco control includes traditional cigarettes and newer products that pose health risks. 
• Awareness of Industry Influence: The campaign raises awareness of the tobacco industry’s extensive lobbying efforts and financial incentives to influence policymaking. This awareness helps policymakers and the public recognize and resist industry influence on public health decisions. 

Disturbing trends revealed 

According to tobacco companies, heated tobacco products (HTPs) are less dangerous because the tobacco is heated rather than burned like conventional cigarettes. The claim is the harmful substances formed at combustion’s higher temperature are significantly reduced. This tobacco industry reduced-risk claim has yet to be fully supported by independent scientific evidence. (2) 

The good news is that the use of tobacco products and e-cigarettes has declined among young people—10% of middle and high school students reported current tobacco product use in 2023, and current e-cigarette use among high school students was reduced from 14.1% to 10% from 2022 to 2023. (3) However, too many people worldwide (about 22% in 2020) continue to smoke or use tobacco products, particularly in poorer low- and middle-income countries, where around 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users live. According to reports, half of tobacco users who don’t quit will die, with tobacco killing more than 8 million people each year, including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke. (4) 

A New Era in the Fight Against Tobacco 

WHO’s proactive approach heralds a new era of strategic communication in public health advocacy. By leveraging the power of storytelling, grassroots mobilization, and digital outreach, the campaign aims to catalyze societal change from the grassroots up. Furthermore, WHO’s transparent and evidence-based messaging is a blueprint for healthcare, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing stakeholders to emulate. (5) 

“The ‘Stop the Lies’ campaign is extremely effective in how it empowers individuals, challenges misinformation, and reclaims control over health policy,” Helms explains.  

Helms also notes that public opinion campaigns of this nature can be employed by private businesses and enterprises making significant changes through their innovative products and services that improve the status quo. She says she is seeing an increase in entrepreneurs and executives willing to challenge the status quo in their narratives and are increasingly viewing public education as part of their duty. 

As the world grapples with the dual challenges of misinformation and corporate influence, WHO’s “Stop the Lies” campaign is a testament to collective action’s power. “By fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making, effective PR can help expose and ensure that health policies, and corporate agendas, serve the public interest,” Helms concludes. 

About JOTO PR Disruptors™ 
JOTO PR Disruptors is a public opinion agency that thrives on tackling the biggest challenges and turning them into the greatest opportunities. Specializing in Anti-PR®, they take a disruptive approach to public relations, leveraging controversy, debate, and innovation to spark conversation and effect meaningful change. For more information on how they're leading the charge, visit their website at www.jotopr.com.   

References:  

1. “The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023”; Accessed 14 March 2024; globaltobaccoindex.org/report-summary. 
2. “Heated Tobacco Products”; Tobacco Tactics; Accessed 14 March 2024; tobaccotactics.org/article/heated-tobacco-products/. 
3. Birdsey J, Cornelius M, Jamal A, et al; “Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023”; Weekly Report; Accessed 14 March 2024; dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244a1. 
4. Brandt, Allan M.; “Inventing conflicts of interest: a history of tobacco industry tactics”; Am J Public Health; January 2012; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3490543/. 
5. “New WHO campaign highlights tobacco industry tactics to influence public health policies”; 16 November 2023; who.int/news/item/16-11-2023-new-who-campaign-highlights-tobacco-industry-tactics-to-influence-public-health-policies. 

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