WHY SO BEAUTIFUL?
A friend of mine, quite sharp and quick in realising things quickly when others take a longer time, did not agree with me that the tobacco industry targets children in Sri Lanka.
“Of course, they do in other countries. There is evidence. But not here, in Sri Lanka, right?”
Wrong. I wanted to say. But she would not accept my word. She wanted evidence. She had read (mostly prompted by me) about the Flintstones. She knew about Joe Camel and Sylvester Stallone. She also knew about the leaked internal documents of the big Tobacco Companies. She gave one the impression she wanted to appear savvy about the whole subject.
The bitter truth of it is that she is now wrong! The meltdown began some time ago and she hadn’t checked, nor had she bargained that it would ever happen.
Flintstones, the cartoon series sponsored by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, became a hit in 1960s in theUSA. The main target was children and youth, and the main purpose was to get them to smoke Winston cigarettes. Lots of them.
Joe Camel was a cartoon character, again introduced by R. J. Reynolds, in 1988 in USA, which appeared inmagazines, billboards, other advertisements and merchandise such as hats and t-shirts. Again same target, same purpose and Camel cigarettes cantering fast.
The success was such that a study showed by age six most kids recognised “Joe Camel” as somethingconnected to cigarettes. So amazingly strong was this finding, it equalled kids’ recognition of Disney Channel logo’s association with Mickey Mouse.
In six years, income from teenage smokers rose from USD 6 million to a staggering USD 476 million!
Sylvester Stallone, Hollywood superstar, accepted USD 500,000 from the Brown & Williamson TobaccoCompany to “use Brown and Williamson products in no less than five feature films” in 1983.
Just look at this: other documented examples of financial payments include
- USD 350,000 to have Lark cigarettes appear in the 1989 James Bond movie ‘License to Kill’;
- USD 42,000 to place Marlboro cigarettes in Superman II;
- USD 30,000 to place Eve cigarettes in Supergirl;
- USD 5,000 to have Lucky Strike appear in Beverly Hills
“I know that”, my friend said. “But those things happened decades ago. In America. come on. This is SriLanka. And this is a new millennium. Do we have evidence that they target children in this country? Thatthey target our children? My child? Yours?”
I dared not speak. Because I knew that she was sharp enough to figure it out herself.
The truth. The reality. And it happened in the most unlikely way. Perhaps that was the most likely way!
One fine evening she rang me and her voice was almost apologetic and also irritated. Her voice wasbordering on anger. Yes, it is a bit confusing how a voice can be angry AND apologetic at the same time. But that is what I sensed. To make you even more confused, she was afraid, too!
“You know what?” And, I did not. “I was at the Supermarket today. My husband had to wait few extra minutes at the cashier as he was paying some bill. I walked few paces towards the door, stopped and waited for himand son. And you know what I noted? My son was looking at this cigarette display at the cashier.”
Of course, I could imagine this in my mind. A five-year-old looking up at the contraption with beautiful attractive colourful cigarette packs above the head of the sales girl. May be he is looking at the new display Ispotted recently in some supermarkets, which was right at the eye level of kids, where a single cigarette packet was designed and displayed with a fabulous eye-catching splash of colour and style.
“His mouth half-open, eyes glued to the display. Suppose you could imagine that.” Of course I could. In great detail. I could even spot the twinkle in his eye.
“He had to be tapped to leave.” And she interrupted my imagination. “He was so engrossed. On our way to the car, you know what he asked me?”
“If he could buy one of those?” I guessed.
“No!” My guess was wrong. “Of course I had told him that those were cigarettes which are ‘naughty-things’some stupid people use.” My friend became excited in her voice as she reached the climax of the plot. “He said ‘but they are beautiful!’ Can you believe that?”
“I have to.” I said and I meant it.
My friend continued: “I know I am admitting defeat and you have won.”
But that is not what is important here. I wanted to know the rest. What he asked her. That is how the story began.
“What did he ask?” I almost snapped.
“Why do they make them so beautiful?”
“What?” This time I snapped. Probably barked.
“THAT is what he asked me! He asked: ‘Amma, why do they make them so beautiful if they are naughty?’ That is what he asked me.”
….. One second silence lasted between us. While I realised Sri Lanka had gained another crusader for the fight for 80% pictorial warnings on cigarette packets.
However, that is not the end of the story.
“You know what disturbed me most?”. My friend couldn’t stop. She was not finished yet. “I felt that he did not believe me. At least for a moment.”
“What?” I snapped again. Suddenly the anger, irritation and the fear in her voice started to make sense, “what do you mean?” I pursued her.
She replied: “I felt that, although only for a moment, that he did not believe what I said. That cigarettes arenaughty. I don’t know if I should take it seriously, but I feel, kind of, scared.”
Now her voice was the voice of a scared mother. Really scared. And a chill was going down my spine, too.
Dr. Mahesh Rajasuriya
Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo
Consultant Psychiatrist, National Hospital of Sri Lanka
