WHO asks entertainers to quit tobacco ads<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called upon actors,
\nsingers and others working in the entertainment industry,
\nespecially those working in film and fashion, to stop promoting
\ntobacco.<\/p>\n
The theme for this year's global \"No Tobacco Day\", which
\nfalls on May 31, is Tobacco-Free Film, Tobacco-Free Fashion,
\nAction!, focusing on the entertainment industry, which is
\nbelieved to have fostered tobacco addiction among the public,
\nparticularly teenagers.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, one estimate (source?) indicated that 90 percent
\nof celebrities in Indonesia were smokers, and thus indirectly
\npromoted smoking to the public, especially their fans.<\/p>\n
Tobacco companies here have also been using artists and models
\nto promote their products.<\/p>\n
Rhythm-and-Blues alto Reza Artamevia Massaid does not smoke,
\nand the mother of two has a strict rule against smoking for those
\naround her.<\/p>\n
\"I never allow people to smoke inside my house or car. Also,
\nwashing their hands after smoking is a must,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Although Reza, whose songs are the theme songs of several
\npopular television series, is one of the few artists who do not
\nsmoke, she admitted that she has a good relationship with the
\ntobacco companies that sponsor her.<\/p>\n
\"I think the warning on the cigarette pack is fair and
\nacceptable enough,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Raam Punjabi, mogul of Indonesian television soap operas
\nlocally known as sinetron, welcomed the call from WHO, saying
\nthat he had implemented a no-smoking policy among his employees.<\/p>\n
\"Any of my employees who get caught smoking red-handed in our
\noffice must pay a fine of Rp 5,000,\" Punjabi told the Post.<\/p>\n
The money collected would be spent on a monthly gathering
\namong the employees, he said, \"and we will openly announce who
\ncontributes to the gathering, expecting that those referred to
\nwill feel ashamed and never smoke in the office again.\"<\/p>\n
Multivision Plus, the production house owned by Punjabi, now
\nemploys about 104 actors under exclusive contracts, with 18
\nsinetron programs aired nationwide.<\/p>\n
\"Ninety-nine percent of our sinetron programs do not encourage
\nsmoking,\" said Punjabi, adding, \"I said 99 percent because
\nsometimes during the shoot, which are mostly taken from daily
\nlife, we cannot avoid smokers.\"<\/p>\n
Asked to comment upon the marketing tactics of the tobacco
\nindustry in films, he answered that his company always rejects
\ntobacco sponsorship and promotion.<\/p>\n
\"In the end, our employees can understand that what I'm doing
\nis actually a good move, and they appreciate it,\" said Punjabi,
\nwho comes from a non-smoking family. \"Certainly, my employees
\nhave had to reduce their frequency of smoking,\" he added.<\/p>\n
A sinetron actor, Krisna Mukti, also happens to be a non-
\nsmoker. \"I do not like smoking, and besides, I'm allergic to
\nnicotine,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As for scenes in films in which he might have to smoke, Krisna
\nsaid that he would try to make a deal to avoid it. \"If there's no
\nother choice, then I would only put it (the cigarette) between my
\nfingers or my lips, but won't inhale the smoke,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Krisna admitted that about 90 percent of Indonesian
\ncelebrities were smokers, but felt it was their own choice in
\nlife.<\/p>\n
\"We are all grown-up people who already know what is good and
\nwhat is bad. I, personally, feel annoyed if people smoke near me,
\nbut it's their right so I can't do much,\" he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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