Mynderse Academy Librarian Karen McNamara gave school board members an idea of how often tobacco and alcohol advertisements appear in magazines stocked in the school library.
McNamara spoke at Monday’s meeting and said she wanted to provide a “local picture” of what exists. Last month, Reality Check, a youth-led organization that targets the marketing practices of the tobacco industry, suggested the board adopt a resolution that the school only carry magazines that are selectively bound and without tobacco ads. The group said last month their survey of school magazines showed one in three contained tobacco ads.
gee
how about they do a survey to see how many ads use sex to sell something? or promote unrealisitic body images? or are selling foods with high fat content? or selling products that are overpriced and unnecessary? and how close are they to credit card ads?
ciggie ads
The other option is that they buy the Australian edition of the magazines. Not that every magazine has an Australian edition, but those that do have most of the same articles and no tabacco ads.
It’s probably not a realistic option I know, but it does show that publishing can survive without tabacco money and that governments can stand up to the tabacco lobby.
And as for the idea that they survey their collection on issues of body image, sure there are problems with fast food ads, unrealistic images of women etc, but these kill a lot less people than smoking does.
John