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Stop the promotion of tobacco products on Facebook

I am writing to you from the Advocacy Forum for Tobacco Control. The Advocacy Forum for Tobacco Control (AFTC) is a coalition of organizations and individuals working in the areas of advocacy, awareness, and research related to tobacco control in India. The AFTC members include public health experts, health professionals, research scientists, and officers from Indian NGOs.

It has come to our attention that a lot of tobacco products are being advertised and promoted on Facebook. I have viewed them myself. We consider this highly inappropriate since most of Facebook users are young, many of them under the age of 21, and not necessarily empowered with any knowledge on the ill-effects of tobacco. Multiple studies have proven beyond any doubt that tobacco advertising leads to an increase in use among those who view these advertisements day in and day out. I do not think Facebook needs any evidence on the ill-effects of tobacco. Addiction to tobacco comes easy and is more intense than even the hardest of drugs.

We urge you to remove all advertisements and promotional material of tobacco products from Facebook and help your clients to lead healthy lives so that they can be on the Facebook with healthier faces and bodies. We thank you for your cooperation. A response from you will be highly appreciated.