The initiative aims to prevent minors from accessing tobacco and nicotine products in Bulgaria

Philip Morris Bulgaria announced the launch of its new campaign “NO COMPROMISES”, which vehemently urges for compliance with the legal prohibition in the country on preventing adolescents from accessing tobacco and nicotine products. In addition to engaging various socioeconomic groups and emphasizing our shared responsibility for this urgent issue, the initiative aims to reaffirm the company’s commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.

According to data from the 2023 Global Survey of the WHO, CDC, MoH and NCPHA*, about 27% of teenagers aged between 13 and 15 in Bulgaria use some kind of tobacco products regularly. 60% of them were not prevented from buying cigarettes in stores. The use of electronic cigarettes has increased significantly and has reached 23% in the 13-15-year-old age group. The youngest age at which children may have unrestricted access to cigarettes or e-cigarettes is also indicated by data from the HBSC* study.

The HBSC* study, “Health Behaviour in School-Age Children“, focused on three age groups – 11, 13 and 15 year olds, which looks at adolescent health and well-being in Europe, Central Asia and North America, and is conducted in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe*, found that 12% of 11-year-olds, 23% of 13-year-olds and 34% of 15-year-olds had used e-cigarettes at least once in the past 30 days. This emphasizes the need for focused, sustainable, and consistent action as well as collective will, bolstered by educational initiatives meant to effectively prevent kids and teenagers from obtaining these products.

Philip Morris Bulgaria chose to highlight the significance of age verification this year as part of the “NO COMPROMISES” campaign, which began with widespread communications to retail outlets. If there is any doubt as to whether a consumer is under the age of eighteen, retailers are required by law to request proof of age in the form of a personal identity document.

Asking to be presented with a personal identity document for the only purpose of age verification does not amount to collection of personal data and is not a violation of the Personal Data Protection Act. For this reason, the key message that unites Philip Morris Bulgaria and the company’s retail partners is “Nothing personal. Show us an ID card!”, as an invitation to young people to prove their age, as well as “Nothing personal! Ask for an ID card!”, demonstrating support to retailers who are hesitant to ask for verification. In more than 11,000 retail outlets nationwide, Philip Morris Bulgaria distributes stickers bearing campaign messaging, educational resources, booklets, and digital images.

More “NO COMPROMISES” activities that target parents and educators in addition to retail establishments will be added in the upcoming months. Since adolescence is the time of greatest physical and mental development, these groups are essential to understanding the issue and making sure that kids and young people are aware of it.

*
WHO – World Health Organization
CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
HBSC – The Health Behavior in School-Aged Children – International Study on “Health Behavior of School-Aged Students”
Ministry of Health
– National Center for Public Health and Analyses