Elementary schools named after tobacco industry in China

From Xinhua:

“Genius comes from hard work

Tobacco helps you to be successful”

After the Wenchuan earthquake last year, Sichuan disaster area has established a “Sichuan Tobacco Hope Elementary School”, not only the “China Tobacco” name and logo was clearly printed on the top of the school building, the stone monument in the center of the school writes “Determine to contribute to society, Tobacco helps you to be successful”. According to statistics, there are at least 17 Hope elementary schools that are named after Tobacco industry. (Wuhan evening news, 12/14/2009)

Chinese folklore says “Smoke makes writing and wine makes poetry”, but the tobacco company directly shuts out “Tobacco helps you to be successful” in a school. They want to tell the students, come, tobacco can help you to be successful and hope the students to remember, it is tobacco that helped you grow, so please repay us later. The tobacco company which is already the public enemy on TV and newspapers, all of sudden turns into Santa Claus giving presents away, opening a mouthful of yellow teeth, I am ugly, but I am your savior.

Now days, laws are being made in everywhere in order to control tobacco, but the tobacco sets a new trend to hide in the elementary school buildings, their eyes are on the distant future. When the nearing World Expo can refuse all tobacco sponsorships, how come our schools don’t have the power to say “No”?

From Netease:

Sichuan Tobacco Hope Elementary School

“Genius comes from hard work

Tobacco helps you to be successful”

If your resume writes that the school you have graduated from is Sichuan Tobacco Hope Elementary School, how would you feel? Well-known tobacco control expert Professor Wu Yiqun said that we must strictly prohibit tobacco companies to name Hope Elementary schools and poverty grants.

In order to proceed the revising of the “advertising law” and “provisional tobacco advertising management law” On December 12, 2009, Tsinghua University Law school hosted a stimulation hearing on issuing laws to ban tobacco advertising and sponsorships, experts strongly called for a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

Tobacco industry representatives argued that tobacco is a legal product, should not be prohibited in advertising and marketing. On the issue of sponsorship, business representatives said that this only reflects the social responsibility of the tobacco corporations, and the contribution from the tobacco companies should not be restricted.

But anti-tobacco participants said tobacco advertising promotion and sponsorship beautify the corporate image.

During the stimulation conference, Anti-smoking Organization Exploration Center for Health Research and Development, Deputy Director Professor Wu Yiqun presented the investigation and research data on tobacco companies setting up Hope elementary schools. And he pointed out that their fundamental purpose is to establish a positive image for the tobacco industry and ultimately to sell more tobacco products.

Experts also pointed out, currently China’s “advertising law” and “Provisional tobacco advertising management law” etc. do not have restrictions on tobacco advertisements; there is no defined rules on indirect advertisements, and there is no restrictions on tobacco promotional sponsorships.

The following are the elementary schools in China named after tobacco industry:

四川烟草希望小学

Sichuan Tobacco Hope Elementary School

(1)

中南海爱心小学

Zhongnanhai Heart Elementary school

(2)

“迎客松”希望小学

"Welcoming Pine" Hope Elementary School

(3)

红云集团菜园希望小学

Hongyun Group Vegetable Garden Elementary School

(4)

红塔希望小学

Hongta Hope Elementary School

辽宁烟草外贸希望小学

Liaoning Tobacco Trade Hope Elementary School

四川烟草小学

Sichuan Tobacco Elementary School

青海烟草希望小学

Qinghai tobacco Hope Elementary School

思南县金叶希望小学

Sinan County, Gold Leaf Hope Elementary School

遵义烟草希望小学

Zunyi Tobacco Hope Elementary School

双柏罗少烟草希望小学

Shuangboloushao Tobacco Hope Elementary School

安徽中烟希望小学

Anhui China Tobacco Hope Elementary School

(5)

广西真龙希望小学

Guangxi Zhelong Hope Elementary School

盘河烟草小学

Panhe Tobacco Elementary School

四川藏区烟草希望小学

Tibetan District in Sichuan Tobacco Hope Elementary School

(6)

芙蓉学子助学基金

Lotus Students Learning Fund

湖北宣恩县晓关侗族乡牛场烟草希望小学

Xiaoguandong Town, Xuanen County, Hubei Providence, Nuichang Tobacco Hope Elementary School

云南省永平县水泄乡烟草希望小学

Shuixie Town, Yongping County, Yunnan Province, Tobacco Hope Elementary School