Unfairtobacco is a project run by Berlin Working Group on Environment and Development (Blue 21 e.V.). It has been founded in 2004 under the name “Campaign Smokesignal!”.
We expose how the tobacco industry harms farmers, consumers and the environment. We also show how the impact of tobacco on a sustainable development can be mitigated or even prevented.
Our Goal: A tobacco-free world
We are committed to a profound change towards a tobacco-free world.
For us, this means a world in which tobacco consumption is reduced to a meaningless level and in which there is no more commercial tobacco cultivation.
Our Values
Solidary and ecological world economy
The global economy is marked by injustice, privileging multinational companies such as PMI or BAT. We campaign for a solidary, ecological and peaceful world economic order, which is orientated towards the needs of people.
Better working conditions
The working conditions in tobacco farming – which involve indebtedness, child labour and health damage – are unsustainable. As long as there are still no alternatives for tobacco growers, we demand the improvement of working conditions as well as better worker protection.
Reforestation
Tobacco production destroys natural resources due to soil depletion and the logging of forests. We therefore call for reforestation measures and the phasing-out of tobacco farming.
Phasing-out tobacco growing
In order to live a decent and autonomous life, tobacco farmers need to exit tobacco cultivation. We demand support of alternative crops and other alternative livelihoods.
No fair trade tobacco
Tobacco can not be fair trade. Tobacco growing is associated with health harms, environmental destruction and human rights violations. Tobacco use is responsible for more than 6 million deaths per year.
Non-smoking Acts
We demand comprehensive non-smoking acts.
Supporting the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
We support the effective implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Our Work
Information
We offer information on our website, share our knowledge through social media and produce expertise in studies, factsheets, and other material.
Education
We provide learning material and workshops for schools. We also offer the exhibition “Big Tobacco: Profits & Lies” for rent. Our education work is in German.
Public Awareness
We organise events and other activities to inform the public and put pressure on political decision makers.
Network Children’s Rights and Tobacco Control
We are coordinating this German network consisting in health, human rights and development organisations and experts.
Member in other Networks
We are a member of the Berlin One World Network, the National Coalition Germany – network for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and supporters of the German Initiative for a Supply Chain Law. Our eduation programme is embedded into the Berlin One World Network and the German One World Internet Conference (EWIK).
On international level, we are a member of the umbrella organisation Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC), of the Human Rights in Tobacco Control Network (HRTCN) as well as of the Health and Trade Network (HaT). Additionally, we are a coalition partner of Smokefree Partnership (SFP).
