Dortmund Kills – About

Dortmund Kills: every year, 6 million people die from tobacco consumption, most of them in the global south. By promoting tobacco trade in Asia, the city of Dortmund helps tobacco industry to make profits from a deadly product.

How come that a German city promotes tobacco trade in Asia?
The Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH is organizing the Inter-tabac ASIA trade fair which takes place on 27/28 February 2014 in Bali, Indonesia. The trade fair promotes the sale and use of tobacco, especially in less industrialized countries, where there is virtually no protection of youth, health or consumers, as well as no education concerning the dangers of tobacco use. Being the sole shareholder of Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH, the city of Dortmund bears responsibility for the use of its name to promote a product that kills 6 million people every year, according to the World Health Organisation WHO.

The campaign Dortmund Kills aims at convincing the city authorities of Dortmund to stop organizing the Inter-tabac ASIA trade fair in future.

Dortmund Kills is a campaign of Forum Rauchfrei (“Forum Smokefree” Germany), Deutscher Jugendschutzverband (“German association for youth protection”), Indonesia Bebas Rokok (“Smokefree Indonesia”), Unfairtobacco.org (Germany) and Stiftung rauchfrei leben (“Foundation smokefree living”, Germany).

Forum Rauchfrei is a well established group of tobacco control advocates that works on many issues, including tobacco industry interference and marketing campaigns that target youth.

Deutscher Jugendschutzverband works for a society in which alcohol, nicotine and other drugs don’t hinder (young) people to live a free and rich life. Its members are mainly young people.

Indonesia Bebas Rokok is an initiative of young Indonesians who fight against tobacco marketing and smoking among youth in their country.

Unfairtobacco.org is a project of the Berlin Working Group on Environment and Development (Blue 21). It fights against human rights violations and environmental destruction in tobacco farming.

Stiftung rauchfrei leben is a foundation that aims at creating a smokefree environment.