PETA Relaunches Banned Smoking-Baby Billboard Following Asa Ruling

For Immediate Release:

23 July 2013

Contact:

Ben Williamson +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 229; [email protected]

London – Following a recent ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) against a PETA billboard that warned parents of the dangers of meat-based diets, PETA has slightly altered and is relaunching the controversial billboard that depicts a baby smoking a cigar. The text now reads, “You wouldn’t let your child smoke. Like smoking, eating bacon, sausages and other processed meats is linked to cancer. Go vegan!” The ASA objected to the fact that the previous version of the billboard did not single out the specific meats that have been scientifically proved to increase the risk of cancer, but PETA is determined that its public service health message be heard and has a new warning for parents.

“PETA’s message to parents about the health risks associated with eating meat needs to be heard”, says PETA’s Mimi Bekhechi. “With this new billboard, PETA will remind parents that just as we should put down cigarettes, we should also put down meat and pick up fibre-rich, heart-healthy plant-based foods instead.”

The link between meat consumption and the increased risk of cancer has been repeatedly documented in studies and medical reports. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, vegetarians and vegans are about 40 per cent less likely to get cancer than non-vegetarians, regardless of other risks, such as smoking, being overweight and socio-economic background. Because eating habits are formed at an early age, enjoying healthy vegan meals – such as mock-chicken nuggets or tofu veggie stir-fry – with the family is a great way to lead children in the right direction. Dr Benjamin Spock, author of the highly acclaimed parenting guide Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care, wrote, “Children who grow up getting their nutrition from plant foods rather than meats have a tremendous health advantage. They are less likely to develop weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer”.

Vegans don’t just save their own lives – they save up to 100 animals a year from intense suffering on crowded, filthy factory farms and in abattoirs, where many animals are slaughtered while still conscious.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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