British American Tobacco has been accused of “utter hypocrisy” for opposing tobacco control measures in Africa that currently exist in the UK.
Correspondence acquired by reporters dispatched by the company’s subsidiary in Zambia to the nation's political leaders demands proposals to prohibit tobacco advertising and sponsorship to be scrapped or postponed.
The tobacco firm seeks changes to a pending law that include reductions in the suggested dimensions of visual health alerts on cigarette packaging, the withdrawal of controls on scented cigarette varieties, and watered-down penalties for any businesses disregarding the new laws.
“If I was a politician, I would say that they enable the defense of the British people and perpetuate the death of the Zambian people,” stated the anti-tobacco campaigner.
More than 7,000 Zambians a year pass away from smoking-associated diseases, according to WHO calculations.
The advocate mentioned the letter was understood to have been copied to several government departments and was in distribution within civil society groups.
This occurs during wider concerns about corporate intervention with public health regulations. Recently, international health experts issued a warning that the smoking product companies was increasing attempts to dilute worldwide restrictions.
“Evidence exists of corporate influence everywhere. Tobacco company fingerprints are on delayed tax increases in Indonesia, stalled legislation in Zambia and even a diluted statement at the UN international gathering,” said the corporate monitoring director.
“When public health regulation isn’t passed because of this letter, the cost might be borne in human lives who might potentially stop smoking.”
The public health measure progressing through Zambia’s parliament includes proposals to go further UK legislation by including provisions for e-cigarettes, and mandating that visual health alerts cover 75% of product packaging.
In the letter, BAT suggests this be lowered to thirty to fifty percent “within the WHO-FCTC suggested parameters”, delayed for at least 12 months after the bill passes.
The WHO actually suggests a warning should cover at least fifty percent of the cigarette package face “and attempt to encompass as much of the main visible surfaces as possible”. Across the United Kingdom, warnings need to encompass nearly two-thirds of a cigarette pack surfaces.
The company seeks the removal of broad restrictions on flavoured tobacco products, suggesting that it would push consumers toward “black market” products. It suggests banning a limited selection of “flavours based on desserts, candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and alcohol drinks”. Every scented tobacco product have been banned in the UK since 2020.
The pending regulation suggests penalties for different infractions “extending from a fraction of annual sales to 10 years’ imprisonment”.
In the letter, the managing director of British American Tobacco Zambia claims the corporation is focused on responsible corporate conduct” and “endorses the aims of governments to decrease cigarette consumption and the related medical consequences” but asserts that “certain measures can have negative and unanticipated results.”
The advocate stated the corporation's recommended amendments would “undermine this law so much that the necessary effect for it to produce permanent improvement in society will not be achieved”.
The fact that multiple comparable regulations operated within the UK, where the corporation is based, was “total double standard”, he stated.
“We live in a global village. If I plant tobacco in my property and harvest that and sell it out – and my family members avoid tobacco, but my neighbor's family uses … to enrich myself and all the future family lines while my community's youth are perishing … is in itself absolute spiritual failure.”
Anti-smoking regulations in the Britain or other nations had not resulted in corporate closures, the campaigner stated. “Regulations don't close the industry. They merely safeguard the people.”
A BAT Zambia spokesperson said: “The corporation runs its business in compliance with current country statutes. Further, the firm contributes in the state's regulatory development in line with the relevant frameworks which provide for interested party involvement in regulation development.”
The corporation remained “not opposed to regulation”, they said, mentioning that underage people should be protected from obtaining cigarettes and nicotine.
“We advocate for developing rules to realize planned population health targets, while recognizing the range of privileges and responsibilities on industry, consumers and related stakeholders,” the representative explained, mentioning that BAT’s proposals “reflect the realities of the local commercial environment and tobacco industry, which encompasses rising levels of illegal commerce”.
Zambia’s department of economic activities and commercial operations was approached for comment.
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