{"id":4098,"date":"2017-10-20T18:50:25","date_gmt":"2017-10-20T18:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=4098"},"modified":"2017-10-20T18:58:44","modified_gmt":"2017-10-20T18:58:44","slug":"philip-morris-international-trying-to-bring-back-the-council-for-tobacco-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=4098","title":{"rendered":"Philip Morris International trying to bring back the Council for Tobacco Research"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
WHO Head-Quater in Geneva, Switzerland.
Copyright : WHO\/Pierre Virot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oh, this is too rich. Philip Morris International, the international wing of Altria, has proposed setting up something called “A Foundation for a Smokefree World.”<\/p>\n

The World Health Organization has urged world governments not to get involved with the foundation, pointing out the pretty glaring conflict of interest.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Here’s the kicker, Philip Morris Int’l plans to fund its foundation with $80 million over 12 years. Wow, that’s big of them. A multibillion corporation that has been fighting anti-tobacco intiatives worldwide for 10 years that will rake in billions in profits setting aside $80 million over 12 years for good public relations.<\/p>\n

Here is an excerpt from WHO’s statement.<\/a> It’s awesome, it doesn’t pull any punches:<\/p>\n

The UN General Assembly has recognized a \u201cfundamental<\/p>\n

conflict of interest between the tobacco industry and public health.\u201d\u00a0(1)<\/i>\u00a0WHO Member States have stated that \u201cWHO does not engage with the tobacco industry or non-State actors that work to further the interests of the tobacco industry\u201d,\u00a0(2)<\/i>\u00a0the Organization will therefore not engage with this new Foundation.<\/p>\n

Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) obliges Parties to act to protect public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law. Guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3 state clearly that governments should limit interactions with the tobacco industry and avoid partnership. These Guidelines are also explicit that Governments should not accept financial or other contributions from the tobacco industry or those working to further its interests, such as this Foundation.<\/p>\n

Strengthening implementation of the WHO FCTC for all tobacco products remains the most effective approach to tobacco control. Policies such as tobacco taxes, graphic warning labels, comprehensive bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and offering help to quit tobacco use have been proven to reduce demand for tobacco products. These policies focus not just on helping existing users to quit, but on preventing initiation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(Here’s the kicker:)<\/strong><\/p>\n

If PMI were truly committed to a smoke-free world, the company would support these policies. Instead, PMI opposes them. PMI engages in large scale lobbying and prolonged and expensive litigation against evidence-based tobacco control policies such as those found in the WHO FCTC and WHO\u2019s MPOWER tobacco control, which assists in implementation of the WHO FCTC. For example, just last year PMI lost a six year investment treaty arbitration with Uruguay, in which the company spent approximately US$ 24 million to oppose large graphic health warnings and a ban on misleading packaging in a country with fewer than four million inhabitants.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many unanswered questions about tobacco harm reduction\u00a0(3)<\/i>, but the research needed to answer these questions should not be funded by tobacco companies. The tobacco industry and its front groups<\/strong> have misled the public about the risks associated with other tobacco products. This includes promoting so-called light and mild tobacco products as an alternative to quitting, while being fully aware that those products were not less harmful to health. Such misleading conduct continues today with companies, including PMI, marketing tobacco products in ways that misleadingly suggest that some tobacco products are less harmful than others.<\/p>\n

This decades-long history means that research and advocacy funded by tobacco companies and their front groups cannot be accepted at face value. When it comes to the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, there are a number of clear conflicts of interest involved with a tobacco company funding a purported health foundation, particularly if it promotes sale of tobacco and other products found in that company\u2019s brand portfolio. WHO will not partner with the Foundation. Governments should not partner with the Foundation and the public health community should follow this lead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I love WHO calling this Foundation a “front group” because that’s sure what it sounds like. Philip Morris International has fought and fought and fought tobacco regulations around the world, including plain packaging laws and limits on tobacco marketing. And now it wants to convince people its one of the good guys?<\/p>\n

The president of the foundation responded, but I remain pretty unconvinced.<\/p>\n

\u00a0From Reuters:<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
The foundation\u2019s founder and president-designate, Derek Yach, a former senior official at the WHO, said more collaboration, not less, was needed to win the war on smoking.<\/div>\n
\u201cI am deeply disappointed, therefore, by WHO\u2019s complete mischaracterisation of the nature, structure and intent of the Foundation in its recent statements – and especially by its admonition to others not to work together.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I find this a pitifually empty statement Collaboration? Really? With the industry that has been fighting regulations tooth and nail? If this foundation was legit, why not find sources of funding other than the tobacco industry? Then, I might give it some benefit of the doubt (though to be honest, it would be really easy for the industry to fund the foundation through dummy organizations.)<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
What Derek Yach needs to be reminded of is that\u00a0Big Tobacco did something very similar 60 years ago, it was called the Tobacco Institute and the Council for Tobacco Research. It was established as a PR move to try and convince the public that the industry was “concerned” about the “possible” health effects of smoking. Instead, the institute was used for decades to deflect, distract and\u00a0obfuscate the facts about smoking. These organizations were disbanded by the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, but it appears PMI is trying to start up something that sounds absolutely similar.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oh, this is too rich. Philip Morris International, the international wing of Altria, has proposed setting up something called “A Foundation for a Smokefree World.” The World Health Organization has urged world governments not to get involved with the foundation, pointing out the pretty glaring conflict of interest. Here’s the kicker, Philip Morris Int’l plans … Continue reading Philip Morris International trying to bring back the Council for Tobacco Research<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[755,336],"tags":[875,756,679],"class_list":["post-4098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philip-morris-interntional","category-world-health-organization","tag-foundation-for-a-smokefree-world","tag-philip-morris-international","tag-world-health-organization"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/WHOGeneva008.jpg?fit=3323%2C2191&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4hpEa-146","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3653,"url":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=3653","url_meta":{"origin":4098,"position":0},"title":"Crikey! Australia kicks international Big Tobacco’s butt … again","author":"Pepe Lepew","date":"December 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Yet another major legal victory for Australia in its long-running battle against Big Tobacco. Specifically, Australia defeated Philip Morris International, which has been one of the corporations fighting Australia for the past five to 10 years over that nation's plain-packaging laws. Initially, the government of Australia won in the Australian\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Australia"","block_context":{"text":"Australia","link":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?cat=8"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AustralianFlag.jpg?fit=1200%2C991&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AustralianFlag.jpg?fit=1200%2C991&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AustralianFlag.jpg?fit=1200%2C991&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AustralianFlag.jpg?fit=1200%2C991&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/AustralianFlag.jpg?fit=1200%2C991&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4074,"url":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=4074","url_meta":{"origin":4098,"position":1},"title":"Reuters India investigation: Philip Morris definitely targeting young people","author":"Pepe Lepew","date":"August 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Interesting read here for my Indian readers on how India is threatening to crack down against Philip Morris International with some kind of \"punitive action\" for violating that country's anti-tobacco laws prohibiting marketing cigarettes to minors. The Indian Healthy Ministry sent a warning letter to PMI after a Reuters investigation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "India"","block_context":{"text":"India","link":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?cat=856"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/marlboro-kiosk.jpg?fit=876%2C696&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/marlboro-kiosk.jpg?fit=876%2C696&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/marlboro-kiosk.jpg?fit=876%2C696&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/marlboro-kiosk.jpg?fit=876%2C696&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1141,"url":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=1141","url_meta":{"origin":4098,"position":2},"title":"Philip Morris profits down 8 percent in second quarter 2013","author":"Pepe Lepew","date":"July 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Oh, happy day. Philip Morris (Altria), the No. 1 private cigarette manufacturer in the world, saw its profits drop a dramatic 8 percent in the second quarter of 2013, mostly due to lagging sales. Philip Morris shares dropped 2.5 percent as a result. Here's what is interesting. We all know\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Altria"","block_context":{"text":"Altria","link":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"philip morris","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/philip-morris.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3518,"url":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=3518","url_meta":{"origin":4098,"position":3},"title":"New York Times story: U.S. Chamber has become a “front group” for Big Tobacco","author":"Pepe Lepew","date":"October 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Another big New York Times article on how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is shilling around the world on behalf of Big Tobacco. In the past several years, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which used to be a fairly nonpolitical organization, but it has been transformed, mostly by its executive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Philip Morris"","block_context":{"text":"Philip Morris","link":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/chamber_commerce_cartoon-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/chamber_commerce_cartoon-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/chamber_commerce_cartoon-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/chamber_commerce_cartoon-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/chamber_commerce_cartoon-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4166,"url":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=4166","url_meta":{"origin":4098,"position":4},"title":"Philip Morris stock crashes","author":"Pepe Lepew","date":"April 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Woot! This story made my heart warm. Philip Morris International (a company split off from Altria that focuses specifically on the tobacco market outside of the U.S.) stock dropped 18 percent on April 19, partly because sales of its iQos product -- a device that heats a tobacco plug without\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Philip Morris Interntional"","block_context":{"text":"Philip Morris Interntional","link":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?cat=755"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/1000x-1.png?fit=1000%2C562&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/1000x-1.png?fit=1000%2C562&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/1000x-1.png?fit=1000%2C562&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/1000x-1.png?fit=1000%2C562&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3751,"url":"https:\/\/pepesnonsmokingpartytimelounge.com\/?p=3751","url_meta":{"origin":4098,"position":5},"title":"Philip Morris International earnings, revenue down … big time","author":"Pepe Lepew","date":"February 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Great story! 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