UK: Smoking cessation services approached by Philip Morris

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has revealed that at least two health services working to support smoking cessation, including the National Health Service in England, have been approached by Global Action to End Smoking (GA) – funded by Philip Morris International – to receive funding.

Global Action to End Smoking, formerly known as the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, was founded by tobacco company Philip Morris International and received $140 million from Philip Morris International (PMI) in 2023. GA’s mission is to “end smoking,” including through education programs. Its smoking cessation program focuses on “reduced-risk nicotine tools” and “countering misinformation about the nature and impact of nicotine.”[1]

Nicholas Hopkinson, professor of respiratory medicine at Imperial College London, criticised the attempted interference, saying: " "It is both disappointing and alarming that an organisation funded by the tobacco industry is seeking to influence smoking cessation programmes in the UK. This seriously undermines our efforts to protect public health."

Services contacted directly by the general manager of GA

On 3 June 2024, Elizabeth Starren, a consultant in respiratory and general medicine and the Smokeless programme lead at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, received an email from Cliff Douglas, CEO of GA offering to discuss grants and a “new educational effort”. The email stated that Douglas was in London to meet with public health experts about new funding that GA was making available in the UK. Alerted to the offer, the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training warned stakeholders to reject any proposals from GA due to its links to the tobacco industry, stressing that any acceptance of funds would violate the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which the UK has ratified.

Health stakeholders recall the UK's commitments to the FCTC, which is very clear on tobacco industry interference. Its Article 5.3 specifies that Parties must protect their public health policies on tobacco from the industry's commercial interests. This includes measures to avoid any conflict of interest, ensure transparency of interactions when strictly necessary with the tobacco industry, and reject any form of partnership or agreement with the latter. The aim is to protect public policies from multiple interferences by the tobacco industry.

An organization fully funded by Philip Morris

Global Action to End Smoking changed its name in May 2024 but remains funded exclusively by Philip Morris International to the tune of US$17.5 million per year through 2030. While it wants to be seen as an entirely separate organization from its funder, its actions and affiliations suggest otherwise. Recently, GA funded research in the United States by the Urban Institute to study tobacco-related diseases and nicotine addiction in low-income populations. GA has also provided grants to organizations such as the Alternative Research Initiative in Pakistan and Knowledge Action Change in the United Kingdom, both of which promote heated tobacco and vaping devices.

These activities illustrate a coordinated strategy by PMI to influence public health policies around the world, using a front group like GA to promote its products and undermine tobacco control efforts.[2]

Earlier this year, the British American Journal (BMJ) reported a $2.9 million partnership between Medscape and PMI to provide a one-year "PMI program" of smoking cessation training that would be sent to Medscape's extensive network of healthcare professionals.

This approach to funding smoking cessation services is part of Philip Morris' overall strategy to target healthcare professionals to promote its new tobacco and nicotine products. PMI is thus seeking to sow confusion among healthcare professionals in order to create scientific controversy and influence public policy. This approach is also part of an image strategy intended to position the manufacturer as a legitimate player who is "part of the solution", and not as the person responsible for the tobacco epidemic that it is maintaining.

History of tobacco lobby interference in the UK

The United Kingdom, with its former policy of favouring vaping products as part of smoking cessation, has been particularly targeted by the industry lobby, which saw it as a way to divide health stakeholders in the country but also internationally.

A Times investigation had highlighted the tobacco industry’s lobbying efforts to promote vaping in the country. The industry has used a variety of strategies to influence public opinion and policymakers, including funding pro-vaping scientific research and using doctors and supposedly independent vaping groups to promote its interests. Examples of influence include:[3] Peter Lee, a longtime tobacco industry consultant, has published pro-vaping articles funded by tobacco giants like Philip Morris International.

DT

[1] Hristio Boytchev, Philip Morris backed organization is targeting UK smoking cessation services, Thebmj, published June 21, 2024, accessed June 26, 2024

[2] Tobacco-free generation, United States: Philip Morris-funded facility subsidizes smoking cessation research, GST, published May 19, 2024, accessed June 26, 2024

[3] Tobacco-free generation, Tobacco industry influence in pro-vaping lobbying: the UK examplei, GST, published January 3, 2024, accessed June 26, 2024

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