Second observatory of the tobacco industry in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic

STOP, is an international monitoring organization that tracks the tobacco industry's interference practices in public policies. Since the start of the pandemic, the organization has noted a resurgence of activity by this industry in many countries around the world. This resurgence in the tobacco industry's presence is closely linked to the Covid19 pandemic, which allows it to whitewash its image. To report on these actions, STOP draws up reports that highlight initiatives referring to the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a process for improving the image of manufacturers, in particular through targeted donations of materials, equipment or money.The first edition covered a 4-week period from March 20 to April 16, the second was published on May 6 and the next edition will appear on May 20.

Major trends to be noted from the second monitoring period

• Continued corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities: Moral whitewashing continued to be a key industry response, but at a reduced level as the industry moves towards political interference and influencing the scientific debate.
• Marketing campaigns by some brands continue. In the United States, vaping companies have developed promotional operations that include personal protective equipment with the purchase of their products.
• Scientific research on tobacco products and COVID19 risks: A COVID-19 “nicotine hypothesis” has been published on the unverified platform, “Qeios”[1]-[2], by French scientists Changeux, Miyara and Amoura. First suggested by Konstantinos Farsalinos[3], the hypothesis attempts to explain the apparent lack of active smokers testing positive for COVID-19, by suggesting a protective effect of nicotine.

©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] https://www.qeios.com/read/WPP19W.3[2] https://www.qeios.com/read/FXGQSB.2[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7192087/©National Committee Against Smoking |