Cigarette manufacturer cancels event in Scotland

Japan Tobacco International attempted to organize an event about e-cigarettes at the recent Scottish Nationalist Party conference. ASH Scotland's alert resulted in its cancellation.

Currently leading the Scottish government, in cooperation with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) held its congress on October 8.

The anti-smoking organisation Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Scotland, which had learned of an event organised by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) at the conference, drew the attention of the SNP leader, the two MPs in charge of the debates and the Holyrood Communications magazine, which co-organised the event, in order to have it cancelled.[1].

Several speakers, all linked to the tobacco industry

The event, titled "Embracing Alternatives to Smoking in Scotland," included speakers from the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Institute, two think tanks with long-standing ties to the tobacco industry, as well as the Scottish Grocers' Federation (SGF), an organization whose members include the four major multinational tobacco companies, and several manufacturers and vaping industry organizations.[2]Over the past four years, no fewer than 30 lobbying actions by tobacco companies targeting Scottish MPs or ministers have been recorded.[3].

This political and media event project also takes place in a particular context. A recent public consultation by the Scottish government with citizens and health organizations highlighted the overwhelming support for a advertising restriction and the promotion of electronic cigarettes. It can therefore be assumed that the event promoted by JTI was designed as a lobbying action with parliamentarians and members of the government, and was one of the opportunities to make people forget this measure resulting from the public consultation.

The FCTC as a bulwark against lobbying

This is by reminding the SNP leaders of Scotland's commitments to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (CCLAT), adopted in 2003 under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), and ratified in 2004 by the country that the ASH Scotland association managed to cancel this event. Article 5.3 of the FCTC provides that the tobacco industry be kept away from public health policies given the opposing and irreconcilable nature of the interests pursued by this industry and the countries.

At the same SNP conference, another event entitled "Tackling Obesity: The Role of the Food and Drink Industry," organized by Coca-Cola and Holyrood, went ahead without incident. However, there is still no international treaty dedicated to diet and obesity, with the FCTC remaining the only international health treaty to date.

JTI previously held a similar event at the SNP's autumn conference in 2019, titled "What's Next for Vaping in Scotland?" The alert system informing ASH Scotland wasn't working at the time, but it's safe to assume the event may have shocked the consciences of some of the attendees.

©Generation Without Tobacco

MF

[1] Duffy S, Japan Tobacco International sponsored event canceled at Scottish Nationalist Party conference but Coca Cola obesity event goes ahead, Tobacco Control, Blog, published October 25, 2022, accessed October 26, 2022.

[2] Scottish Grocers Federation, Tobacco Tactics, published August 22, 2022, accessed October 26, 2022.

[3] Macaskill M, Tobacco firms lobbied politicians in Scotland in 'breach of WHO treaty', The Times, published May 28, 2022, accessed October 26, 2022.