9th Tobacco Industry Observatory in the Face of the COVID19 Pandemic

STOP is an international monitoring organization that tracks the tobacco industry's interference practices in public policies. The organization has noted a resurgence of activity by this industry in many countries around the world since the start of the pandemic. This resurgence in the tobacco industry's presence is closely linked to the Covid19 pandemic, which allows it to whitewash its image. This edition covers the months of August and September 2020.

Major trends of this monitoring period:[1]

• Tobacco industry and motor sports: BAT promotes of its partnership with McLaren Racing by touting McLaren's production of ventilators and medical supplies during the pandemic.

• THE Center for excellence for the acceleration of harm reduction (CoEHAR), funded by the Philip Morris Smoke-Free Foundation, is conducting a study to investigate the relationship between smoking and COVID-19[2], which is presented as providing a protective effect for smokers against coronavirus infection.

Focus on the social responsibility of the tobacco industry during the pandemic

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly important tool for the tobacco industry to exert influence. The pandemic has provided the industry with numerous opportunities to circumvent regulatory enforcement guidelines. Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention aimed at protecting public policies from the tobacco lobby. Through this, manufacturers have succeeded in certain countries (e.g. Ukraine) to build close relationships with governments while promoting an image of respectability to the general public.

All major tobacco companies have made donations (money, food or medical equipment) related to COVID-19. CSR campaigns have particularly targeted low- and middle-income countries where levels of tobacco industry interference are often high.[3].

These CSR campaigns have facilitated the lobbying of tobacco companies to avoid any new tobacco regulation, prevent tax increases or other measures intended to make tobacco manufacturers participate in covering the costs related to the damage caused by their products.[4].

Keywords: CSR, tobacco industry, Covid19, STOP

Ninth Industry Observatory – STOP (in English) Image source: Simon Isaacs, How the tobacco industry is causing-washing COVID19, March 30, 2020, LinkedIn ©Tobacco Free Generation

---

[1] Partnerships between CoEHAR, Duke University, OASI of Troina leads to the first study to evaluate the correlation between smoking habits and Covid19 infections, cohear.org, September 10, 2020, accessed September 24, 2020 [2] Enna. Go to Troina's first studio at CoEHAR (Unict), Duke University and Oasis of Troina to verify the correlation between smoke and Covid-19, Liberta Sicilia, September 3, 2020, accessed September 24, 2020 [3] Mary Assunta. Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2019. Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC). Bangkok, Thailand. Sept 2019, accessed September 24, 2020 [4] As Costs Pile Up for COVID-19, Tobacco Companies Should Be Held Accountable for Smoking-Related Health Harms, STOP, June 8, 2020, consulted on September 24, 2020 National Committee Against Smoking |