Sixth 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. Since the start of the pandemic, the organization has noted a resurgence of activity by this industry in many countries around the world and publishes an observatory of the industry's actions every two weeks (every month from July). 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 period from June 13 to June 27, 2020. The next edition will be published on July 30, 2020.

The main characteristics of the actions taken by the tobacco industry during the period covered were as follows:

• Latest CSR activities and industry tactics around the world: In Zambia, Japan Tobacco International donated personal protective equipment to schools and clinics worth Rs. 1,450,000.[1]

Philip Morris has donated medical supplies to a hospital in Jalisco, Mexico, with the support of the country's trade and health ministers.[2]

In Hamburg, Germany, Reemtsma, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco, paid for accommodation for 250 homeless people.[3]

• The global heated tobacco market is expected to grow despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with positive impacts for major tobacco companies. Analysis suggests that “aggressive promotion” of heated tobacco products described as low-risk is proving to be an effective strategy during the pandemic period.[4]
• Victory in South Africa. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed the case filed by the Fair Trade Tobacco Association (FITA) against the tobacco ban. The ban remains in force.[5]

In Lebanon, the Minister of Tourism, encouraged by the hotel sector, wants to ease health restrictions, particularly on the use of shisha. This decision has caused controversy and a petition has been launched by doctors, lawyers and other professionals.[6]

• The Tobacco Free Association of Zambia investigated farming practices on farms supplying Japan Tobacco International and found unsafe practices, including a lack of COVID equipment and precautions and children being exposed to dangerous pesticides.[7]
• Doctors in Indonesia have warned of high mortality among children with COVID-19 and linked it to poor nutrition, weak health care systems and high rates of smoking and second-hand smoke.[8]-[9]

©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] https://zambia.co.zm/?s=JTI[2] https://expansion.mx/empresas/2020/06/12/philip-morris-dona-equipo-medico-a-hospital-de-jalisco[3] https://www.reemtsma.com/das-unternehmen/pressemeldungen/corona-krise-reemtsma-finanziert-einzelunterkuenfte-fuer-bis-zu-250-hamburger-obdachlose/[4] https://market.us/report/heated-tobacco-products-htps-market/request-sample/#overview[5] https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/news/pretoria-high-court-stubs-out-fita-case-cigarette-ban-stands-50011299[6] https://twitter.com/rimanakkash/status/1273573843244900353[7] https://exposetobacco.org/news/zambian-farmers-risk-health/[8] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-18/why-are-so-many-indonesian-children-dying-from-coronavirus/12356444[9] https://exposetobacco.org/news/stop-statement-covid-accountability/©National Committee Against Smoking |