Tobacco and Africa: when Switzerland exports cigarettes that Europe doesn't want

The evolution of smoking in Africa is plunging this continent into a worrying health situation:

• Between 1986 and 2016, the number of smokers increased by 52%. In the same period, there were 33% fewer smokers in Europe[1].
• In a few years, if nothing is done, Africa will be the region of the world where people smoke the most, according to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO).[2]).
• With 80 million smokers today, Africa set to see cigarette-related deaths double by 2030[3].

Marie Maurisse, Swiss correspondent for Le Monde, carried out an investigation into the tobacco industry in Switzerland[4]Thanks to flexible legislation and an advantageous tax policy, this country is today an El Dorado for cigarette manufacturers, so much so that the three largest global tobacco groups have set up their headquarters there: Philip Morris, British Tobacco, Japan Tobacco.

In Switzerland, the tobacco industry is estimated to account for 1% of the national GDP.The country is also a major exporter of tobacco (75% of its production), a large part of which is intended for African consumers.

Unlike France or the United Kingdom, the tobacco industry in Switzerland has the right to apply a double standard of manufacturing, depending on the country of export. In other words, Swiss cigarettes in circulation in Europe and those marketed in Africa are not the same. These cigarettes are loaded with more tar, nicotine and can include attractive flavors that are now totally banned in the European Union.

Analyses carried out in Senegal by the Ministry of Health following Marie Maurisse's revelations confirm Philip Morris' scandalous practices. It has now been proven, according to Senegalese laboratories, that cigarettes sold in Senegal have higher levels of total particles, nicotine and carbon monoxide than those intended for the Swiss and European markets.

The deregulation of markets in the 1980s allowed the tobacco industry to establish itself on the African continent, sometimes with the help of aggressive marketing strategies, including massive advertising campaigns, single cigarette sales, promotions, free distributions, or even sponsorship of cultural events.[5]These aggressive practices are now regulated by Article 13 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

©Tobacco Free Generation