British American Tobacco has been accused of “utter hypocrisy” for campaigning against anti-smoking regulations in Africa which are already enforced in the UK.
A letter obtained by media sent from the firm's affiliate in Zambia to the nation's political leaders asks for plans to ban tobacco marketing and promotional activities to be abandoned or delayed.
The tobacco firm seeks amendments to a pending law that include reductions in the recommended coverage of pictorial cautions on cigarette packaging, the elimination of limitations on flavoured tobacco products, and watered-down penalties for any firms breaking the new laws.
“If I was a politician, I would say that they permit the protection of the British people and continue the mortality of the Zambian people,” commented the health advocate.
Thousands of residents a year succumb to smoking-associated diseases, according to World Health Organization estimates.
The campaigner stated the letter was known to have been circulated to multiple official agencies and was in circulating through civil society groups.
The situation emerges alongside expanded apprehension about corporate intervention with public health regulations. In recent weeks, global health authorities sounded an alarm that the tobacco industry was increasing attempts to weaken global control measures.
“We see evidence of corporate influence worldwide. Corporate signatures are on postponed duty hikes in Indonesia, halted laws in Zambia and even a weakened declaration at the UN international gathering,” commented the tobacco industry watchdog.
“When public health regulation fails to be approved because of this letter, the cost might be borne in human lives who might potentially stop smoking.”
The public health measure being considered by Zambia’s parliament includes regulations surpassing UK legislation by extending coverage to e-cigarettes, and stipulating that pictorial cautions cover three-quarters of product packaging.
Via documentation, the corporation proposes this be reduced to thirty to fifty percent “following international recommended threshold”, postponed for minimum 12 months after the law is enacted.
Global health authorities actually suggests a warning should cover at least fifty percent of the front of a pack “and seek to occupy as much of the principal display areas as possible”. In the UK, warnings need to encompass sixty-five percent of a product container sides.
The company seeks the removal of broad restrictions on flavoured tobacco products, arguing that it would drive users to “illicitly sold” products. The corporation recommends banning a limited selection of “scents derived from desserts, candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and alcohol drinks”. Each flavored smoking item have been outlawed across the UK since 2020.
The pending regulation proposes sanctions for different infractions “extending from a portion of yearly revenue to a decade in prison”.
Via documentation, the managing director of British American Tobacco Zambia says the company is dedicated to good corporate behaviour” and “endorses the aims of governments to reduce smoking incidence and the connected wellbeing effects” but claims that “some regulations can have negative and unanticipated results.”
The advocate stated the corporation's recommended amendments would “weaken this legislation so much that the necessary effect for it to cause long-term change in society will not be achieved”.
The reality that many such provisions operated within the UK, where the corporation is based, was “complete contradiction”, he said.
“We reside in a international community. If I plant tobacco in my property and harvest that and sell it out – and my offspring don't use tobacco, but my neighbour’s children do … to enrich myself and all the generations of my children while my neighbor's family are perishing … is in itself absolute spiritual collapse.”
Tobacco control legislation in the UK or elsewhere had not resulted in corporate closures, the advocate mentioned. “Legislation never shuts down the industry. They merely safeguard the people.”
The corporate communicator said: “BAT Zambia conducts its business in compliance with relevant national regulations. Moreover, the corporation engages in the state's regulatory development in line with the suitable systems which enable interested party involvement in legislation creation.”
The company was “not opposed to regulation”, they said, mentioning that minors should be protected from access to tobacco and nicotine.
“We champion developing rules to accomplish desired community wellbeing objectives, while recognizing the range of rights and obligations on businesses, users and involved parties,” they said, noting that BAT’s proposals “represent the situation of the Zambian market and smoking product business, which includes increasing amounts of black market activity”.
The country's office of trade, commerce and industry was approached for comment.
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