ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Tobacco Control Bill: The Challenge before Nigerian lawmakers, By John Stewart

Tobacco Control Bill: The Challenge before Nigerian lawmakers, By John Stewart

byPremium Times
January 13, 2014
4 min read
ADVERTISEMENT

“Big Tobacco has for decades used corporate social responsibility to build relationships with policymakers…”

As time ticks for the seventh session of Nigeria’s National Assembly, the country faces a critical moment. Once again, Nigeria is on the brink of passing the National Tobacco Control Bill: a groundbreaking measure that could save the lives of millions of Nigerian youth over the coming decades from tobacco-related disease and death.

The bill, currently awaiting passage by Parliament, contains critical provisions including smoke-free public spaces, graphic health warnings and a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. But through a misinformation campaign promoted in the media in the last few months, British American Tobacco (BAT), controller of the largest share of Nigeria’s tobacco market – is working to stall passage of the bill. By trying to curry favour with lawmakers and the public through sponsored articles containing half-truths, BAT is again attempting to sway public opinion in its favour and derail this lifesaving law – just as it did in 2009 with an elaborate PR campaign that effectively put the bill to bed.

Nigeria once again has the opportunity to stand up to Big Tobacco and make sure that corporate interests don’t trump the health of its people. It’s time for Nigerian policymakers to re-evaluate their priorities. Do they want to associate themselves with an industry that lies to the public and promotes a product that kills? If Nigerian policymakers are truly committed to saving lives and representing the interests of the public, they must not only reject partnerships with BAT but must also advocate for the swift passage of Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Bill.

The tobacco industry is fuelling the most deadly epidemic on the planet – causing nearly six million deaths each year. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Africa, which, as the American Cancer Society recently reported, may become the future epicentre of a tobacco epidemic. As Big Tobacco aggressively markets its deadly products in the region, the report estimates that adult smokers in Africa will soar to 572 million by 2100 – up from 77 million today – unless we act now to rein in smoking rates.

The solution is clear. If passed, Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Bill would protect millions of Nigerian youth from this devastating fate. Its provisions contain proven measures that will bring Nigeria in line with many of its international obligations under the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, also known as the global tobacco treaty, which has the potential to save 200 million lives when fully implemented.

Not surprisingly, BAT is doing everything in its power to block, delay, and thwart this bill, despite overwhelming public support for tobacco control. In recent months, BAT executives met with the governors of Lagos and Oyo states and publicized these meetings heavily – a move which actively seeks to build trust with policymakers and the public and create the illusion that these states are partnering with one of the world’s deadliest industries. But this latest so-called “corporate social responsibility” campaign is a strategy taken right from Big Tobacco’s playbook with clear goals: to kill the tobacco bill and continue addicting generations of Nigerian youth to its deadly products.

As Director of Corporate Accountability International’s Challenge Big Tobacco campaign, year after year I have seen the tobacco industry use corporate social responsibility schemes to gloss over the industry’s tarnished reputation and undermine public health policymaking. After lawsuits in the United States in the 1990s revealed that Big Tobacco lied to the public, manipulated policy and bullied governments around the world in order to protect its profits, highly paid executives and PR firms developed a strategy to distract from the industry’s history of deception. By investing a fraction of a percent of their profits in programs like disaster relief, education, and social and cultural programs, they could give the public the sense that Big Tobacco is a “responsible corporate citizen.”

But do not just take it from me. The foremost health institution on the planet, the World Health Organization, recognizes Big Tobacco’s corporate social responsibility ploy as nothing more than a thinly veiled marketing strategy. In fact, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control recommends that countries ban tobacco corporate social responsibility schemes in order to protect public health policymaking from industry manipulation. A recent study by the University of Bath confirmed this assertion: that Big Tobacco has for decades used corporate social responsibility to build relationships with policymakers, curry favour with the public and thwart legislation.

RelatedNews

VIDEO: COVID-19 vaccine offers hope for a safe country, free of Coronavirus – Buhari

VIDEO: Nigerians react to taking COVID-19 vaccines

Women in Agriculture: ‘How tech background has helped me as a farmer’

Blood on Uniforms (2): No justice for inmates killed by Nigerian prison officials

In Africa, Big Tobacco’s corporate social responsibility campaigns continue to delay progress in countries from Zambia to Malawi. In Zambia, Action on Smoking and Health reports that for years BAT has overstated the impacts of HIV/AIDS to divert attention of policymakers from the increasingly deadly problem of the tobacco epidemic. In fact, BAT organized tobacco growers to “challenge and ridicule” the FCTC through arguments highlighting the impact of HIV/AIDS in an attempt to undermine efforts to pass live-saving tobacco control laws. Because of BAT’s effective corporate social responsibility campaign, Zambian lawmakers’ hands are tied and they have yet to pass meaningful tobacco control legislation.

Some countries have taken matters into their own hands: unmasking Big Tobacco’s trickery and banning tobacco corporate social responsibility. To give but one example, shortly after Ukraine banned tobacco corporate social responsibility initiatives and adopted other tobacco control measures, smoking rates began taking a nosedive. The Ukrainian government found the national smoking rate during the period between January and September 2013 was 15 percent lower than the same period in 2012. These evidence-based policies are supported by a critical provision of the FCTC – Article 5.3 – which states that the tobacco industry has an irreconcilable conflict with public health.

The guidelines to FCTC implementation recommend government officials reject real and perceived partnerships with the tobacco industry and ban on tobacco industry corporate social responsibility.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Let’s not allow history to repeat itself. Let’s not allow BAT’s bullying to distract us from the task at hand. With the fate of thousands of young Nigerians at stake, the time to act is now. Just as neighbouring countries like Ghana have implemented tobacco controls that are the first step in saving their youth, I urge Nigeria’s Parliamentarians and policymakers to step up and follow suit. Do not fall prey to BAT’s misleading tactics and derail Nigeria’s most critical opportunity to save the lives of its people. It’s time to pass the National Tobacco Control Bill.

John Stewart is Director of the Challenge Big Tobacco Campaign with Corporate Accountability International and Chair of the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT)

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...



JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (0)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Family raises alarm over Charles Okah’s health

Next Post

Eid-el-Maulud: Jonathan felicitates with Nigerian Muslims, pledges free, fair 2015 elections

Premium Times

Premium Times

More News

Festus Adedayo on Arogidigba and Southern Nigeria

Buhari and His Tinubu Frankenstein, By Festus Adedayo

March 7, 2021
Toyin Falola on Bishop Kukah and Nigeria

A Missionary of Hope: Bishop Kukah and Nigeria’s Knowledge System, By Toyin Falola

March 6, 2021
Owei Lakemfa on the Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Prize For Peacemakers and Warmongers, By Owei Lakemfa

March 6, 2021
Osmund Agbo on being poor while mega-rich

Poverty of the Mega Rich, By Osmund Agbo

March 6, 2021
Henry Okoroafor on crying

Crying: Not A Sign of Weakness, But A Catharsis for the Soul, By Henry Okoroafor

March 5, 2021
 Solomon Zewdu on vaccine deliveries to Africa

With Vaccine Deliveries To Africa, the Race For Equity Begins, By Solomon Zewdu 

March 5, 2021
Next Post
Jonathan inciting Nigerians to violence, says CNPP

Eid-el-Maulud: Jonathan felicitates with Nigerian Muslims, pledges free, fair 2015 elections

Enugu APC meets, accuses PDP of deceiving Igbos

Sokoto APC crisis: Two sets of executives emerge

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,629,926 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.