🔗 Share this article

The tobacco company stands accused of “total contradiction” for opposing anti-smoking regulations in Africa that currently exist in the UK.

African regulatory opposition

Correspondence acquired by reporters sent from the company’s subsidiary in Zambia to the African officials requests plans to ban tobacco advertising and sponsorship to be abandoned or delayed.

The corporation is pursuing modifications of a pending law that include decreasing the proposed size of pictorial cautions on cigarette packaging, the withdrawal of controls on flavored smoking items, and diminished punishments for any companies violating the new laws.

Anti-tobacco campaigner response

“If I was a politician, I would say that they allow the safeguarding of the British people and sustain the fatalities of the Zambian people,” commented Master Chimbala.

More than 7,000 Zambians a year die from tobacco-related illnesses, according to WHO calculations.

Chimbala said the letter was understood to have been copied to various ministerial offices and was in distribution within civil society groups.

International corporate influence worries

It comes amid broader worries about corporate intervention with health policies. Last month, international health experts sounded an alarm that the smoking product companies was intensifying efforts to weaken global control measures.

“There is proof of corporate influence worldwide. Tobacco company fingerprints are on delayed tax increases in Indonesia, stalled legislation in Zambia and even a compromised resolution at the UN summit conference,” commented Jorge Alday.

Potential consequences

“Should anti-smoking legislation isn’t passed because of this letter, the price could be paid in lives of people who might possibly give up cigarettes.”

The tobacco control bill going through Zambia’s parliament includes proposals to go further UK legislation by including provisions for e-cigarettes, and stipulating that visual health alerts cover 75% of product packaging.

Business countermeasures

In the letter, the company recommends this be lowered to thirty to fifty percent “according to global guideline limits”, delayed for at least one year after the law is enacted.

International experts in fact recommends a caution must occupy at least half of the cigarette package face “and attempt to encompass as much of the main visible surfaces as possible”. Within Britain, warnings are required to occupy nearly two-thirds of a cigarette pack surfaces.

Scented product controversy

The company seeks the removal of broad restrictions on flavored cigarette varieties, claiming that it would lead smokers to “illegally traded” products. The corporation recommends restricting fewer varieties of “tastes inspired by desserts, candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and alcohol drinks”. All flavoured cigarettes have been outlawed across the UK since 2020.

The pending regulation proposes sanctions for different infractions “varying from a fraction of annual sales to ten-year jail sentences”.

Corporate defense

Through correspondence, the managing director of the Zambian branch states the firm is “committed to good corporate behaviour” and “backs the goals of governments to lower tobacco use and the associated health impact” but maintains that “certain measures can have negative and unanticipated results.”

Campaigner rebuttal

Chimbala said BAT’s proposed changes would “weaken this legislation so much that the impact needed for it to cause long-term change in society will not be achieved”.

The reality that many such provisions were present in the UK, where BAT is headquartered, was “utter hypocrisy itself”, he said.

“We live in a global village. If I plant tobacco in my back yard and collect the yield and distribute the goods – and my family members avoid tobacco, but my neighbor's family uses … to profit individually and all the future family lines while my neighbour’s children are dying … is in itself total emotional collapse.”

Anti-smoking regulations in the United Kingdom or other countries had not resulted in corporate closures, Chimbala said. “Legislation never shuts down the industry. Measures simply defend the people.”

Standard business position

The company representative stated: “BAT Zambia conducts its activities following with applicable local laws. Additionally, the firm contributes in the country’s legislative process in line with the appropriate structures which enable interested party involvement in legislation creation.”

The company was “not resisting legislation”, they said, noting that young individuals should be safeguarded against access to tobacco and nicotine.

“We support progressive regulation to achieve intended population health targets, while accepting the variety of privileges and responsibilities on corporations, customers and associated groups,” the representative explained, adding that BAT’s proposals “represent the situation of the African nation's economy and smoking product business, which involves growing volumes of illicit trade”.

The nation's ministry of business, commercial affairs and industrial development was approached for comment.