Taking Action Against Big Tobacco Why it Matters and What You Can Do

1. Taking Action Against Big Tobacco Why it Mattersand What You Can Do Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids July 2010

2. Presentation Outline Tobacco Industry Wrongdoing Why we must act Strategies tobacco industry uses to grow its business How to counteract the industry to achieve strong tobacco control policies - Examples of successful policy campaigns Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing!

3. FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines Principle 1: There is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the tobacco industry’s interests and public health policy interests.

4. Tobacco Industry Goal Maximize profits to fulfill duties to financial stakeholders • Increaseuse of its deadly product • Prevent the public and government from taking action to stop business growth

5. Tobacco Control Goals Reduce tobacco-caused disease and death • Decrease use of deadly tobacco products • Change public opinion about tobacco use and the tobacco industry • Push for adoption and implementation of strong tobacco control policies

6. Why We Must Act Tobacco companies are not like other businesses. They: • Intentionally make their products addictive, knowing that their products kill • Use all means – legal and illegal – to sell their deadly products • Deceive the public and policy makers by attempting to appear credible and trustworthy • Aggressively target vulnerable groups • Use lawyers, lobbyists, and public relations firms to undermine tobacco control Now use strategies perfected in developed markets to addict new smokers in emerging markets

7. The Tobacco Industry’s Death Toll • Currently: • 1 in 10 deaths linked to tobacco • 4.9 million people die each year from tobacco use • By 2030: • Expected to be leading cause of death worldwide • 8 million people a year will die from tobacco use • 80% of those deaths will occur in developing countries

8. Overall Tobacco Industry Strategies • Legitimize themselves where they operate • Interfere with the policy making process • Create new users and keep existing ones UNDERMINE STRONG TOBACCO CONTROL POLICIES

9. Tobacco Industry Strategies • Legitimize themselves where they operate • using corporate philanthropy • funding “socially responsible” activities • conducting media “trainings” • funding supportive research • creating/funding issues-specific alliances

10. Tobacco Industry Strategies • Interfere with policy making process. They create allies and increase influence among policy making and regulatory bodies by: • lobbying • political funding • drafting bills; submitting comments • participating on committees • providing political donations, gifts, trips, and perks

11. TI Tactics to Defeat Strong Legislation Tobacco companies will attempt to: • Pass a weak law • Link to emotional issues • Introduce bills to make you waste time and resources by playing defense • Hide their measure in an unrelated bill • Influence legislators’ votes by gathering and using information about their beliefs, interests, constituents, favorite charities etc.

12. Tobacco Industry Strategies • Create new users and keep existing ones • advertising, promotion and sponsorships targeted at kids, young people and women • new product “innovations” • expansion into emerging markets • pricing strategies

13. HOW Their Strategies Impact Policy Change • Strengthens their arguments against proven policies • Makes it acceptable for political leaders to: • Associate with them • Accept their money • Defend industry positions • Enables them to enlist other businesses to support them • Blurs debates that should be black and white • Calms the OUTRAGE that is critical for action = INCREASES THEIR CREDIBILITY

14. Specific Examples HOW Their Strategies Impact Specific Policy Campaigns

15. How TI Undermines Smoke-free Policies • Falsely claim public support for regulation of public smoking • Propose ineffective voluntary regulation or weak legislation to stop strong enforceable laws • Create, influence and mobilize allies • Change product design and type • Challenge legality of smoke-free laws

16. How TI Protects its Ability to Engage in Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorships 1. Engages in marketing tactics that get around partial APS bans • Point of sale, sports and concert sponsorships, etc. 2. Conducts misinformation campaigns and mobilizes allies/retailers to ensure partial bans 3. Challenges legality of comprehensive bans • right to advertise legal product • voluntary codes • loss of advertising revenues 4. Corporate Social Responsibility IS Advertising and Promotion

17. TI Strategies to Keep Prices Low 1. Directly lobby for favorable tax structure 2. Fight for tax equalization of different tobacco products • India (bidis) & Indonesia (kreteks) 3. Implement pricing strategies • Add a Manufacturer’s Price Increase (MPI) at the same time as tax increase • Launch economy brands • Introduce smaller pack sizes Marlboro pillow packs, Philippines 2008.

18. TI Strategies to Undermine Effective Health Warnings Creative means of communicating false information on health benefits Promote light and low tar, though they have no health benefits. Use descriptors and color coding to imply tar levels Use packs to circumvent APS bans and to mislead consumers Launch misinformation campaigns Aimed at retailers and public to oppose plain packaging and standardized packaging of products

19. Countering the TI Must be Part of All Policy Campaigns • Expose and counter the tobacco industry’s wrongdoing that promotes tobacco use, the tobacco industry, and weakens tobacco control policies; • Use this information to discredit the tobacco industry and create outrage among policy makers and the public to stop their ability to influence policy making; AND • Advocate for strong tobacco control policies embodied in the FCTC and FCTC Guidelines.

20. Call to Action Monitoring and exposing tobacco industry strategies are ESSENTIAL elements of our policy campaigns. WE MUST create an environment that enables passage and implementation of strong tobacco control policies.

21. Themes to Counter the Industry • Discredit them and remove them as stakeholders • Create outrage about their deadly tactics to push decision-makers to act • Expose the impact of their strategies on tobacco control policies • PUBLICLY link their bad acts to their real goal – to maximize profits

22. EXAMPLES of SUCCESSES CSR in China Advertising Ban in Mexico Political Interference in Indonesia

23. CSR in China: Discredit tobacco sponsorship campaigns (1) Ministry of Civil Affairs canceled the nominations of tobacco companies for philanthropy awards (Nov 2008). (2) Shanghai World Expo returned RMB 200 million ($US 29.3 million) Shanghai Tobacco Company to support China’s pavilion (July 2009). (3) 11th National returned all donations from tobacco companies (Oct 2009).

24. CSR in China: Discredit Tobacco Sponsorship Campaigns Essential Elements: • Tobacco Control organizations partnered to write letters, meet with officials, generate media stories: • China has an obligation to uphold the FCTC • Sponsorships violate FCTC Articles 5.3 and 13 • Responsible action calls for end to these practices Lessons Learned: • Partnerships lead to success • With each victory, persuading decision makers gets easier and TI sponsorship is viewed as not “normal”

25. Ad Ban in Mexico: Exposing Illegal APS Activity Essential Elements: Advocate for enforcement Proper age verification Enforced prohibited free handouts at concerts Advocate for stronger laws Media advocacy February and March 2009 “Marlboro MXBeat concert defies the General Tobacco Control Law” • Lessons Learned: • Partnerships essential • Civil society can influence compliance and put government on notice that failure to enforce will be publicly exposed

26. Policy Interference: Exposing Political Corruption in Indonesia Article in Health Bill defining tobacco as an addictive substance was deleted prior to being sent to the President’s office GM Sudarta, Kompas (14 Oct 2009).

27. Policy Interference: Exposing Political Corruption in Indonesia Essential Elements: Tobacco control joined with Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) to publicly expose potential tobacco industry interference by: - Police investigation - Formal investigation by Ethics Council of Parliament - Media advocacy Lessons Learned: - Collaboration with entities outside tobacco control - Public exposure leads to success

28. WHAT NOW? How to Counter the Tobacco Industry

29. Learn About the Tobacco Industry Compile information about tobacco companies in your country: • Their size, profits, CSR programs • Who is on their boards • Locations of corporate headquarters and manufacturing plants • Their spokespeople in the media and with governmental bodies

30. Monitor Big Tobacco Types of TI Tactics • Advertising, Promotion & Sponsorships • Corporate Social Responsibility Programs • Buying Influence • Interference in policy Examples of sources to monitor • Conduct community surveys • Track media • Check corporate websites • Read tobacco company annual reports • Read government minutes and reports

31. Monitor Tobacco Control Legislation After the bill is introduced • Track the bill carefully • Watch for weaker alternative proposals • Check all versions of a bill as it goes through the process

32. Decide When to Act When you learn about a TI activity, ask: • Does it undermine or weaken our ability to reach our policy goal? OR • Would exposure of the TI activity create outrage or generate media? If yes, then act! Be timely – often requires rapid action

33. Be Strategic and Focused • Develop a Plan • Clarify your goal • Gather background information about TI activity • Work with partners • Identify target audiences and how to reach them • Develop key messages • Identify the messengers • Identify and develop multiple strategies to convey • Implement the plan! • Track progress and evaluate results

34. Clarify Your Goal • What can you accomplish? • How would it fit into your overall strategy? • May directly address your policy goalnow– for example, a sponsored event may vividly depict the need for a comprehensive tobacco APS ban. • May pay off dividends later- for example, exposing TI bad acts may create public outrage about the industry and undermine its influence.

35. Gather Background Information • Conduct research to find out more about TI activity - who, what, where, when, and how • Gather background information on key players involved in the TI activity – look for points of vulnerability

36. Preparation for Policy Campaigns Prior to introducing a bill: • Identify and work with experts to provide data to support the policy • Identify and establish relationships with journalists • Identify and establish relationships with friendly policy makers and staff of key commissions and committees to educate them about the issue, and to stay informed about progress of the bill and TI involvement

37. Partner with Other Organizations • Working with groups that share similar goals will help to achieve policy goals • Experts provide credibility and data to support the policy • Partners may add credibility and reach with different target audiences

38. Who is the Audience • Target those with power and influence to help achieve your goals • Include the public in order to educate them about industry motives and increase support for tobacco control policies

39. What is the Message? • Key messages should convey what the TI is doing, why this is wrong, and what should be done about it. • Include messages that directly counter industry positions or stories • Tell a compelling story to: • Motivate your audience to speak up and act

40. Who Can Reach Your Audience • Choose the best messenger for the audience • Consider all options including your partners: Who does your target audience respect or trust? • Who is your target audience politically responsive to? Note: It also is important to avoid messengers your target audience dislikes, distrusts or does not find credible

41. Strategies to Reach Your Audience • Identify the best ways to reach your audiences • Use multiple strategies: • Earned media: articles, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor • Paid media • Meetings with policy makers or other officials • Writing letters • Public demonstrations

42. Evaluate Your Efforts • During the campaign: • Evaluate strategies to be sure they are being implemented and achieving your objectives • Mid‑course corrections must be made if necessary to achieve success • At the end of a campaign: • Assess what did and did not work • Celebrate your Successes!

43. Effective Advocacy • Is timely • Contains clear messages • Exposes the TI tactic/activity • Clearly conveys the need for action • Uses the best-available evidence • Includes a specific ‘ask’ for action • Comes from a respected messenger • Increases support and stimulates action

44. Remember • Tobacco control advocates are the tobacco industry’s biggest competitor • The tobacco industry will pull out all the stops when threatened so be prepared and thorough

45. “Tobacco use is unlike other threats to global health. Infectious diseases do not employ multinational public relations firms. There are no front groups to promote the spread of cholera. Mosquitoes have no lobbyists.” WHO Committee of Experts Report on Tobacco Industry Documents, 2000

46. http://tobaccofreecenter.org/industry_watch