Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: the importance of FCTC Article 5.3 ; Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: The importance of FCTC Article 5.3

Abstract

Objective. To analyze how the tobacco industry influenced tobacco control policymaking in Costa Rica. Materials and Methods. Review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation, newspaper articles, and interviewing of key informants. Results. During the mid-to-late 1980s, Health Ministry issued several advanced (for their time) smoking restriction decrees causing British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) to strengthen their political presence there, resulting in passage of a weak 1995 law, which, as of August 2011, remained in effect. Since 1995 the industry has used Costa Rica as a pilot site for Latin American programs and has dominated policymaking by influencing the Health Ministry, including direct private negotiations with the tobacco industry which violate Article 5.3's implementing guidelines of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Conclusions. The Costa Rica experience demonstrates the importance of vigorous implementation of FCTC Article 5.3 which insulates public health policymaking from industry interference. ; Objetivo. Analizar cómo la industria tabacalera influyó en la formulación de las políticas de control del tabaco en Costa Rica. Materiales y métodos. Revisión de documentos de la industria tabacalera, de la legislación costarricense de control del tabaco y de periódicos y entrevistas con informantes clave. Resultados. Durante los años ochenta, el Ministerio de Salud aprobó varios decretos para restringir el consumo de tabaco, lo que causó que British American Tobacco y Philip Morris International fortalecieran su presencia política, cuyo resultado fue la promulgación de una ley débil en 1995 todavía vigente. Desde 1995 la industria tabacalera ha utilizado a Costa Rica como piloto para los programas latinoamericanos y ha dominado la formulación de políticas influenciando al Ministerio de Salud, incluyendo negociaciones privadas con la industria tabacalera en violación de las directrices del Artículo 5.3 del ...