Suchergebnisse

INTRODUCTION: Through packaging and marketing, the tobacco industry (TI) is able to increase the appeal of its products and reduce the effectiveness of health warning labels (HWLs). Based on scientific evidence and the principles of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), ANVISA, the Brazilian surveillance and regulatory agency, conducted a process to implement new regulations at the point-of-sale (POS), including a display ban, and new parameters to HWLs. In order to prevent the regulation from entering into force, the TI strategically used several approaches. The objective of this study was to analyze the approaches used by the TI to prevent the implementation of a tobacco display ban and new requirements to HWLs. METHODS: In order to identify and describe TI's approaches, we reviewed several sources of documentation, including published articles, reports, legislation, TI documents, and media stories. RESULTS: Well-known, reported approaches were used by the TI in order to prevent the implementation of new regulations. These approaches included political interference, litigation, and funding studies to question tobacco control measures as previously reported in Brazil and other countries. CONCLUSIONS: Using established approaches, the TI successfully stopped the implementation of a tobacco display ban and new parameters to HWLs in Brazil.

BackgroundThe tobacco industry (TI) uses several strategies to attract new consumers, including using additives in tobacco products, which makes tobacco especially attractive to youth. Based on scientific evidence and the principles of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA, for the name in Portuguese), published the Collegiate Board Resolution (RDC, for the name in Portuguese) 14/2012 in 2012, prohibiting the addition of substances that enhance the flavour and taste of tobacco products in order to make them more attractive. In response, the TI used various strategies to prevent RDC 14/2012 from entering into force. At the time, the Brazilian additive ban was the most comprehensive in the world as it included a ban on menthol.ObjectivesThis paper analyses the arguments and strategies used by the TI to prevent the implementation of the additives ban.MethodsReview of published articles, reports, legislation and legislative activity, internal TI documents, media stories and other documents to describe TI's reaction to the ban.ResultsThe results show that the TI used some well-known strategies to delay or cancel the entering into force of the resolution. For example, the TI attempted political interference, used litigation and commissioned studies with findings that questioned the resolution's rationale. The TI strategies used in Brazil are similar to those used at the global level to oppose other tobacco control measures.ConclusionsTI successfully delayed the most comprehensive additive ban in the world using its usual tactics, despite the fact that none of the arguments presented by the TI had an acceptable scientific basis or evidence.