🔗 Share this article

British American Tobacco has been accused of “complete double standards” for lobbying against tobacco control measures in Africa that are already in place in the UK.

Campaign in Zambia

Documents seen by journalists sent from the company’s subsidiary in Zambia to the country’s government ministers demands measures restricting tobacco advertising and sponsorship to be canceled or deferred.

The company is attempting amendments to a draft bill that include reductions in the recommended coverage of pictorial cautions on cigarette packaging, the withdrawal of controls on scented cigarette varieties, and reduced sanctions for any businesses disregarding the new laws.

Anti-tobacco campaigner response

“As an elected official, I would say that they allow the safeguarding of the British people and perpetuate the death of the Zambian people,” stated Master Chimbala.

More than 7,000 Zambians a year succumb to smoking-associated diseases, according to World Health Organization estimates.

The advocate mentioned the letter was known to have been circulated to various ministerial offices and was in circulating through civil society groups.

Worldwide lobbying patterns

The situation emerges alongside wider concerns about business sector influence with medical guidelines. In recent weeks, international health experts sounded an alarm that the tobacco industry was intensifying efforts to weaken global control measures.

“Evidence exists of business advocacy globally. Tobacco company fingerprints are on postponed duty hikes in Indonesia, delayed regulations in Zambia and even a diluted statement at the UN high-level meeting,” commented the corporate monitoring director.

Likely impacts

“If a tobacco control measure fails to be approved because of this letter, the cost might be borne in human lives who might possibly give up cigarettes.”

The public health measure progressing through Zambia’s parliament includes regulations surpassing UK legislation by including provisions for e-cigarettes, and mandating that graphic health warnings cover 75% of product packaging.

Company alternative suggestions

In the letter, the company recommends this be decreased to thirty to fifty percent “according to global suggested parameters”, deferred for no less than one year after the law is enacted.

International experts in fact recommends a warning should cover at least half of the front of a pack “and aim to cover as much of the main visible surfaces as possible”. In the UK, warnings need to encompass sixty-five percent of a cigarette pack surfaces.

Flavored tobacco discussion

The corporation requests the removal of broad restrictions on scented smoking items, claiming that it would push consumers toward “illicitly sold” products. The company proposes prohibiting a smaller list of “tastes inspired by desserts, candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and alcohol drinks”. Every scented tobacco product have been outlawed across the UK since 2020.

The draft bill proposes sanctions for various offences “extending from a percentage of annual turnover to a decade in prison”.

Corporate defense

Via documentation, the company executive of British American Tobacco Zambia states the corporation is focused on good corporate behaviour” and “backs the goals of governments to lower tobacco use and the connected wellbeing effects” but asserts that “specific rules can have unwelcome and unexpected consequences.”

Activist reaction

Chimbala said the corporation's recommended amendments would “undermine this law so much that the impact needed for it to produce permanent improvement in society will not be achieved”.

The fact that multiple comparable regulations were present in the UK, where BAT is headquartered, was “complete contradiction”, he stated.

“We live in a global village. Should I grow cigarettes in my back yard and gather the crop and sell it out – and my offspring don't use tobacco, but my community's youth consumes … to benefit personally and all the generations of my children while my community's youth are succumbing … is in itself absolute spiritual collapse.”

Public health laws in the United Kingdom or other countries had failed to shutter businesses, the advocate mentioned. “Regulations don't close the industry. Measures simply defend the people.”

Official corporate statement

The company representative said: “The corporation runs its operations according with current country statutes. Moreover, the firm contributes in the nation's lawmaking procedures in line with the suitable systems which enable relevant group engagement in regulation development.”

The firm positioned itself as “not resisting legislation”, they said, noting that young individuals should be safeguarded against access to tobacco and nicotine.

“We support progressive regulation to realize planned population health targets, while recognizing the range of rights and obligations on industry, consumers and related stakeholders,” the spokesperson stated, mentioning that the corporation's recommendations “mirror the circumstances of the Zambian market and smoking product business, which includes growing volumes of illicit trade”.

The country's office of economic activities and commercial operations was contacted for response.