Como impiden las tabacaleras que la sociedad NO fume?
[A new analysis, reviewed below, tracks 40 years of tobacco industry
activities to prevent tobacco control legislation in Argentina. Public health
advocates and policymakers in Argentina--and Latin America--need to understand
these tactics and anticipate them with programs that prevent their influence on
politicians. Not learning from others' experiences will only delay the
implementation of effective tobacco control legislation. This review can be read
online in ProCOR's Journal Club (www.procor.org). We welcome your comments.]
Title: Tobacco industry successfully prevented tobacco control legislation in
Argentina
Authors: E M Sebrie, J Barnoya, E J Perez-Stable & S A Glantz
Reference: Tobacco Control 2005; 14; e2 www.tobaccocontrol.com
Reviewed by: Carlos Mendoza Montano Ph.D. APRECOR, Guatemala. E-mail:
projhouse@intelnet.net.gt
What is the problem being addressed? Argentina is a developing country with
economic interests in tobacco growing and rapidly increasing tobacco use in
urban areas. In 2000, smoking prevalence was 40.4% among adults (compared to
23.6% in the USA). Buenos Aires had the highest airborne nicotine levels inside
hospitals, schools, government buildings, airports, and restaurants among seven
Latin American cities in 2002. Two transnational tobacco companies (TTC)
dominated the cigarette market in Argentina: British American Tobacco (BAT), and
Philip Morris International (PMI).
In addition to the USA and Britain, the TTC's strategies to prevent tobacco
control legislation have been described in other developing countries. Despite
the economic and cultural differences between Argentina and these countries, TTC
have used their Argentinean affiliates to implement similar strategies as
elsewhere to block meaningful tobacco control.
Purpose of the study: To evaluate how transnational tobacco companies, working
through their local affiliates, influenced tobacco control policymaking in
Argentina between 1966 and 2005.
Location of the Study: Argentina.
Study design: Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents, local newspapers
and magazines, internet resources, bills from the Argentinean National Congress
Library, and interviews with key individuals in Argentina. After identifying the
first documents or words, a snowball strategy was used to locate new documents.
A total of about 230 relevant documents were found.
Results/Findings: TTC have been actively influencing public health policymaking
in Argentina since the early 1970s. As in other countries, in 1977 the tobacco
industry created a weak voluntary self-regulating code to avoid strong
legislated restrictions on advertising. In addition to direct lobbying by the
tobacco companies, these efforts involved use of third party allies, public
relations campaigns, and scientific and medical consultants. During the 1980s
and 1990s, efforts to pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation
intensified, but the organized tobacco industry prevented its enactment. There
has been no national activity to decrease exposure to secondhand smoke.
Comments: The tobacco industry has worked successfully for almost 40 years to
block tobacco control legislation in Argentina. As in other countries, the
industry created a self-regulation code, widely ignored, as a tool to avoid
meaningful restrictions on tobacco advertising. During the 1980s, efforts to
pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation intensified. However, tobacco
control groups were overwhelmed by the well-organized tobacco industry that
prevented the passage of such bills. Tobacco industry representatives, together
with their allies, ETS consultants, advertising agencies, and the local press,
operated as an efficient and well-coordinated team.
Public health advocates and policymakers in Argentina- and Latin America-should
be aware of TTC's tactics in order to anticipate their moves. They need to
develop stronger, more confrontational programs designed to isolate the tobacco
industry and make it more difficult for politicians to support it. Not learning
from others' experiences will only delay the implementation of effective tobacco
control legislation in these countries.
Additional Reference
1. Navas-Acien A, Peruga A, Breysse P, et al. Secondhand tobacco smoke in public
places in Latin America, 2002-2003. JAMA 2004; 291:2741-5.
2. Saloojee Y, Dagli E. Tobacco industry tactics for resisting public policy on
health. Bull World Health Organ 2000;78:902-10.
_____________________________________________________________________
Contribute to ProCOR's Global Dialogue by replying to this message or
sending an email to .
activities to prevent tobacco control legislation in Argentina. Public health
advocates and policymakers in Argentina--and Latin America--need to understand
these tactics and anticipate them with programs that prevent their influence on
politicians. Not learning from others' experiences will only delay the
implementation of effective tobacco control legislation. This review can be read
online in ProCOR's Journal Club (www.procor.org). We welcome your comments.]
Title: Tobacco industry successfully prevented tobacco control legislation in
Argentina
Authors: E M Sebrie, J Barnoya, E J Perez-Stable & S A Glantz
Reference: Tobacco Control 2005; 14; e2 www.tobaccocontrol.com
Reviewed by: Carlos Mendoza Montano Ph.D. APRECOR, Guatemala. E-mail:
projhouse@intelnet.net.gt
What is the problem being addressed? Argentina is a developing country with
economic interests in tobacco growing and rapidly increasing tobacco use in
urban areas. In 2000, smoking prevalence was 40.4% among adults (compared to
23.6% in the USA). Buenos Aires had the highest airborne nicotine levels inside
hospitals, schools, government buildings, airports, and restaurants among seven
Latin American cities in 2002. Two transnational tobacco companies (TTC)
dominated the cigarette market in Argentina: British American Tobacco (BAT), and
Philip Morris International (PMI).
In addition to the USA and Britain, the TTC's strategies to prevent tobacco
control legislation have been described in other developing countries. Despite
the economic and cultural differences between Argentina and these countries, TTC
have used their Argentinean affiliates to implement similar strategies as
elsewhere to block meaningful tobacco control.
Purpose of the study: To evaluate how transnational tobacco companies, working
through their local affiliates, influenced tobacco control policymaking in
Argentina between 1966 and 2005.
Location of the Study: Argentina.
Study design: Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents, local newspapers
and magazines, internet resources, bills from the Argentinean National Congress
Library, and interviews with key individuals in Argentina. After identifying the
first documents or words, a snowball strategy was used to locate new documents.
A total of about 230 relevant documents were found.
Results/Findings: TTC have been actively influencing public health policymaking
in Argentina since the early 1970s. As in other countries, in 1977 the tobacco
industry created a weak voluntary self-regulating code to avoid strong
legislated restrictions on advertising. In addition to direct lobbying by the
tobacco companies, these efforts involved use of third party allies, public
relations campaigns, and scientific and medical consultants. During the 1980s
and 1990s, efforts to pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation
intensified, but the organized tobacco industry prevented its enactment. There
has been no national activity to decrease exposure to secondhand smoke.
Comments: The tobacco industry has worked successfully for almost 40 years to
block tobacco control legislation in Argentina. As in other countries, the
industry created a self-regulation code, widely ignored, as a tool to avoid
meaningful restrictions on tobacco advertising. During the 1980s, efforts to
pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation intensified. However, tobacco
control groups were overwhelmed by the well-organized tobacco industry that
prevented the passage of such bills. Tobacco industry representatives, together
with their allies, ETS consultants, advertising agencies, and the local press,
operated as an efficient and well-coordinated team.
Public health advocates and policymakers in Argentina- and Latin America-should
be aware of TTC's tactics in order to anticipate their moves. They need to
develop stronger, more confrontational programs designed to isolate the tobacco
industry and make it more difficult for politicians to support it. Not learning
from others' experiences will only delay the implementation of effective tobacco
control legislation in these countries.
Additional Reference
1. Navas-Acien A, Peruga A, Breysse P, et al. Secondhand tobacco smoke in public
places in Latin America, 2002-2003. JAMA 2004; 291:2741-5.
2. Saloojee Y, Dagli E. Tobacco industry tactics for resisting public policy on
health. Bull World Health Organ 2000;78:902-10.
_____________________________________________________________________
Contribute to ProCOR's Global Dialogue by replying to this message or
sending an email to .
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