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Evans-Reeves KA, et al. Intimidation against advocates and researchers in the tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food spaces: a review. Health Promot Int. 2024 Dec 1;39(6):daae153. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daae153. PMID: 39569485; PMCID: PMC11579607.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569485/

“This scoping review explores the literature across the tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food spaces for instances of intimidation and categorizes them inductively and deductively based on a framework of intimidation types.”

“We found intimidatory tactics towards advocates and researchers in every sector. Public discreditation, followed by legal threats and action, complaints, and freedom of information requests, were most frequently mentioned and attributed to unhealthy consumer industries (UCIs) or their third parties. Surveillance, threats of violence, violence, burglary and bribery were less prevalent in the literature and their perpetrators were unknown. Those intimidated reported carrying on as normal, defensive action (changing/adapting work, taking security precautions) or, as was most reported, offensive action (exposing intimidation, correcting misinformation, taking legal action). The similarity of intimidation across sectors suggests that UCIs engage in similar intimidatory tactics regardless of sector.”

Note: The World Health Organization has announced the 2025 No Tobacco Day theme in May as: “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.”

TRC Research Commentary

Wiseman A. Opinion Statement. We need to counter industry promotion of harmful products to protect public health. BMJ 2025; 388:r198. 5 Feb 2025.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r198
“…Tobacco control gives us a blueprint for reducing the harm caused by these commercial determinants of health. The tactics used to promote and sell unhealthy food and drink follow the same playbook as the tobacco, alcohol, and gambling industries, as previous research has documented.
In addition to clever marketing and branding campaigns, the tobacco industry led the way in recruiting doctors and trusted public figures to reassure smokers that smoking isn’t harmful and dispute evidence to the contrary that could affect their profits. Other tactics include political lobbying, industry-funded research reporting favorable results, and litigation against those who spoke out against them.”

Comment: I would add “drug” to commercial determinants of ill health. It is outrageous how the drug nicotine has been allowed to be introduced into food and drink as well as alternative tobacco products, ensuring continuous generations of addicts. Stephen Hamann