Who is behind the Movement to Oppose the Smoking Law
Who is behind the Movement to Oppose the Smoking Law Press Release: Risk communication and healthy habits Department, Thailand Date: 1 March 2015 Release date: For Immediate Release
Who is behind the Movement to Oppose the Smoking Law Just a short time ago, there were additional actors opposing the new Tobacco Product Control Act such as the America – Asian Business Council, the Thai – American Chamber of Commerce, and the US Chamber of Commerce. These parties issued a letter to the Prime Minister opposing the Act and stating that the new Tobacco Product Control Act violates Intellectual Property rights and International law.
Recently, the Thai Tobacco Trade Association released a statement threatening the Thai government, stating that if the Cabinet approved the New Tobacco Product Control Act, it may result in consideration by the representative of the Office of US Trade of listing Thailand in April as a country that abuses Intellectual Property rights. Thailand has been on this list for 8 years and it maintains that if the Cabinet agrees with this new legislation, Thailand will remain on the list for abusing Intellectual Property rights.
Following news of opposition of the Act, it appears that tobacco companies oppose the draft of the New Tobacco Product Control Act. In reality, international tobacco companies are behind the scenes and direct the overall movement against it.
Philip Morris, owner of Marlboro and L & M cigarette brands, has a 22% share of the cigarette market in Thailand and is a core supporter in the establishment of the Thai Tobacco Trade Association which is a main organization opposing this new legislation (www.tta.or.th).
Philip Morris is also a main supporter of the International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) and the Association of Growers and Traders of tobacco in Thailand are its members. The role of the ITGA is to coordinate opposition to tobacco control measures at the local, national, and international level.
The America – Asian Business Council who opposes the draft of the New Tobacco Product Control Act has representatives from Philip Morris on its Board. Moreover, Philip Morris regularly donates funding support to the America – Asian Business Council in Thailand.
It seems clear that several organizations oppose the New Tobacco Product Control Act. However, who really is behind the scenes. The Act has been proposed by the Ministry of Public Health in order to reduce the number of cigarette smokers and to prevent children from becoming smokers, thereby saving many Thai lives. Supporters of the Act are more than 700 parties that provide social services in Thailand, especially professionals such as physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, medical technicians, public health groups, and those from various civil society organizations. In addition, the Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, and the Secretary of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Dr. Vera da Costa e Silva, released a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Prayut Chan-o-cha, in support of the New Tobacco Product Control Act stating it is an effective means to help prevent Thai adolescents from smoking.
The initial opposition came from the Thai Tobacco Trade Association and the Association of Growers and Traders of tobacco. However, the one behind the scenes is Philip Morris, a product trader, who is the cause of many Thai lives lost just in order to maintain their enormous profit regardless of killing their customers.
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Risk communication and healthy habits department, Thailand
27 February 2015
