Tobacco control advocates are calling for action

TOBACCO control advocates and health organisations are reacting strongly to the damning report British American Tobacco in South Africa: Any Means Necessary, published by global tobacco industry watchdog STOP.

BAT activities are further exposed in an investigation by BBC Panorama: Dirty Secrets of the Cigarette Business.

BAT, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, appears to have crossed the line of ethics and legality to keep people addicted to its products, stifling attempts to reduce tobacco use.

According to the reports, BAT used potentially questionable payments to try to influence tobacco control policies and undermine competitors. The company allegedly paid varying amounts to politicians, journalists, competitors’ staff and more. Analysis of leaked industry documents and court affidavits suggests BAT was engaged in possibly illegal informant networks, state capture and the potential smuggling of its own products in Africa. But BAT has denied the charges.

The National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) is calling for British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) to be investigated by the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit for allegations of bribery, illegal surveillance on competitors, and criminal activities. “It is not surprising that

BAT is once again entangled in such accusations,” said Sharon Nyatsanza, project and communications manager at NCAS.

“Decades of tobacco industry interference tactics with policy are well-documented, and it is disappointing that not much is being done to stop the industry from meddling behind the scenes, and weakening public health policy. The reports must set in motion investigations and corporations must be held accountable for their role in corruption. Although BAT has denied these charges, it is difficult not to conclude that the usual way for BAT to do business in Africa is through corruption, and this will likely continue except the company is investigated and charged.”

“It’s clear that BAT has resorted to desperate measures to keep selling their products,” said Pamela Naidoo, chief executive of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA). “It also seems that former SARS official Johann van Loggerenberg certainly had valid points to make when he drew attention to this very issue and the extent of the deceitfulness of the tobacco industry. The more we expose what is actually going on and has gone on in the past, the more we can protect our people, and especially our youth.”

Lorraine Govender, national manager of Health Promotion for the Cancer Association of SA, said: “Tobacco is

responsible for over 16 types of cancers. The devastating effects of cancer in South Africa is picking up speed. The rate of death from cancer among men and women and all racial groups and for many types of cancers, including lung cancer, continues to rise. We are certainly witnessing the aftermath of BAT’s alleged dubious activities. The cost of their unscrupulous activities should not only be measured in rands and cents, but also the irreplaceable loss of human lives that forever alters communities.”

Zanele Mthembu, public health policy and development consultant, said African governments should take the BAT reports seriously, particularly in SA where BATSA holds more than 70% of the market share, and where smoking rates and related deaths remain high. About one in five people smoke cigarettes, according to the South Africa Demographic and Health Survey. “Every year, tobacco-related diseases kill about 42 100 people in South Africa. These diseases cost the economy R42 billion each year. This is money which the government could rather use for the socio-economic development of the nation, including poverty eradication initiatives, supporting education initiatives, and building township and rural economies, among others,” says Mthembu. “BAT’s dirty tactics are a clear demonstration of a multinational corporation whose sole purpose is to sell and profit through disease, disability and death. We implore our government to save South Africa by passing the long awaited Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, published in 2018 – or to at least process the bill to the Cabinet by the end of 2021.”

Mthembu said: “The alleged criminal activities by BAT are a clear demonstration that the South African government should adopt an all-of-government approach both to tobacco control and to dealing with the tobacco industry. Further, as civil society, we believe that the 2018 Tobacco Control Bill should include matters pertaining to prevention of policy interference by the tobacco industry, in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which was ratified by the South African Parliament in 2005.”

Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, director of the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University said, “The tobacco industry’s political influence is consistently identified as a key barrier to effective implementation of the WHO FCTC in several African countries. The STOP report again shows that South Africa is no different. We cannot allow the political influence of tobacco companies to weaken, delay, and prevent the introduction of critical public health measures to serve their profit goals. Enhancing governments’ capacity to monitor the industry’s political activities and curb undue influence on government officials is key to insulate the development and implementation of public health policies from interference by the tobacco industry.”