Anti-smoking campaigners vow to turn up heat on big tobacco

His comments were made on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), during the launch of the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s campaigned “Ban Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship”. The campaign is aimed at giving its 194-member countries a glimpse into the world of big tobacco and the various schemes it employs to indirectly market and promote cigarette and tobacco products.

Despite anti-smoking laws, the CSR activities of cigarette companies are viewed as the prime channel for cigarette companies to promote smoking in Thailand – among mainly younger generations. 

Leading anti-tobacco activist Dr Prakit Vatheesatokit said that allowing cigarette companies to continue their CSR activities could lead to a misunderstanding among members of the public that cigarettes were not harmful and cigarette companies were genuinely concerned with people’s health and well-being. 

He went on to say that each year cigarette companies set aside large budgets for “indirect advertising”. From 2009-2012 the Thai Tobacco Monopoly increased its budget for such activities from Bt155 million to Bt426 million, while Philip Morris Thailand lifted its budget from Bt5.5 million to Br12.6 million. 

“We want the government and related agencies to proceed with measures prohibiting cigarette companies from carrying out CSR activities in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s article 13. We also want the government to prohibit state officials or agencies from attending such CRS activities as this could lead to conflicts of interest when implementing tobacco control policy. This matter was already approved by the Cabinet on April 17 last year for the Finance Ministry to proceed, but cigarette companies are still carrying out CSR activities,” he said, adding that each year 50,000 Thais died from smoking-related causes.