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Critics have charged British American Tobacco with “complete double standards” for opposing tobacco control measures in Africa that are already in place in the UK.

Zambian lobbying efforts

Correspondence acquired by reporters sent from the firm's affiliate in Zambia to the African officials requests measures restricting tobacco advertising and sponsorship to be scrapped or postponed.

The company is attempting amendments to a pending law that include lowering the proposed size of pictorial cautions on cigarette packaging, the withdrawal of controls on scented cigarette varieties, and watered-down penalties for any companies violating the new laws.

Anti-tobacco campaigner response

“As an elected official, I would say that they permit the protection of the British people and continue the mortality of the Zambian people,” commented the anti-tobacco campaigner.

Over seven thousand citizens a year pass away from cigarette-linked health conditions, according to World Health Organization estimates.

The campaigner stated the letter was understood to have been copied to various ministerial offices and was in distribution within public interest organizations.

Worldwide lobbying patterns

This occurs during expanded apprehension about business sector influence with health policies. In recent weeks, global health authorities raised concerns that the tobacco industry was intensifying efforts to weaken global control measures.

“There is proof of business advocacy worldwide. Corporate signatures are on postponed duty hikes in Indonesia, stalled legislation in Zambia and even a diluted statement at the UN summit conference,” commented the corporate monitoring director.

Potential consequences

“Should anti-smoking legislation doesn't get enacted because of this letter, the price could be paid in lives of people who might otherwise quit smoking.”

The tobacco control bill going through Zambia’s parliament includes measures that exceed UK legislation by including provisions for e-cigarettes, and stipulating that pictorial cautions cover three-quarters of product packaging.

Corporate counter-proposals

Via documentation, the company recommends this be decreased to 30% or 50% “according to global recommended threshold”, delayed for at least 12 months after the legislation is approved.

Global health authorities in fact recommends a alert needs to encompass at least fifty percent of the front of a pack “and attempt to encompass as much of the primary showing sections as possible”. Within Britain, warnings must cover sixty-five percent of a cigarette pack surfaces.

Flavored tobacco discussion

BAT asks for the removal of broad restrictions on flavoured tobacco products, claiming that it would drive users to “illicitly sold” products. The company proposes banning a limited selection of “flavours based on desserts, candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and alcohol drinks”. Every scented tobacco product have been prohibited in Britain since 2020.

The pending regulation proposes sanctions for different infractions “ranging from a fraction of annual sales to a decade in prison”.

Corporate defense

In the letter, the company executive of the African subsidiary claims the firm is “committed to ethical business practices” and “backs the goals of governments to lower tobacco use and the connected wellbeing effects” but claims that “certain measures can have negative and unanticipated results.”

Activist reaction

The campaigner argued the corporation's recommended amendments would “undermine this law so much that the required influence for it to produce permanent improvement in society will not be achieved”.

The fact that many such provisions were present in the UK, where the corporation is based, was “complete contradiction”, he said.

“We exist in a connected world. When I cultivate smoking products in my garden and collect the yield and sell it out – and my children do not consume tobacco, but my neighbour’s children do … to benefit personally and all the subsequent offspring while my neighbor's family are dying … is in itself complete moral collapse.”

Anti-smoking regulations in the Britain or other nations had not resulted in corporate closures, the advocate mentioned. “Laws don't eliminate the industry. They merely safeguard the people.”

Official corporate statement

The corporate communicator commented: “The corporation runs its operations according with relevant national regulations. Further, the corporation engages in the state's regulatory development in line with the suitable systems which enable relevant group engagement in policymaking.”

The company was “not opposed to regulation”, the representative commented, adding that minors should be shielded from acquiring smoking products and nicotine.

“We advocate for developing rules to realize planned population health targets, while recognizing the range of privileges and responsibilities on corporations, customers and associated groups,” the spokesperson stated, mentioning that BAT’s proposals “reflect the realities of the local commercial environment and smoking product business, which encompasses growing volumes of illicit trade”.

Zambia’s department of economic activities and commercial operations was contacted for response.