|
|
|
|
West Yorkshire Trading Standards’ work to tackle cheap and illicit tobacco in partnership with the five West Yorkshire councils, including Calderdale Council, has been shortlisted in the Public Health Improvement category of the MJ Local Government Achievement Awards 2020.
The Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health Programme, funded by the five Public Health departments, is helping people to stop tobacco use for good by educating the public and investigating traders who supply cheap and illicit tobacco.
The initiative uses multi-agency enforcement and community marketing campaigns to tackle the problems of the illegal trade. So far, the programme has taken nearly six million illegal cigarettes and two tonnes of illegal hand-rolling tobacco off the streets of West Yorkshire.
Training sessions with thousands of members of the public and hundreds of front line professionals have been delivered to raise awareness of the dangers and wider criminality associated with the supply of illicit tobacco.
Deborah Harkins, Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “Smoking is a major risk factor for many diseases and harms the immune system. Supporting people to quit is always a priority, but particularly at the moment as smokers could be at greater risk from COVID-19.
“We’re delighted to play a part in the regional crackdown on illicit tobacco, as this not only helps to reduce smoking rates, but also protects a whole range of people from this illegal activity.”
Source: Brighouse Echo, 29 July 2020
|
|
Formula 1 is facing heavy criticism for its continued links to tobacco companies, with a new report criticising teams Ferrari and McLaren for their continued sponsorships.
The report, co-authored by anti-tobacco NGO Stopping Tobacco Organisations and Products (STOP) and F1 financial reporters Formula Money, explains that tobacco companies Philip Morris International (PMI) and British American Tobacco (BAT) have used advertising with Ferrari and McLaren respectively to “undermine national tobacco advertising bans”.
A sport that has been closely linked with tobacco sponsorships since the 1960s, F1 has made more than $4.4 billion from tobacco advertising in its history, although much of that revenue dissipated with widespread tobacco advertising bans introduced in most countries since the mid-2000’s.
Now with PMI’s “Mission Winnow” and BAT’s “A Better Tomorrow” campaigns, that revenue is once again on the rise, with the exposure of the campaigns worth $150.3 million and $27.6 million to the respective companies.
“Both PMI and BAT use their F1 links in corporate PR and social media; between them, they use car launches, team successes, F1 e-sports and more to attract the attention of F1 fans. Research suggests that even the tobacco brands that left the sport benefitted from long-term recall of their association with F1,” the report explains.
Additionally, the report demands that F1’s governing body, the FIA, hold the teams accountable.
“In its #PurposeDriven initiative, the FIA claims that it wants to promote a net positive contribution to society. That is impossible while it allows tobacco companies that contribute to health, environmental and economic harm to remain involved in F1.
“PMI and BAT have not changed: They produce and sell hundreds of billions of cigarettes annually, while more than 8 million people die from tobacco use every year.”
Source: Grand Prix 24/7, 30 July 2020
Stopping Tobacco Organisations and Products (STOP): Driving Addiction: F1 and Tobacco Advertising
|
|
Have you been forwarded this email? Subscribe to ASH Daily News here.
For more information call 020 7404 0242, email [email protected] or visit www.ash.org.uk
ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
