Dear John, Did you know the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is the leading international advocacy organization working to save lives by reducing tobacco use? We’ve been active in over 60 countries around the world championing life-saving health policies with our partners. Though tobacco use is the world’s leading cause of preventable death, killing more than 8 million people worldwide each year, we are making significant, lifesaving progress. Here’s a brief list of the policy victories our global team contributed to this past year: - Brazil: Brazil’s Office of the Attorney General filed a healthcare cost recovery lawsuit against British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International and their subsidiaries.
- China: Three cities with a total population of over 18 million - Qinhuangdao, Zhangjiakou and Wuhan - passed new 100% smoke-free laws to protect people from second-hand smoke and e-cigarette vapor in public places.
- India: The country’s finance minister announced a central tax on tobacco products and, separately, the government issued an ordinance to ban the importation, manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes.
- Indonesia: The Indonesian finance minister announced an increase in tobacco excise by an average of over 37 percent across the range of products, and the minister of sports cancelled tobacco giant Djarum’s sponsorship of badminton events exposing kids to tobacco branding.
- Kenya: The Supreme Court of Kenya ruled decisively against a tobacco industry challenge to the country’s tobacco control law, and the government passed a budget that increased tobacco tax rates by approximately 15 percent.
- Mexico: Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico, adopted a 100% smoke-free law. Over 50 percent of the population of Mexico now enjoys comprehensive protection from secondhand smoke in public places.
- Moldova: The government of Moldova adopted a tobacco control law that taxes heated tobacco sticks (such as Marlboro HEETS) at the same rate as filter cigarettes and requires health warnings on the sticks themselves.
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All of this progress – and much more – was the result of local advocacy efforts that we are proud to support. We currently provide funding to 122 health advocacy organizations in low- and middle-income countries, and provided expert legal assistance in 34 countries. We also took the fight to the tobacco companies by leading an effort with partners to file a successful complaint in the United Kingdom to stop British American Tobacco from promoting e-cigarettes on social media. Following the ruling in our favor, Facebook and Instagram announced plans to no longer allow influencers to promote vaping or tobacco products. GLOBAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INCUBATOR (GHAI) Since 2014, our Global Health Advocacy Incubator has built on the successes and lessons learned in our global fight against tobacco to strengthen advocacy capacity to improve public health around the world, in diverse political systems. In 2019, we were proud to support our local partners as they pressed for stronger laws and more effective budgets to save children from drowning deaths, improve healthcare facilities for moms and babies, create healthier food environments, improve civil registration and vital statistics systems and prevent epidemics. Highlights include: - The Philippines passed its first bill mandating that children up to 12 years old must ride in car seats.
- A successful maternal and reproductive health program in Tanzania was formally handed over to the government following advocacy by health workers and other local stakeholders.
- Jamaica implemented a restriction on sugar-sweetened beverages in schools.
- Brazil’s Health Regulatory Agency approved strict limits on toxic artificial trans fat in foods.
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LOOKING AHEAD Wow, what a year! And, for the sake of your inbox, these are just a few of the highlights. In 2020, we will be working in even more countries, alongside a growing network of civil society partners. I look forward to keeping you informed on our progress. Thank you for taking this journey with us. Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year, | |
