Return to Seville
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:13 It was 35 degrees (95 Fahrenheit) in Seville yesterday.
"That's cool," said our German guide. "At this time of year it's normally 40 - in the shade."
The last time I visited Seville was in 1999. I had been working for Forest for only a few months when I was invited to attend a lavish conference organised by Smokepeace, a loose association of European smokers' rights groups (SRGs) supported by Philip Morris.
Smokepeace (terrible name) had been set up in the early Nineties. At that time there were SRGs in Italy, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Italy and the UK.
With the exception of Forest and Club de Fumadores in Spain, they were all run by volunteers.
Representatives would meet several times a year but nothing much happened until 1997 when a conference was convened in Amsterdam. Two years later Seville was the host city for a second Smokepeace event.
Organised by Club de Fumadores and Apco, a Brussels-based public affairs company, it was billed as a "world conference on smokers' rights" but the thing that struck me were the delegates themselves.
They were ordinary, courteous, articulate smokers who were active because they were bemused by the unremitting war on tobacco and the increasing impact it was having on their lives.
Seville was an inspired choice of location, and not just for the balmy autumn weather or the fantastic food. Tobacco has strong links with the city (think 'Carmen'!) and the conference was held at the university which now occupies the old tobacco factory in the heart of the city.
Ironic, then, that my most vivid memory of that trip is the afternoon we spent watching England beat Scotland 2-0 in a crowded Irish bar opposite the cathedral.
(For the record Paul Scholes scored twice. England lost the return match at Wembley the following week but qualified for the 2000 European Championship 2-1 on aggregate.)
Anyway, those three days in Seville had a huge influence on me and, subsequently, Forest.
Unfortunately, despite throwing our hat into the ring to organise a similar event in London in 2001, we never got the opportunity. Smokepeace was wound up when funding was withdrawn and most of the national SRGs went the same way.
Yesterday was a reminder of what could have been achieved had those thoughtful, decent campaigners received the support they deserved.
Most of all, though, I was reminded of what a beautiful city Seville is. Warmly (no pun intended) recommended.
Reader Comments (3)
Interesting.
I didn't know that Philip Morris had once funded smokers' 'rights' groups. I wonder why the funding was withdrawn?
The result, anyway, is that the emerging new grassroot smokers' movement has no connection with Big Tobacco. Perhaps that's a good thing. Perhaps it's not. But it's the way it is anyway.
So why was the support of PM withdrawn? Do they feel no compunction to support their customers? Considering the profits the tobacco companies make, I would have thought the small amount involved in supporting the SRGs was money well spent. As you say, just think what might have been achieved. We could have headed off a lot of this ordure the Tobacco Control Industry incontinently spout.
What happened to those people? Are they still active, do you know? I don't suppose you have any contact details for Greece, do you? I know it was a long time ago, but it would be interesting to establish contact.
I loved Seville, and I also remember seeing what had been the cigarette factory where Carmen worked. I was however disappointed, as I could not find the Barber.