Forest barred from tobacco control conference
Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 13:44 The eighth European Conference on Tobacco or Health is taking place in Berlin this week.
Organised by the Association of European Cancer Leagues, ECToH is said to unite ‘over 600 influential advocates, researchers, academics, non-governmental organisations, civil society, scientists, healthcare professionals and public officials working on all aspects of tobacco control from around Europe.’
One notable exception from that list is the consumer. Guillaume Perigois, director of Forest EU, tried to register to attend the conference but received this response:
Dear Guillaume
Thanks for your email and your interest on the ECToH 2020.
Unfortunately, I must inform you that tobacco companies and supporters are not allowed to participate.
You can also read this on our website.
It is not possible for you to visit the ECToH 2020 in Berlin.
Kind regards,
The link, btw, takes visitors to a page that reads:
IMPORTANT: Those who have any affiliation with tobacco or e-cigarette industry (current, in the past, or have future plans) or their lobbyists, either professionally or on a personal basis [my emphasis], will NOT be permitted to the ECToH.
This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who have ever accepted any sponsorship, grant or any other form of support, whether financially or otherwise; or entered into any form of association with the tobacco or eCigarette industry, including but not limited to tobacco companies, eCigarette companies, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and tobacco- or eCigarettes, and related industry-funded research bodies, such as the so-called ‘Foundation for a Smoke-Free World’.
ECToH’s policy is aligned with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Article 5.3: There is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the tobacco industry’s interest and public health policy interests.
Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on anything that might be of interest.
A couple of things have already caught my eye. One, findings that claim that plain packaging has been a success in the UK; and, two, a report that ranks 36 European countries on tobacco control. (Spoiler: the UK, France and Ireland lead the way with Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg continuing to ‘disappoint’.)
More to follow.
Reader Comments (2)
What about individual smokers who are not funded by tobacco companies, or those who don’t support these companies? Smokers have a right to have their concerns/voices heard too.
The antismoking zealots can't allow dissent because it risks exposing the lies and manipulated data supporting their grift.