Smoking and International Issues
USA: The number 1 worldwide exporter of cigarettes
!!!!! 118.5 billion in 1988 !!!!!
- 31% of the US crop is exported
- From 1954 to 1984 the food for peace program of the US Department of
Agriculture included shipments of tobacco products to the hungry
countries of the world...
- An amendment to section 301 of the 1974 trade act enlists the US
Government to use or threaten trade sanctions against countries
not permitting the sale of US tobacco products. Recently this was in active
use against Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
- Exported tobacco products are not required to comply with US
standards for disclosure of tar and nicotine content, as well as
quality control standards regarding concentrations of additives, herbicides
and pesticides. Warning labels, restrictions on advertising and consumer
protection from false representation do not apply to exported US made
cigarettes.
Brand names of exported cigarettes include long life, sportsman, life,
prosperity island and new paradise.
In Brazil the annual advertising budget for US cigarettes exceeds the
country's national budget for health research.
- Asia
is a rapidly growing market for tobacco companies and in China there are
10000 smoking related deaths per week!!!
Advertising strategies for exported US cigarettes include sponsoring of
sporting events, free
samples, and free admission to discotheques in exchange for empty cigarette
cartons . . .
The US government allows tobacco companies to deduct 100% of their
cigarette advertising
costs for tax purposes.
Growth of the foreign market parallels the reduction in the domestic
market:
Cigarette consumption is on the decline in the US while marked
increases have been noted in developing countries . . .
- up 300% in Papua New Guinea
- up 400% in India
- up 33% in Africa, 24% in Latin America
Increases in tobacco related diseases have been documented as well,
with mortality from lung diseases up by 600% in
India.
As a crop, tobacco is the most widely grown non food crop in more
than 120 countries.
The US tobacco industry incites and aids farmers to start growing
tobacco using tax deductible financial incentives, technical expertise,
free seeds and fertilizers. An added incentive is their guarantee of
short term profits from foreign exchange following the harvest.
Despite gains from the employment of unskilled laborers and the
generation of tax revenues, developing countries face long term
losses from:
- diversion of land resources away from food crops and grazing
- health care costs from tobacco related illnesses
- environmental damage due to pollution from fertilizers,
herbicides and pesticides
- losses of forests . . . wood smoke curing of tobacco requires 1 acre
of forest to cure each acre of tobacco crop.
Malawi has lost 1/3 of its trees to tobacco curing
In Tanzania 12% of its trees are felled each year for curing
The US government asks other governments to curb exports of
cocaine and other substances of abuse while it directly and indirectly
subsidizes a tobacco industry that causes more harm to society than
all other known substances of abuse combined, even allowing for the
loss of revenue from the underground economy and crime costs.
Ownership of tobacco company stocks represents indirect
endorsement of the industry's practices. Several prominent us
hospitals and medical schools have been pressured to give up their
investment holdings in the tobacco industry, thanks to individual and
group efforts, notably through the
American Medical Association.
Aid in divestiture can be obtained through the Clean Indoor Air
Educational Foundation: 617 266-6130
Other related links
References
- A Blum; The marlboro grand prix; NEJM 1991; 324; 913-6
- M Barry; The Influence of the US tobacco industry on the health, economy and environment of developing countries; NEJM 1991; 324; 917-20
- Warner KE; The tobacco subsidy: does it matter?; J Natl Cancer Inst 1988; 80; 81-3
- TD MacKenzie, CE Bartecchi, RW Schrier; The human costs of tobacco use; NEJM 1994; 330; 975-80
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