Misinformation by the tobacco industry has contributed to millions of deaths, and the industry remains strong and defiant. (A recent UK law to enforce plain packaging has been described as ‘bold’ by commentators, because of the anticipated legal challenges from the industry.) This study shows just how far the industry will go to maintain its grip.

“The industry has sought to distort and misinterpret the cultural beliefs of these communities and to reinterpret them to serve the industry’s interests,” said Kelley Lee of Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, one of the authors of the study. “All to sell a product that kills half of its customers.”

http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h2281

ABSTRACT

‘Islamic countries are of key importance to transnational tobacco companies as growing markets with increasing smoking rates. We analyzed internal tobacco industry documents to assess the industry’s response to rising concerns about tobacco use within Islamic countries.

‘The tobacco industry perceived Islam as a significant threat to its expansion into these emerging markets. To counter these concerns, the industry framed antismoking views in Islamic countries as fundamentalist and fanatical and attempted to recruit Islamic consultants to portray smoking as acceptable. Tobacco industry lawyers also helped develop theological arguments in favor of smoking.

‘These findings are valuable to researchers and policymakers seeking to implement culturally appropriate measures in Islamic countries under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print April 16, 2015: e1–e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.302494)’

Full text (restricted access): http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302494

—

Best wishes, Neil

Let’s build a future where people are no longer dying for lack of healthcare knowledge – Join HIFA: www.hifa2015.org