WHO: Hooking the next generation: how the tobacco industry captures young customers (12) Global Health Now: Big Tobacco’s Behind-The-Scenes Tactics

1 July, 2024

Extracts below from Global Health Now:

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Philip Morris International, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, has positioned itself as a vanguard of a “smoke-free future”—promoting heated tobacco products as a healthier alternative to cigarettes.

But its updated playbook involves seeking to influence scientific studies—and downplaying harmful effects of its new products, per an in-depth report by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-07-01/science-for-sal...

Among the findings...

Routing funds for research: PMI has targeted academic institutions and specific researchers to produce studies, but it steered funding through third-party “consultancy firms” and “healthcare contractors.”

Insidious influence: These funded studies are often cited in public health policy discussions and factor into marketing around its new products. Many researchers do not disclose PMI's financial support...

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HIFA is working in collaboration with NextGenU.org on the HIFA Project: Mental health: substance use disorders - tobacco, alcohol, opiates. www.hifa.org/projects

HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org