where there’s smoke there’s money: campaign contributions and u.s. government efforts to derail...
TRANSCRIPT
Where there’s smoke Where there’s smoke there’s money:there’s money:
Campaign contributions and U.S. Campaign contributions and U.S. government efforts to derail the government efforts to derail the
Global Tobacco TreatyGlobal Tobacco Treaty
Martin DonohoeMartin Donohoe
Tobacco – Weapon of Mass Tobacco – Weapon of Mass DestructionDestruction
1.3 billion smokers1.3 billion smokers 84% in developing countries84% in developing countries
5.7 trillion cigarettes smoked/yr 5.7 trillion cigarettes smoked/yr worldwideworldwide
4.9 million deaths/yr worldwide4.9 million deaths/yr worldwide Estimated 10 million by 2030Estimated 10 million by 2030
Tobacco – Weapon of Mass Tobacco – Weapon of Mass DestructionDestruction
Leading cause of death in U.S.Leading cause of death in U.S.
450,000 deaths/yr450,000 deaths/yr 50,000 from environmental 50,000 from environmental
tobacco smoke (ETS)tobacco smoke (ETS)
Tobacco – Weapon of Mass Tobacco – Weapon of Mass DestructionDestruction
Numerous health consequencesNumerous health consequences
Heavily pesticide-dependent cropHeavily pesticide-dependent crop Tobacco industry has lobbied to Tobacco industry has lobbied to
weaken environmental weaken environmental regulationsregulations
Tobacco – Weapon of Mass Tobacco – Weapon of Mass DestructionDestruction
Direct medical costs = $75 billion/yr Direct medical costs = $75 billion/yr
Medical care and lost productivity due to Medical care and lost productivity due to tobacco use costs each U.S. citizen tobacco use costs each U.S. citizen $550/yr$550/yr vs. $770/U.S.citizen/yr., based on $200 billion vs. $770/U.S.citizen/yr., based on $200 billion
cost, for Iraq/Afghanistan Warcost, for Iraq/Afghanistan War
Society saves $3 in medical costs for Society saves $3 in medical costs for every $1 spent to prevent smokingevery $1 spent to prevent smoking
SmokescreenSmokescreen
Cigarettes most marketed products in Cigarettes most marketed products in the worldthe world $2 billion/year in the U.S.$2 billion/year in the U.S.
U.S. leading exporter of cigarettesU.S. leading exporter of cigarettes
U.S. tax money used to assist U.S. tax money used to assist corporations in their marketing efforts corporations in their marketing efforts overseasoverseas
WHO Framework Convention on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control TreatyTobacco Control Treaty
Finalized 2/27/05Finalized 2/27/05
Ratified/Approved by 146 nationsRatified/Approved by 146 nations Including Canada, Australia, Including Canada, Australia,
Mexico, and the UKMexico, and the UK Another 22 have signed but not yet Another 22 have signed but not yet
ratified/approvedratified/approved
WHO Framework Convention on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control TreatyTobacco Control Treaty
Exempts tobacco control from free Exempts tobacco control from free trade challengestrade challenges
Limits tobacco advertisingLimits tobacco advertising
Cracks down on tobacco smugglingCracks down on tobacco smuggling
Bans tobacco sales to and by minorsBans tobacco sales to and by minors
WHO Framework Convention on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control TreatyTobacco Control Treaty
Promotes agricultural diversification Promotes agricultural diversification and alternative livelihoods for tobacco and alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmersfarmers
Standardizes packagingStandardizes packaging Bans deceptive terms such as Bans deceptive terms such as
“light” and “mild”“light” and “mild” Improves warning labelsImproves warning labels
U.S. Efforts to Undermine the U.S. Efforts to Undermine the TreatyTreaty
Despite overwhelming U.S. and Despite overwhelming U.S. and international public support for the international public support for the goals of the treaty…goals of the treaty…
U.S. government attempted to U.S. government attempted to scuttle the treaty in the name of scuttle the treaty in the name of free trade and free speechfree trade and free speech
U.S. Efforts to Undermine the U.S. Efforts to Undermine the TreatyTreaty
Original U.S. negotiator Thomas Original U.S. negotiator Thomas Novotny resigned after the Bush Novotny resigned after the Bush administration pressured him to lobby administration pressured him to lobby for the deletion of 10 of 11 treaty for the deletion of 10 of 11 treaty provisions, as outlined in a Phillip provisions, as outlined in a Phillip Morris memoMorris memo
Phillip Morris and AltriaPhillip Morris and Altria
Phillip Morris = world’s largest Phillip Morris = world’s largest tobacco companytobacco company Parent company = Altria (also owns Parent company = Altria (also owns
85% of Kraft Foods and 28 % of 85% of Kraft Foods and 28 % of Miller Brewing)Miller Brewing)
U.S. Efforts to Undermine the U.S. Efforts to Undermine the TreatyTreaty
U.S. Belatedly signed on 5/3/05U.S. Belatedly signed on 5/3/05 Russia, Indonesia, others have still Russia, Indonesia, others have still
not signednot signed
Senate must ratify AND President Senate must ratify AND President Bush must signBush must sign Administration has not submitted Administration has not submitted
treaty to Congress – “studying it”treaty to Congress – “studying it”
Bush Administration Ties to the Bush Administration Ties to the Tobacco IndustryTobacco Industry
Karl Rove (Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove (Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor) – and Senior Advisor) – lobbyist/strategist for PMlobbyist/strategist for PM
Kirk Blalock (White House liaison Kirk Blalock (White House liaison to the business community) – PM to the business community) – PM public relations officialpublic relations official
Bush Administration Ties to the Bush Administration Ties to the Tobacco IndustryTobacco Industry
Charles Black (informal advisor to Charles Black (informal advisor to Bush during 2000 campaign) – Bush during 2000 campaign) – PM lobbyistPM lobbyist
Daniel Troy (former FDA Chief Daniel Troy (former FDA Chief Counsel) – represented tobacco Counsel) – represented tobacco industry when it sued the FDA industry when it sued the FDA over tobacco ad regulationover tobacco ad regulation
Bush Administration Ties to the Bush Administration Ties to the Tobacco IndustryTobacco Industry
Tommy Thompson (HHS Secretary)Tommy Thompson (HHS Secretary) received $72,000 in campaign contributions received $72,000 in campaign contributions
from PM executives when he was governor of from PM executives when he was governor of WisconsinWisconsin
advisor for the primary tobacco lobbying firm advisor for the primary tobacco lobbying firm in D.C.in D.C.
Rejected his own advisory panel’s Rejected his own advisory panel’s recommendation to increase federal tobacco recommendation to increase federal tobacco taxtax
Bush Administration Ties to the Bush Administration Ties to the Tobacco IndustryTobacco Industry
British American Tobacco PLC’s Brown British American Tobacco PLC’s Brown and Williamson unit and RJ Reynolds and Williamson unit and RJ Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc. represented by Tobacco Holdings, Inc. represented by Barbour, Griffith and RogersBarbour, Griffith and Rogers Lobbying firm stocked with Republican Lobbying firm stocked with Republican
operatives, including:operatives, including:Haley Barbour – former GOP ChairmanHaley Barbour – former GOP Chairman
Lanny Griffith – White House aide to GHW BushLanny Griffith – White House aide to GHW Bush
Campaign ContributionsCampaign Contributions
$3.5 million (through individual $3.5 million (through individual contributions and PACs) in 2004contributions and PACs) in 2004 74% to Republicans74% to Republicans
$20 million to Republican candidates for $20 million to Republican candidates for federal office since 1997federal office since 1997
PM – leading overall campaign contributor PM – leading overall campaign contributor to Republicans since 1989to Republicans since 1989
U.S. Non-Cooperation on U.S. Non-Cooperation on International TreatiesInternational Treaties
Failure to sign or approve:Failure to sign or approve: Kyoto Protocol on Climate ChangeKyoto Protocol on Climate Change Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-
Personnel Land MinesPersonnel Land Mines Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban TreatyComprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Convention on the Rights of the ChildConvention on the Rights of the Child Convention on the Elimination of Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against WomenDiscrimination Against Women
U.S. Non-Cooperation on U.S. Non-Cooperation on International TreatiesInternational Treaties
Failure to sign or approve:Failure to sign or approve: Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural
RightsRights Convention for the Suppression of Traffic in Convention for the Suppression of Traffic in
PersonsPersons
Failure to pay full U.N. duesFailure to pay full U.N. dues
Opposition to International Criminal CourtOpposition to International Criminal Court
Health Care Organizations and Health Care Organizations and Medical SchoolsMedical Schools
As of 1999: insurers (including some of the As of 1999: insurers (including some of the largest owners of HMOs) and mutual largest owners of HMOs) and mutual funds heavily invested in tobacco stocksfunds heavily invested in tobacco stocks Cigna - $42.7 million; MetLife – $62.1 million; Cigna - $42.7 million; MetLife – $62.1 million;
Prudential - $892 million.Prudential - $892 million. TIAA-CREF (whose mutual funds are owned TIAA-CREF (whose mutual funds are owned
by many health professionals) - $732 million by many health professionals) - $732 million Phillip Morris stock.Phillip Morris stock.
Health Care Organizations and Health Care Organizations and Medical SchoolsMedical Schools
1996-1998: PM and Cigna collaborated to 1996-1998: PM and Cigna collaborated to censor accurate information on the harms censor accurate information on the harms of smoking and ETS from health of smoking and ETS from health newslettersnewsletters
Tobacco companies sponsored “research” Tobacco companies sponsored “research” to refute links between tobacco and to refute links between tobacco and diseasedisease
Health Care Organizations and Health Care Organizations and Medical SchoolsMedical Schools
Tobacco industry has “white-Tobacco industry has “white-coated” itself since the 1940scoated” itself since the 1940s Borrowing from medicine’s Borrowing from medicine’s
prestige and public esteem in prestige and public esteem in ads featuring smoking doctorsads featuring smoking doctors
Health Care Organizations and Health Care Organizations and Medical SchoolsMedical Schools
As of late 2004, despite a decade’s old As of late 2004, despite a decade’s old plea from the AMA for medical schools to plea from the AMA for medical schools to divest their tobacco holdings, some of the divest their tobacco holdings, some of the nation’s leading medical schools had failed nation’s leading medical schools had failed to do so:to do so: Cornell, Duke, Washington University, Yale, Cornell, Duke, Washington University, Yale,
and possibly Penn (refused to answer and possibly Penn (refused to answer requests)requests)
Columbia is said to have divested, but could Columbia is said to have divested, but could not provide details to confirmnot provide details to confirm
ConclusionsConclusions
U.S. resistance to / attempts to scuttle U.S. resistance to / attempts to scuttle global tobacco treaty squanders global tobacco treaty squanders opportunity for U.S. to take lead on opportunity for U.S. to take lead on important international public health important international public health issueissue
Represents callous disregard for Represents callous disregard for human health and world economyhuman health and world economy
ConclusionsConclusions
Some health care organizations and Some health care organizations and medical schools have failed to provide medical schools have failed to provide ethical and moral leadership in anti-ethical and moral leadership in anti-tobacco crusadetobacco crusade
Government / health care community’s Government / health care community’s obstructionism and failure to lead likely obstructionism and failure to lead likely due to influence of campaign contributions due to influence of campaign contributions / research funding/ research funding
RecommendationsRecommendations
Bush administration should send Bush administration should send Treaty to U.S. Senate, which should Treaty to U.S. Senate, which should immediately ratify, and President immediately ratify, and President Bush signBush signCampaign finance reformCampaign finance reformMedical schools and health care Medical schools and health care organizations should immediately organizations should immediately divest all tobacco holdingsdivest all tobacco holdings
RecommendationsRecommendations
Media should more aggressively Media should more aggressively expose tobacco industry expose tobacco industry machinationsmachinations
Health care professionals should Health care professionals should lobby their institutions and lobby their institutions and legislators to take the lead in the legislators to take the lead in the war on tobaccowar on tobacco
For references, see:For references, see:
Donohoe MT. Cigarettes: The other Donohoe MT. Cigarettes: The other weapons of mass destruction. weapons of mass destruction. Medscape Ob/Gyn and Women’s Medscape Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health 2005;10(1): posted 4/5/05. Health 2005;10(1): posted 4/5/05. Available at Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticlehttp://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/501586/501586
Contact InformationContact Information
Public Health and Social Justice Public Health and Social Justice WebsiteWebsite
http://www.phsj.orghttp://www.phsj.org
[email protected]@phsj.org