ASH Daily News for 31/10/2000

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ASH Daily News

31 October 2000

Headlines
'DTI raids tobacco giant'
'Smoking campaigners' fury over BAT theme stores'
For and against 'Why journals should not publish articles funded by the
tobacco industry'
'BAT profits rise in all regions'
'If you ask me..'
'US court turns aside challenge to tobacco deal'
'Envoy quandary for Bangladesh'
'No hiding place for smugglers'

Full Text

'DTI raids tobacco giant'


There is comprehensive coverage in the newspapers of the decision by the
Department of Trade and Industry to investigate British American Tobacco
over its role in tobacco smuggling. The Guardian reports that, 'Directors
and
senior executives of British American Tobacco will be formally questioned
this week by Department of Trade and Industry investigators after the
government ordered an inquiry into allegations that the corporation
orchestrated cigarette smuggling. A three-man Whitehall team descended
on the central London head office of the world's second biggest tobacco firm
at 9am yesterday to start interviewing key personnel and study hundreds of
confidential internal reports after giving the company only a few minutes
warning in a telephone call.'

Clive Bates, director of ASH, told the Independent: "It seems as though the
penny is finally dropping. People are starting to realise that the tobacco
industry itself is the prime mover behind cigarette smuggling."

Clive Bates told the Financial Times, that,' he was pleased by the DTI's
action but argued that the probe should be extended to include other UK
tobacco companies, including Imperial Tobacco and Gallaher. "When one-third
of all the traded cigarettes are in the black market you have to be
suspicious that the companies are involved," Mr Bates said. "I think the DTI
will find that the tobacco industry's fingerprints are all over the
international smuggling problem."
The Times adds that 'ASH has called for the investigation to be extended to
Gallaher and Imperial Tobacco, BAT's two UK rivals.'

Source: The Guardian, Times, Financial Times, Telegraph, Independent, Wall
Street Journal Europe, Sun, Mirror and all other newspapers.

Links: http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/bat/article/0,2763,390418,00.html
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,27614,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=003727515306411&rtmo=kN1xNLep&atmo=gggggg3K
&pg=/et/00/10/31/nbul31.html#go1
http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View&c=Article&cid=FT3SV1TJYEC&liv
e=true&useoverridetemplate=ZZZUGORQ00C&tagid=ZZZ1XPDX70C&subheading=uk
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/Business/Inside_Business/2000-10/tobacco31
1000.shtml
http://www.mirror.co.uk/shtml/NEWS/P23S3.shtml
http://www.the-sun.co.uk/news/13127732

(Please note you may have to cut and paste some of these links)

'Smoking campaigners' fury over BAT theme stores'

The express reports further on British American Tobacco's plans to develop a
chain of shops called Trans Urban Trading Co. Derek Yach of the World Health
Organisation is quoted as saying, 'There's no protection for children and
teens with this kind of brand stretching, whether it's a café or a store.'

Source: Daily Express, 28 October 2000

For and against 'Why journals should not publish articles funded by the
tobacco industry'

The BMJ features a for and against debate on whether scientific journals
should publish articles funded by the tobacco industry. It states, 'That the
tobacco industry is allowed a platform through scientific journals is a
controversial issue. The Cancer Research Campaign already withholds research
grants from academic departments closely linked with the tobacco industry;
here it argues that respected journals should not publish articles funded by
the industry. Such a notion is challenged by two editors, who prefer a
policy of transparency and disclosure rather than prohibition.'

For the statement, Jean King of The Cancer Research Campaign, writes 'The
arguments for scientists refusing to accept funding from the tobacco
industry and, by extension, journals refusing to accept publications arising
from such funding, fall into three main categories

Harm to health
The scale, range, and extent of the harm caused by tobacco far outweigh the
effects of any other known product, legal or illegal

Distortion of scientific findings
Directly and indirectly the tobacco industry has systematically sought to
undermine and misrepresent sound research on a massive scale, while itself
funding studies and scientists of questionable credibility

Other disreputable activities
The tobacco industry's own documents show a uniquely discredited and
disgraced sector that has sought to conceal evidence, recruit minors, and
dupe the public and governments alike for many decades.'

Against, the argument, Gavin Yamey, deputy editor of Western Journal of
Medicine and Richard Smith, editor of the BMJ, London WC1H 9JR writes,
'Censorship is an easy way to deal with difficult issues. In a morally
complex world, silencing the voice of those we distrust is simpler than
grappling for the truth.
Some biomedical journals, such as the Journal of Health Psychology and the
two journals of the American Thoracic Society, will not publish research
papers funded by the tobacco industry. But does this kind of censorship
serve the interests of science, journalism, or a free society? We believe
not.
The BMJ chooses papers for publication on the basis of scientific merit,
originality, and public health importance, not on their source of funding.
We will not impose a blanket ban on research papers from authors funded by
any profit making industry. King cites three main reasons why we should. We
will firstly respond to her concerns, before outlining the BMJ 's policy.

Source: British Medical Journal, 28 October 2000
Link: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/321/7268/1074

'BAT profits rise in all regions'

FT.com reports, 'British American Tobacco on Tuesday announced its operating
profit, before exceptionals, had risen by 34 per cent on last year to
£1.92bn ($2.78bn). Profits rose in all regions.
Adjusted earnings per share were up by 8 per cent at 42.57p. After goodwill
amortisation and exceptional items, operating profit rose by 6 per cent.
In a statement, the company said that the comparison was "obviously
flattered by last year's merger with Rothmans". It said that "the
integration of the Rothmans business into British American Tobacco is well
advanced and synergy benefits continue to be delivered well ahead of
schedule."
The article adds that, 'Martin Broughton, the chairman, commented in a
statement: "Although the public policy arena remains challenging, the
confidence I have expressed about our ability to make sustainable progress
in a more stable world market is fully borne out by these results."
BAT has come under scrutiny from the World Health Organisation in recent
weeks and, separately, on Monday, the UK government announced an enquiry
into allegations that BAT had been involved in smuggling.'

Source: FT.com, 31 October 2000
Link:
http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View&c=Article&cid=FT3UTR5AZEC&liv
e=true&tagid=IXLI0L9Z1BC

'If you ask me..'

An article appears in the Guardian which describes the following situation,
'My daughter has been caught smoking at breaktime in the school toilets. We
have been very clear with her at home that we will not tolerate her smoking,
and it comes as a bit of a blow to find that she can so easily do so at
school. What should the school be doing about this?'

Amanda Sandford, of ASH, is quoted extensively and begins her answer by
saying, ' Most schools have a policy on smoking but they vary in scope and
degree of enforcement. You should check the school policy and speak to the
head or whoever is responsible for enforcing it. Many schools also provide
smoking education, but its impact is likely to be reduced if smoking is
tolerated within the school premises.'

A 'Health Education Authority spokesperson' is also quoted extensively, and
is quoted as saying, 'Anti-smoking activities in schools should be part of
a community-wide programme of action. Simply educating young people about
the risks of smoking is not enough. Young people are exposed to considerable
pressures to smoke at a time when their future health often has a low
priority. They must be equipped to resist these pressures. Schools may wish
to tackle smoking in various ways, but they will all need a firm commitment
to action from teachers, governors and parents.'

Source: Guardian Education, 31 October 2000
Link:
http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4083628,00.html

'US court turns aside challenge to tobacco deal'

The Wall Street Journal Europe reports , 'The U.S. Supreme Court turned
aside a challenge to the two-year old national settlement, refusing to
consider whether smokers wound up paying illegally higher prices for their
cigarettes as a result of the landmark $246 billion deal.'

Source: Wall Street Journal Europe, 31 October 2000

'Envoy quandary for Bangladesh'

The Guardian reports that, 'Bangladesh has found itself in a diplomatic
dilemma after busting a smuggling ring which uses foreign envoys. In the
past month contraband cigarettes, alcohol and watches worth £2.5m brought
into the country in diplomatic baggage have been seized.'

Source: The Guardian, 28 October 2000

'No hiding place for smugglers'

The Grocer reports that, 'The Wholesale Confectioners & Tobacco Alliance has
launched a smuggling log in association with Customs & Excise. Wholesalers
will keep track of any suspicious activity in there are, including any
direct approaches they receive from smugglers.

The article quotes that, 'WCTA chief executive John Bowden said, "We believe
the log will provide detailed intelligence and help to detect smuggling
hotspots."

Source: The Grocer, 28 October 2000