Wales’s leading tobacco control action group, ASH Wales is calling on Senedd Members not to attend an event organised by one of world’s biggest tobacco manufacturer’s Japanese Tobacco International (JTI).

The event on Wednesday (17th) on the Senedd Estate is sponsored by Conservative MS Darren Millar and focuses on JTI’s information on the illicit tobacco trade.

Welsh Government is already taking action, which does not involve the tobacco industry, to tackle illicit tobacco as part of Wales’s Tobacco Control Delivery Plan.

World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) sets guidance on how to protect health policy “from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry”. This event presents a significant risk of tobacco industry influence over Wales’s emerging health policies.

CEO of ASH Wales, Suzanne Cass said:

“The tobacco industry have a long history of undermining tobacco control policies and trying to play down the health impact of their lethal products. Allowing one of the big tobacco companies to host an event in the Senedd which focuses on a major tobacco control policy, flies in the face of the protocols laid down by the World Health Organisation. Wales is on the brink of launching ambitious tobacco control polices to make Wales smoke free by 2030. It is imperative that the tobacco industry is kept at arms-length from the decision makers involved in that process.”

The Chair of the Senedd Smoking & Health Cross-Party Group John Griffiths MS strongly criticised the decision to allow the event to go ahead on the Senedd estate. Mr Griffiths said:

“We have seen lots of good work by our Welsh Government to create more smoke-free environments with the bold ambition of having a smoke-free Wales by 2030 – and this event undermines this and our strong public health efforts here in Wales.

“Smoking continues to take a terrible toll on our health in Wales. It is particularly damaging to families in our most deprived communities where it is a major cause of premature death and disability. It greatly adds to the pressure on our doctors, nurses and hospitals. There should be a political consensus to drive down smoking rates and support young people in stopping to develop the habit and helping smokers to quit.

“Tobacco companies have a long record of working to undermine health messages and measures, fighting a rearguard action to continue to profit from death, ill health and misery. And seeking to portray themselves as cooperating with governments and agencies to address the damage smoking causes. They have been called out by the World Health Organisation, United Nations and governments across the globe.”

The Royal College of Physicians joined the growing number of calls for Senedd Members to boycott the event, Vice President for Wales of the RCP, Dr Olwen Williams said:

“The RCP has a long history of campaigning on issues relating to tobacco use and control.  In 1962, we published Smoking and health which first highlighted the link between smoking and lung cancer, other lung diseases, heart disease and gastrointestinal problems.

“Despite five decades of campaigning, smoking unfortunately remains the leading cause of preventable death in Wales, causing at least 5,600 deaths in Wales in 2018.  It has a major impact on health inequalities and avoidable illness, and costs the NHS in Wales almost £400 million every year.

“Given the recently published target of a smoke-free Wales by 2030, I am disappointed to see that tomorrow, a Senedd member is hosting an event organised by the tobacco industry.

“I urge you and your colleagues to boycott this event in the interests of protecting the health of the people of Wales.”

Health charities across Wales have backed the boycott, including Cancer Research UK (CRUK), the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership (AUK-BLF).

For further information contact:

Simon Scheeres | Policy and Public Affairs Manager | simon@ashwales.org.uk | 07841571516|

ASH Wales will be attending the event at 10:30- 2pm, 17/11/21. If you would like to cover this item for broadcast, please contact Simon Scheeres on the above number.

About us:

ASH Wales Cymru is the leading organisation working for a smokefree Wales via strong tobacco control policy and country-wide campaigns. We work to raise awareness of the health, social and economic effects of smoking by engaging with communities, young people and partners across Wales.

NB: Please refer to ASH Wales Cymru as a ‘tobacco control campaign group’

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