The tobacco industry's self-interested generosity in Switzerland
A new report from "Transparency and Truth" examines how the tobacco industry uses its “philanthropic” activities to clean up its image and win over lawmakers.
Taking advantage of permissive legislation, the tobacco industry has forged numerous partnerships with cultural and social organizations in Switzerland. Theaters, museums, humanitarian and environmental associations receive donations that appear to be offered generously and without strings attached.
This report exposes the false pretenses and strategy behind these “philanthropic” activities. While tobacco companies claim that their goal is to provide selfless support to the communities where they operate, their internal documents and scientific literature show that they actually reap significant benefits in terms of image, access to policymakers, and normalization. These phenomena represent obstacles that are incompatible with public health. It is time for Switzerland to implement the measures recommended by the WHO and ban these practices.
The "Transparency and Truth" initiative is implemented by OxySuisse on behalf of the Tobacco Prevention Fund. You can read the full report at: https://www.transparencyandtruth.ch/en/dossiers/sponsorship-and-philanthropy
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