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Tobacco companies
and their allies continue to muddy the waters: undermining research,
covering up, and fostering myths about smoking, secondhand smoke and
popular measures to counter it. Below are some useful sites that answer
these myths. More about the tobacco
industry
STOP PRESS
Tobacco industry tries to bluff Rudd
out of plain pack plan
5/3/10: Tobacco companies are using
"very silly" myths to try to block a proposal for plain
packaging of tobacco. The plan, recommended by the National Preventative
Health Taskforce, would see tobacco packaged generically as many
pharmaceuticals are. See
Crikey
comment by ASH Board member Prof Simon Chapman
ADVERTISING,
PROMOTION, PACKAGING
Top
ten retailer myths against out of sight tobacco
Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition factsheet (2010) countering
tobacco pushers' misleading arguments against removing retail packet
displays.
Tobacco
advertising, promotion and sponsorship: countering industry arguments
From www.tobaccofreecenter.org
in the US, refutes major arguments for advertising - especially in the
US where mainstream media advertising of tobacco is still widespread.
Industry
myths about plain packaging
The case for plain packaging of tobacco and the industry's efforts to
block it. See pp. 13-18
The
"Light/Mild" scam
See how the industry misled and deceived smokers for decades
into believing that "Light", "Mild" and
similarly-labelled tobacco were less harmful to their health.
ECONOMICS
(including TAX)
Tobacco industry
myth busted: huge drain, not "benefit" to economy
Tobacco industry myths of "paying for itself" and
"benefiting" the Australian economy shattered by comprehensive
2009 report commissioned by Cancer Council WA
- showing tobacco's multibillion dollar burden. See
full
report, CCWA media release 22/10/09 and factsheets
More Myths
and facts on the economics of tobacco control
Countering
tobacco industry myths on tax
Informative factsheet from US Tobacco Free
Center. Tobacco companies want you to think raising tobacco taxes will
hurt the economy, hit the poor and boost smuggling. No they won't - but
they will help reduce smoking.
BAT's
mythmaking attack on Preventative Health report
In 2009, Australia's Preventative Health Taskforce released its landmark
report including a chapter on tobacco.
British American Tobacco attacked the report, especially its
recommendation for a tax rise, using some of the
industry's standard myths - see our response with evidence. See
also this tax
arguments critique by Sydney Uni's Prof Simon Chapman
Myths
and facts on the economics of tobacco control
World Bank factsheet debunks claims that increased
taxation will cause loss of revenue and jobs, interfere with rights and
freedoms, encourage smuggling and illicit trade, worsen poverty and inequity.
Economics
of tobacco: myths and realities
1999 Tobacco Control paper
looking at claims on economic impact, hardship issues, lower income
countries, taxation, smuggling and more. Note that comments about
advertising impact have been rather outdated by recent research.
ENVIRONMENT /
FIRES
BAT's
Butt Litter Trust
See how a tobacco company tries to use butt
litter to derail smokefree public places
Myths
about reduced fire risk cigarettes
US site on phoney arguments used by the industry to block standards for
cigarettes to self-extinguish more quickly.
GENERAL
Dismantling
tobacco industry myths
WHO site on smokefree workplace/public place laws and policies - rights and freedoms,
impact on business, ventilation and more.
The
Dirty Dozen: 12 myths that undermine tobacco control
2005 article on myths that
encourage uptake or deter quitting: free choice, full knowledge, “lights”, “moderate”
smoking, health and economic impacts,
“we’ve done enough”, and the TI “changing for the better”.
Common
tobacco myths and facts
ASH Australia puts up some of the most common arguments against
tobacco-free action, and answers them.
MENTAL HEALTH
Smoking and mental
health: myths busted
2008: How should smoking should be handled in mental
health settings? It's a serious contributor to problems faced
by people with mental illness. Evidence shows it worsens health,
shortens lives and imposes financial hardship - and does NOT relieve
stress. See 2008 report Smoke
and Mirrors from the Cancer Council NSW and Mental Health
Coordinating Council NSW which explodes several popular myths
PACKAGING/PACKETS/PLAIN
PACKS
- see above under ADVERTISING, PROMOTION, PACKAGING
SECONDHAND SMOKE
Myths
about passive smoking
2005 Tobacco Control article outlines the TI's attempts to
confuse the arguments around secondhand smoke, present and past.
Tobacco
industry misleads public, MPs
Read how the industry and its allies in the hospitality industry
have spread myths to block, delay and weaken smokefree laws.
Top
Ten Myths on smokefree indoor air laws
Fables foisted on proprietors and
public to keep venues smoky - and what the (US/worldwide) evidence shows.
TAX - see
above under ECONOMICS
YOUNG PEOPLE
Myths
targeting young people
A good roundup from the OxyGen site of what too many young smokers
believe - and the facts.
BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE!
Read the damning evidence of deceitful
mythmaking in
tobacco's own Industry documents
- and more about
the tobacco
industry
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