role of civil society in tobacco control

www.www.TobaccoFreeIndiaTobaccoFreeIndia..orgorgHemant Goswami [email protected] April 27, 2012

Hemant [email protected] [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


WHO ARE THE PLAYERS IN THE TOBACCO GAME?

1. Tobacco Industry & partners2. Government – Ministry of Health,

Finance, Commerce, Agriculture

3. Civil Society

4. WHO (FCTC, Etc.)

5. International Forum’s and Global NGO’s

6. VICTIMS (Unwillingly funding the industry)

i.e. common people/ farmers/ etc.



WHO’S ‘CIVIL SOCIETY?’

• Me and You• Everyone around• When registered in group for a

specific public objective – NGO• Non-State players• Expected to be non-political and

community oriented• Expectation of FREE & INDEPENDENT

voice and action from the ‘Civil Society’



HOW ‘CIVIL SOCIETY’ IS PERCEIVED

• Partner?• Ally?• Outsiders?• Enemy?• Money seekers?• Swindlers?• Nuisance makers?• Spoilsport?WHY?????????????????



HOW TOBACCO INDUSTRY VIEWS CSO’S/ NGO’S



WHAT WILL THE TOBACCO DO

It will always interfere and upset the good work

The industry has a clear-cut strategy It has a well laid out plan too The biggest tool of the industry is to find an

ally with the dark forces – the world of bribery and corruption



FOR THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY

• Civil Society is a nuisance for the tobacco industry

• The unpredictability which comes along is the biggest game changer for the industry

• Innovation brought in by the civil society is another problem for the industry

• New advocacy tools and action often surprises the industry and they have to work extra hard to contain the damage



WHERE SHOULD CIVIL SOCIETY BE PLACED?

• Civil society is the best FRIEND of ‘Tobacco Control’ action

• Civil society adds focus and innovation in planning, strategy, execution and action

• The most critical and most aggressive civil society groups are the most useful one’s for tobacco control



HOW CIVIL SOCIETY SHOULD BE ENGAGED BY THE GOVERNMENT(s)

1. Identify2. Revalidate3. Partner4. Train5. Build capacity6. Network and weave7. Allow natural difference of opinion to grow and engage

everyone without taking sides. Don’t interfere in inter and intra organizational dynamics (Mother NGO’s or umbrella organizations have a very limited role. Don’t over emphasize on it.)

8. Use the Spoke-and-Wheel theory to work with Civil Society partners.

9. Support10. Recognize and share credit11. Multiply with continuous identification and motivation



UTILISE CIVIL SOCIETY FOR …

• Advocacy• Community networking• Community feedback• Lobbying• Policy intervention and innovation• Litigation and independent legal action• Research and surveys• Ground level action• Implementation and execution• Monitoring• Etc…



LITIGATION IS NOT A BAD THING

Use of l it igation as a means of achieving public health policy goals Litigation can complement to a broader, comprehensive

approach to tobacco control policy making Though it is believed that public health goals are more

directly achievable through the political process than through litigation, but tobacco control being a dynamic public health problem with a third party like the tobacco corporate playing a very active role in disturbing the policies so it is now believed that the boundaries between litigation and the politics of public health in relation to tobacco control has blurred.

Over a period of time it has been proved that litigation in tobacco control has indeed laid the foundation of meaningful policy changes.



EXAMPLE OF RESULTS BY LITIGATIONMaster Settlement Agreement

Under the Master Settlement Agreement, seven tobacco companies agreed to change the way tobacco products are marketed and pay the states an estimated $206 billion (+ Other Costs). The tobacco companies also agreed to finance a $1.5 billion anti-smoking campaign, open previously secret industry documents, and disband industry trade groups which Attorneys General maintain conspired to conceal damaging research from the public.



HOOKAH BAR EXAMPLE



CIVIL SOCIETY PRESSURE



CIVIL SOCIETY PRESSURE

Video



INDUSTRY IS ALSO ALWAYS ACTIVE

The industry has newer game-plans now

Strategies include

Using Media Influencing the law-makers Reaching the legal division Infiltrating Civil Society Planting Moles Getting the law diluted at the inception stage itself Confusing and misinforming Using hired guns Diluting the enforcement by all means

Government (Official machinery) can’t handle everything



INDUSTRY STRATEGIES

Industry strategy in 80’s to counter second-hand smoke issue



FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines: Protecting tobacco control from

tobacco industry interference

Government of India commitment



Article 5.3

• In setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with their national law.



LIMIT GOVERNMENT INTERACTIONS WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY

• Restrict interactions to those necessary for regulatory purposes

• Public meetings with public notice

• Records of meetings made public

• No partnership with the industry on any public health policy initiatives



NO PARTNERSHIP BY GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR ITS OFFICIALS WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY

• No financial interest in tobacco industry• No industry employee or ally to be employed

or nominated to Government bodies, committees, advisory groups

• Government officials engaged in tobacco control policy to be limited from taking tobacco industry employment within defined timeframe.

• No in-kind or monetary payments to be accepted from the industry

• Prohibit political or campaign contributions by the industry or require its disclosure



Thank You

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