The Role of Policy Advocacy in Reducing Tobacco Use and Saving Lives

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids www.tobaccofreecenter.org

The Role of Policy Advocacy in Reducing Tobacco Use and

Saving Lives

Johanna BirckmayerCampaign for Tobacco Free Kids

Road Safety and Road Victims Global ForumMarch, 2011

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids www.tobaccofreecenter.org2

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Goal: Reduce Tobacco Use and Save Lives in the United States and Low and Middle Income

Countries by advocating that governments:

• Increase tobacco taxes• Ban advertising, promotion and sponsorship• Mandate warning labels on tobacco packs• Ban smoking in public and work places


Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

• World’s first public health treaty designed to reduce the devastating impacts of tobacco

• Negotiated by 192 member states of the WHO • To date, 172 countries have ratified

Parties to the FCTC

Have not ratified the FCTC


Science+

Policy Advocacy+

Communications+

Coalition building=

Policy Action, Environmental Change and Behavior Change

Advocacy for Policy Change


Good Advocacy Efforts Depend on Evidence

Information and Policy Research


Direct Policy Advocacy

Advocates must seek ways to directly influence policy makers:

• Know the policy making system• Map allies and opponents• Find out who has influence • Meet, assist, influence


• Keep tobacco visible as a critical public health issue

• Expose tobacco company actions to policy makers and the public

• Educate on solutions to the tobacco problem

Communications work keeps tobacco in the news and creates an environment supporting policy change

Communications and Media


• Tobacco control partners face a formidable opponent -- the tobacco industry

• Partnerships provide strength

• Political leaders respond to the will of their constituents

Assistance/support is reciprocal, overtime strengthening the tobacco control network and movement

Coalitions/Partnerships


Advocating for State Tobacco Tax Increases, USA


Advocacy Planning

Goal: • Raise tobacco taxes at state level by

$1/pack Decision Makers: • State legislators set tax policy• Governor has final veto power• Legislators and governor are elected, and

public opinion is very influential


Key Messages

A Tobacco Tax Increase is a

•A win for public health

• A win for budgets

•A win among voters


The Evidence: Fact Sheets


Editorial: The Tobacco TaxWednesday, October 17, 2007; A16

TOBACCO USE is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 Americans each year. Half of all long-term smokers will die early from a disease caused by tobacco. One answer to this scourge is imposing higher taxes: According to one recent report, increasing tobacco taxes has "proven highly effective in reducing tobacco use."

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids estimates that the 61-cents-a pack increase would result in a 9.2 percent decline in youth smoking. Some 1.9 million children alive today would not become smokers, and 1.2 million adult smokers would quit. The administration argues that because tobacco taxes are effective in reducing smoking, the increase would not produce enough to fund SCHIP after the first five years. That's true -- but it's an argument for the tax, not against it.

Media Advocacy


Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN): “We have it in our power to make a huge difference. We know how to reduce smoking, and in particular to dissuade young people from starting to smoke. It starts with a higher price for the product. It is no coincidence that Hoosiers pay less for cigarettes then the vast majority of Americans and smoke at the highest rates around. But we can and must do more. Back when state government was struggling with deficits, our tobacco reduction programs were cut by two-thirds. They should be restored, to levels where they can be fully effective.” [Excerpts from Governor Daniels’ State of the State Speech delivered January 16, 2007, as provided by the Governor’s office]

Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN): “This [cigarette tax increase] will not only increase revenues...but it will also decrease smoking, it will improve health, and not be a drag, or discouragement, to future job growth and investment in our state.” [Press Conference by Governor Pawlenty and Republican legislators, 2005]

Governor John Lynch (D-NH): Governor Lynch has proposed a cigarette tax increase to fund the state’s budget and reduce youth smoking, stating in his budget address that raising the cigarette tax would not only raise $87 million over two years but “also allows us to accomplish an important public health goal - deterring young people from smoking.” [The Concord Monitor, February 16, 2007]

Political Advocacy


U.S. would reap billions from $1 cigarette tax hikeFebruary 11, 2010By Maggie Fox

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Adding a $1 per pack tax to cigarettes could raise more than $9 billion a year for states, health advocates said on Wednesday.

"We have irrefutable evidence that raising the tobacco tax lowers smoking rates among adults and deters millions of children from picking up their first cigarette," Seffrin said in a statement.

The report was released by the Cancer Action Network, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. All these non-profit groups have long supported taxing tobacco more as a way to discourage smoking. . . .

Working with Partners


$0.00

$0.20

$0.40

$0.60

$0.80

$1.00

$1.20

1980

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1998

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2002

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2006

2008

Current average:$1.18

2002 average:61 cents

June 2008

2001 average:43 cents

Outcome: Increases in State Cigarette Tax


Enforcing the Tobacco Company Sponsorship Ban, Mexico


Advocacy Planning

Goal• Enforce Mexico’s

sponsorship ban

Background• Music concert series

MXBeat sponsored by Marlboro, 2009

• Sponsorship banned under Mexican law


Key Messages

• Sponsorship of concert violated Mexico’s Tobacco Control Law

• Tobacco companies will promote their products as they please without strict government enforcement of sponsorship ban

• Mexico must enforce their sponsorship ban


Evidence

• Traditional research– Tobacco control law

• Web based research– Event information– Information on performers’ history– Documentation of violations pre-concert


“Marlboro MXBeat concert Defies the General Tobacco

Control Law”

“Cancel MXBeat”

“MXBeat in violation of the General

Tobacco Control Law?”

Generating Earned Media


Surveillance At Concert

• Advertisements for the concert series collected before the event

• Photographers and advocates attended concerts– Observed age verification

process– Looked for free handouts

and promotional products

Pull out flyer from February Chilango Magazine

Marlboro Cigarettes available inside the concert venue


Collaboration between Tobacco Control Groups

• Mexico– InterAmerican Heart Foundation (FIC)

– National Tobacco Control Office

• International– Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

– The Union


Outcome

• Absence of free handouts at concerts

• Mexican enforcement agency informed PMI (tobacco company) that sponsorship of MXBeat concerts as a means to promote tobacco is prohibited under Mexican law

• MXBeat was not scheduled for 2010



Science+

Communications+

Advocacy+

Coalition building=

Policy Action, Environmental Change and Behavior Change



We Know What Works

It is our job to make people understand the problem.

We must mobilize to advocate for the adoption and implementation of

these programs and policies.Progress will happen only if we make it

happen.

Documents

The Role of Policy Advocacy in Reducing Tobacco Use and Saving Lives