LETTER: Batsa’s ‘facts’ cannot go unchallenged

British American Tobacco SA’s (Batsa’s) advertising is chock-full of misinformation. Even accepting that advertising may be biased, it should not deceive readers. Hence, Batsa’s “facts” cannot go unchallenged. For the sake of brevity, we will only comment on some issues.

Without a hint of irony, Batsa admits that cigarettes have “undeniable health impacts”. This from a company that for over 50 years lied about the harmful effects of smoking. This too from a company that earns almost 90% of its global revenues from cigarette sales. The question Batsa faces, and avoids, is that since it now admits that cigarettes have “health impacts”, will it compensate its customers who are harmed, or will it continue to blame the victims? 

As global cigarette sales fall BAT must find alternative ways to sell addiction, so it has turned to vaping. Cigarettes cause addiction, disease and death. Vaping also causes addiction, but subject to an important proviso it is claimed to be less hazardous. The precondition is that people should stop smoking completely. Hence, whatever government elects to do it has to reduce cigarette smoking.

This raises questions about the role of vaping in ending the global tobacco epidemic. The views of a group of US and UK academics who endorse vaping is relevant. They state: “Vaping cannot end cigarette smoking. But vaping can complement tried-and-true methods of reducing smoking, including taxes on combustible tobacco products, smoke- free workplace laws, marketing restrictions, plain packaging with graphic warning labels, antismoking media campaigns, tobacco-21 laws, and evidence-based smoking cessation treatment.”

Batsa may want to turn public health concerns into an economic advantage and avoid regulation, but the reality is that the country is best served by passing the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Bill into law as soon as possible. This bill contains many, but not all, of the recommendations proposed by the academics mentioned above.

Dr Yussuf Saloojee and Dr Sharon Nyatsanza
National Council Against Smoking

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