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The tobacco company stands accused of “complete double standards” for opposing anti-smoking regulations in Africa that are already in place in the UK.

African regulatory opposition

Documents seen by journalists dispatched by the corporation's branch in Zambia to the African officials demands measures restricting tobacco advertising and sponsorship to be canceled or deferred.

The corporation is pursuing changes to a proposed legislation that include lowering the suggested dimensions of visual health alerts on cigarette packaging, the elimination of limitations on scented cigarette varieties, and watered-down penalties for any firms breaking the new laws.

Anti-tobacco campaigner response

“Were I in government, I would say that they permit the protection of the British people and perpetuate the death of the Zambian people,” said Master Chimbala.

Over seven thousand citizens a year succumb to cigarette-linked health conditions, according to WHO calculations.

Chimbala said the letter was understood to have been copied to several government departments and was in distribution within public interest organizations.

Worldwide lobbying patterns

The situation emerges alongside broader worries about corporate intervention with medical guidelines. In recent weeks, international health experts sounded an alarm that the tobacco industry was increasing attempts to undermine international regulations.

“We see evidence of industry lobbying everywhere. Tobacco company fingerprints are on deferred levy rises in Indonesia, stalled legislation in Zambia and even a compromised resolution at the UN high-level meeting,” said Jorge Alday.

Potential consequences

“If a tobacco control measure fails to be approved because of this letter, the price could be paid in human lives who might possibly give up cigarettes.”

The tobacco control bill being considered by Zambia’s parliament includes proposals to go further UK legislation by extending coverage to e-cigarettes, and mandating that visual health alerts cover seventy-five percent of product packaging.

Corporate counter-proposals

In the letter, the company recommends this be lowered to 30% or 50% “following international suggested parameters”, postponed for minimum one year after the legislation is approved.

The WHO specifically advises a alert needs to encompass at least 50% of the front of a pack “and attempt to encompass as much of the principal display areas as possible”. Within Britain, warnings are required to occupy 65% of a packet’s front and back.

Flavor restrictions debate

The corporation requests the removal of broad restrictions on flavoured tobacco products, suggesting that it would lead smokers to “illicitly sold” products. It suggests prohibiting a smaller list of “tastes inspired by desserts, candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and alcohol drinks”. Every scented tobacco product have been banned in the UK since 2020.

The draft bill suggests penalties for various offences “varying from a fraction of annual sales to 10 years’ imprisonment”.

Business explanation

In the letter, the company executive of British American Tobacco Zambia claims the firm is “committed to ethical business practices” and “supports the objectives of governments to lower tobacco use and the associated health impact” but asserts that “certain measures can have negative and unanticipated results.”

Campaigner rebuttal

Chimbala said the company's suggested modifications would “undermine this law so much that the impact needed for it to produce permanent improvement in society will not be achieved”.

The circumstance that numerous similar measures were present in the UK, where the company maintains its main office, was “utter hypocrisy itself”, he said.

“We reside in a international community. When I cultivate smoking products in my garden and harvest that and sell it out – and my children do not consume tobacco, but my neighbor's family uses … to enrich myself and all the generations of my children while my neighbor's family are dying … is in itself complete moral failure.”

Anti-smoking regulations in the Britain or other nations had failed to shutter businesses, Chimbala said. “Laws don't eliminate the industry. They merely safeguard the people.”

Formal company response

A BAT Zambia spokesperson stated: “The company operates its business in compliance with relevant national regulations. Further, the corporation engages in the country’s legislative process in line with the relevant frameworks which provide for interested party involvement in regulation development.”

The firm positioned itself as “not opposed to regulation”, the representative commented, adding that minors should be protected from acquiring smoking products and nicotine.

“We support developing rules to achieve intended community wellbeing objectives, while accepting the variety of entitlements and duties on industry, consumers and related stakeholders,” the representative explained, mentioning that the corporation's recommendations “mirror the circumstances of the local commercial environment and cigarette sector, which includes rising levels of illicit trade”.

Zambia’s department of trade, commerce and industry was approached for comment.