Call for Scottish Parliament to Limit Tobacco Lobbyists

Health charities and professional bodies submitted a public petition yesterday calling on the Scottish Parliament to set limits on engagement with tobacco industry representatives.

It comes after the Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications from Japan Tobacco International (JTI), one of the world's largest tobacco companies, gave evidence to a meeting of the Health and Sport Committee.

The petition states that 'for a senior tobacco industry representative to give evidence to a Parliamentary Committee on a submission which claims to not relate to smoking raises serious concerns over the Framework Convention obligations regarding transparency.'

It also highlights that the UK is bound by an international health treaty - the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - which sets strict limits on engagement with the tobacco industry. 

Campaigners hope to highlight the need for MSPs and Parliament staff to be educated on how the treaty impacts on their work.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of health charity ASH Scotland, said: "The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is there because there is fundamental conflict between tobacco industry profits and the health and well-being of their customers. For years tobacco companies have tried to protect their interests by opposing health policies and this is why they have been singled out for restrictions.
 
"We know that the tobacco industry seeks to influence political action on health, as shown by the millions it recently threw at opposing plain packaging for tobacco products. MSPs and Parliament staff need to know about this history, and the limits placed on engaging with the tobacco industry."