Analysis of the tobacco industry’s interference in the enforcement of health warnings on tobacco products in Brazil

Perez, Consuelo M.; Silva, Vera Luiza da Costa e; Bialous, Stella Aguinaga

doi:10.1590/0102-311x00120715

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Brazil was the second country in the world to implement pictorial HWLs on tobacco packaging and is recognized as one of the world leaders in tobacco control. Despite its tobacco control pioneering spirit, the TI has been a fierce opponent with a long history of strategies to prevent or minimize HWLs in tobacco products 19 . In 2010, ANVISA initiated the process to improve Brazil’s HWLs by organizing a public consultation 20 on a proposed resolution to new HWLs.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tobacco industry strategies to prevent a ban on the display of tobacco products and changes to health warning labels on the packaging in Brazil

Silva¹,

Grilo²,

Branco³

et al. 2020

Tob. Prev. Cessation

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INTRODUCTION Through packaging and marketing, the tobacco industry (TI) is able to increase the appeal of its products and reduce the effectiveness of health warning labels (HWLs). Based on scientific evidence and the principles of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), ANVISA, the Brazilian surveillance and regulatory agency, conducted a process to implement new regulations at the point-of-sale (POS), including a display ban, and new parameters to HWLs. In order to prevent the regulation from entering into force, the TI strategically used several approaches. The objective of this study was to analyze the approaches used by the TI to prevent the implementation of a tobacco display ban and new requirements to HWLs. METHODS In order to identify and describe TI's approaches, we reviewed several sources of documentation, including published articles, reports, legislation, TI documents, and media stories. RESULTS Well-known, reported approaches were used by the TI in order to prevent the implementation of new regulations. These approaches included political interference, litigation, and funding studies to question tobacco control measures as previously reported in Brazil and other countries. CONCLUSIONS Using established approaches, the TI successfully stopped the implementation of a tobacco display ban and new parameters to HWLs in Brazil.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tobacco industry strategies to prevent a ban on the display of tobacco products and changes to health warning labels on the packaging in Brazil

Silva¹,

Grilo²,

Branco³

et al. 2020

Tob. Prev. Cessation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Brazil was the second country to adopt pictorial health warnings covering 100% of the package back face in 2001. 7 These were renewed in 2003, 2008 and 2018, considering that periodical revision is recommended since the impact of a warning tends to decrease over time. 8 Brazil has reduced the prevalence of smoking, 9 currently 9.8% 10 and health warnings have contributed to this reduction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘If I hadn’t seen this picture, I'd be smoking’—perceptions about innovations in health warnings for cigarette packages in Brazil: a focus group study

et al. 2021

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ObjectiveTo investigate the perceptions of young people and adults, smokers and non-smokers about the current set of innovations introduced in 2018 into the Brazilian tobacco products’ health warnings.MethodsTwenty focus groups were conducted in five state capitals in Brazil. The participants (n=163) were segmented by smoking status, age (15–17 years, 18–55 years) and social grade (C, D–E classes) to examine cigarette packaging and explore the participants’ perceptions of health warnings.ResultsHealth warnings capture attention, eliciting apprehension, fear, disgust and concern about the negative consequences of cigarette consumption. The 2018 Brazil health warnings are spontaneously recalled by participants, even without the presence of cigarette packages. However, the analysis also reveals the challenges of overcoming communication barriers and distorted interpretations, especially among smokers. The inclusion of direct and provocative stimuli, such as the use of the word ‘you’, attracts attention and creates more proximity to the recipient of the message. The results also highlight the interest and fear elicited by warnings on toxic constituents and the importance of using contrasting colours in warnings, which differentiate them from the colours of cigarette packs.ConclusionIntroducing innovative components in health warnings can catch consumers’ attention but considering that the interviewees encountered difficulties interpreting textual warnings about toxic constituents in cigarettes, the study reinforces the importance of adopting direct language and pictures, instead of text, which can visually transmit the warning messages and the use of specific wording that generates proximity between the emitter and receiver.

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Medidas regulatórias de proteção da alimentação adequada e saudável no Brasil: uma análise de 20 anos

et al. 2021

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Medidas regulatórias estão entre as estratégias de promoção da alimentação adequada e saudável preconizadas pela Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição (PNAN). Embora outras ações de promoção da alimentação adequada e saudável tenham avançado no Brasil, essas medidas progridem lentamente. O objetivo do trabalho é identificar e descrever fatores relacionados ao desenvolvimento e à implementação das principais medidas regulatórias de proteção da alimentação adequada e saudável no Brasil nos últimos 20 anos. É um estudo qualitativo documental que avaliou algumas medidas regulatórias de proteção à alimentação adequada e saudável federais, propostas ou em discussão, entre 1999 e 2020. São elas: regulação da publicidade de alimentos; regulação da comercialização de alimentos no ambiente escolar; implantação da rotulagem nutricional frontal obrigatória de alimentos; e tributação de bebidas adoçadas. A maioria das barreiras identificadas foram estratégias de atividade política corporativa protagonizadas pelo setor privado, principalmente, pela indústria de alimentos. Dentre as estratégias de atividade política corporativa utilizadas em diversas etapas dos processos políticos destacam-se: ações judiciais contra a ação do Estado; substituição de políticas sugerindo alternativas voluntárias ou inefetivas; oposição, fragmentação e desestabilização, com busca de apoio da comunidade. No período estudado, nenhuma das medidas foi aprovada. Diante desse cenário, os obstáculos para aprovação das medidas regulatórias de proteção a alimentação adequada e saudável necessitam ser superados no Brasil.

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Analysis of the tobacco industry’s interference in the enforcement of health warnings on tobacco products in Brazil

Abstract: Análise da interferência da indústria do tabaco na implantação das advertências sanitárias nos derivados de tabaco no Brasil Análisis de la interferencia de la industria del tabaco en la implementación de advertencias sanitarias en los derivados del tabaco en Brasil

Cited by 4 publications

References 14 publications

Tobacco industry strategies to prevent a ban on the display of tobacco products and changes to health warning labels on the packaging in Brazil

Tobacco industry strategies to prevent a ban on the display of tobacco products and changes to health warning labels on the packaging in Brazil

‘If I hadn’t seen this picture, I'd be smoking’—perceptions about innovations in health warnings for cigarette packages in Brazil: a focus group study

Medidas regulatórias de proteção da alimentação adequada e saudável no Brasil: uma análise de 20 anos

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