Fighting a Tobacco-Tax Rollback: A Political Analysis of the 1994 Cigarette Contraband Crisis in Canada

Abstract

We identify factors that led a regional government (Quebec, Canada) to opt for a reduction of its tobacco tax to combat tobacco smuggling. Then we explore the fallout of Quebec's tobacco-tax rollback on its tobacco control policy. We conducted qualitative research using a case-study design and multiple sources of data. We applied the Advocacy Coalition Framework in respect of data collection and analysis. Advocates of the tobacco-tax rollback framed the contraband problem in a way that won the support of an array of actors. However, anti-tobacco activists succeeded in convincing the government to invest more in tobacco control. The new resources were instrumental in enhancing the activists' ability to promote legislative measures. Our approach sheds light on the tobacco industry's strategy to have governments reducing their tobacco tax. Quebec offers an example of how tobacco control activists can transform defeat into the cornerstone of a comprehensive tobacco control policy.

Understanding the Influence of Evidence in Public Health Policy: What Can We Learn from the ‘Tobacco Wars’?

“…Breton et al 2006;Princen 2007), the paper went on to examine more value-orientated approaches to understanding the role of evidence in tobacco policy debates, notably Sabatier and Jenkins- Smith's (1993; ACF. Like Farquharson (2003), this paper argues that the ACF provides a more convincing means of understanding the 'tobacco wars' than evidenceorientated accounts and, like Cairney (2007), it found the ACF's emphasis on diverse policy actors was useful.…”

“…tobacco industry and related interests, smokers rights' groups and policymakers responsible for business and trade interests). The ACF has already been successfully applied to international tobacco control policy development (Farquharson 2003;Princen 2007), as well as to tobacco tax debates in Canada and the US (Breton et al 2006;Givel 2006). However, as Cairney (2007) points out, the ACF tends to attribute policy change of any magnitude to external shocks and has little to say about how or why coalitions lose or gain dominance over time or to the potential role of evidence within this.…”

“…Farquharson 2003;Berridge 2006;Breton et al 2006;Givel 2006;Cairney 2007;Princen 2007;Larsen 2008;Young et al 2012). It differs from most others by focusing specifically on the role of evidence and ideas in the decade-long debates about tobacco.…”

Is Sugar the new Tobacco? Insights from Laboratory Studies, Consumer Surveys and Public Health

“…Second, the strong relationship with minority groups developed by the industry thanks to targeted marketing strategies and philanthropic engagements have also been underlined [62]. Third, examples of efforts engaged by the industry and retailers' association to defeat public health measures via media and public relations strategies have also been described [69]. Finally, the numerous corporate social responsibility activities run by tobacco industries such as philanthropic contributions (e.g.…”

Implications and priorities of tobacco control in Belgium and Europe

“…This problem of smuggling led the government of Quebec to opt for a reduction of its taxes on tobacco in order to fight smuggling [13].…”