British American Tobacco's Influence on Secondhand Smoke Policy in China
Author Information
Author(s): Monique E Muggli, Kelley Lee, Quan Gan, Jon O Ebbert, Richard D Hurt
Primary Institution: Mayo Clinic
Hypothesis
Did British American Tobacco use strategies to undermine secondhand smoke restrictions in China?
Conclusion
British American Tobacco has actively worked to divert attention from secondhand smoke issues in China by promoting liver disease prevention and other tactics.
Supporting Evidence
- BAT funded the Beijing Liver Foundation to shift focus from smoking to liver disease.
- BAT promoted ineffective ventilation and air filtration as alternatives to smoking bans.
- BAT's internal documents reveal a strategy to misinform about the risks of secondhand smoke.
Takeaway
This study shows that a big tobacco company tried to distract people from the dangers of secondhand smoke by focusing on liver disease instead.
Methodology
The study analyzed internal corporate documents from British American Tobacco related to secondhand smoke in China.
Potential Biases
The study relies on internal documents from a tobacco company, which may not provide a complete or unbiased view.
Limitations
Access to documents from BAT's Chinese subsidiary is limited, and the analysis is based on documents available only until 2002.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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