Philip Morris moves to block new tobacco law in Thailand

[webfact]

American tobacco company moves to block new tobacco law in Thailand

BANGKOK, 4 May 2015 (NNT)-The Action on Smoking and Health Foundation Thailand (ASH Thailand) has claimed that a giant American tobacco company is trying to prevent Thailand from passing a law on tobacco control.

According to ASH Thailand Secretary General Professor Dr. Prakit Watheesathokkij, Philip Morris International submitted a letter to the Ministry of Public Health discouraging the new legislation.

The company indicated that Thailand only needed to educate its citizens more about the harmful effects of smoking and use the existing laws to prevent new smokers.

Philip Morris International earns as much as three billion baht a year from selling tobacco products in Thailand.

Prof Dr. Prakit added that the company also tried to prevent the US Food and Drug Administration from enforcing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act 2009.

He said it is important for Thailand to pass the law to prevent younger people from becoming addicted to smoking and the overall well-being of Thai people.


-- NNT 2015-05-04

[toybits]

Tobacco smoking should be banned forever. It should only be used as a pesticide.

[zaphod reborn]

Tobacco smoking should be banned forever. It should only be used as a pesticide.

Yep, wean them off tobacco and get them onto pot. Pot is good for the economy and health of the nation.

[IMA_FARANG]

I'm old enough to remember the adverts in the 1950's (late 1950's) for Philip Morris cigarettes with the boy carrying a telephone in a hotel, and crying the slogan, "Call for Philip Morris" as though he had a phone call for a hotel guest.

Mr. Philip Morris.

[daiwill60]

And who are these farang companies to tell us what to do?

P. Morris has little chance of winning a case in Thailand, unless the deciding person is a short time to live, paid off member of the Marlboro man club.

[halloween]

Be a "Marlboro Man" - die of lung cancer (or other smoking related disease).

http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/marlboro.asp

[DM07]

How about educating people (without demonizing smokers and smoking) and then let them make an informed decision, how they want to ruin their lives?

...oh...educating...I see the flaw in my argument!

[halloween]

Tobacco smoking should be banned forever. It should only be used as a pesticide.

Yep, wean them off tobacco and get them onto pot. Pot is good for the economy and health of the nation.

Inhaling products of combustion is not good for the health of anyone or anything, except maybe your dealer's bank a/c. I have a sister who was a non-tobacco smoking heavy user. She is nearly 10 years younger than me but looks at least that older, and for the last decade has been plagued by lung problems and other smoking related disorders.

[trogers]

Which kill faster, smoking or the annual smog?

[chainarong]

If this was correct Phillip Morris should be banned from operating in Thailand ,however I gather Phillip Morris has forwarded a letter discouraging the new changes hardly a move to block anything, , Phillip Morris has no power to block any legislation in any country, let alone Thailand on Tobacco law change, I doubt that this is a true accurate account of Phillip Morris intentions and would take it with a grain of salt coming from the anti tobacco lobby, I am a non smoke but sensational reporting gives me the shits. .

[chainarong]

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Which kill faster, smoking or the annual smog?

Smog if you are riding a bike on Prayut - O bike lanes.

[xuberant]

If this was correct Phillip Morris should be banned from operating in Thailand ,however I gather Phillip Morris has forwarded a letter discouraging the new changes hardly a move to block anything, , Phillip Morris has no power to block any legislation in any country, let alone Thailand on Tobacco law change, I doubt that this is a true accurate account of Phillip Morris intentions and would take it with a grain of salt coming from the anti tobacco lobby, I am a non smoke but sensational reporting gives me the shits. .

I wish u were right but unfortunately this isn't sensationalism. These tobacco companies have more power than most think. John Oliver does a good job explaining this exact situation happening in other countries... it's worth a watch and bloody funny too!

[thesetat2013]

Thais are so against smoking and actually snub their noses at you if you are smoking near them. Its actually quite funny to see them walking and breathing the smoky air from cars,trucks, vendors cooking or fires and think it's all OK until a smoker walks past them. They cover their mouths like an infection was near them. So two faced they don't think how dangerous all the other fumes are causing them. P. Morris is in business to make money selling cigarettes. Any company making billions would do the same if that profit was threatened.

Edited May 4, 2015 by thesetat2013

[X pat]

​For those of you who don't know this,Tabaco as originally used an a horse liniment,untell some idot found you can smoke it and it will calm you.Problem is they never under stode the down side of it.

[MJKT2014]

I'm old enough to remember the adverts in the 1950's (late 1950's) for Philip Morris cigarettes with the boy carrying a telephone in a hotel, and crying the slogan, "Call for Philip Morris" as though he had a phone call for a hotel guest.

Mr. Philip Morris.

Similar to this I expect by Lucy Ball and Desi Arnaz (who later died of lung cancer).

[Jingthing]

I'm on Thailand's side on this one.

But good luck.

Philip Morris knows what they're doing.

[soalbundy]

​For those of you who don't know this,Tabaco as originally used an a horse liniment,untell some idot found you can smoke it and it will calm you.Problem is they never under stode the down side of it.

just like some people never understand the importance of correct spelling to get their point across

[fred Kubasa]

Ah, let them pass a new ANTI law which will be as effective as the anti drug and anti gambling and anti prostitution laws have been !

[Fullstop]

Philip Morris International submitted a letter to the Ministry of Public Health discouraging the new legislation.

The Ministry of Public Health should tell the drug dealing Philip Morris International to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

[TheCube]

Same tactics explained in this clip from the excellent Last Week Tonight with John Oliver-

"Thanks to tobacco industry regulations and marketing restrictions in the US, smoking rates have dropped dramatically. John Oliver explains how tobacco companies are keeping their business strong overseas."

[quandow]

Once again, stellar reporting - what law are they talking about? Best I could find is either raising the age of purchase, raising the price, or outlawing the sale of "loosies." http://www.tobacco.org/tagged/thailand

[Naam]

​For those of you who don't know this,Tabaco as originally used an a horse liniment,untell some idot found you can smoke it and it will calm you.Problem is they never under stode the down side of it.

nice fairy tale. how long did you take to invent it?

[Naam]

Ah, let them pass a new ANTI law which will be as effective as the anti drug and anti gambling and anti prostitution laws have been !

i think the law which forbids prostitution has been quite effective. i don't see any prostitute whenever i'm downtown Pattaya

[ratcatcher]

​For those of you who don't know this,Tabaco as originally used an a horse liniment,untell some idot found you can smoke it and it will calm you.Problem is they never under stode the down side of it.

just like some people never understand the importance of correct spelling to get their point across

Or the fact that Sir Walter Raleigh introduced the weed to England.

[Prbkk]

I wish the medicos would take an equally keen interest in outlawing the use of asbestos. Thailand will have a crisis of asbestos related disease, including mesothelioma in the coming decades. Yes, restrict tobacco by taxing but ban asbestos in building and automotive industries.

[Ricardo]

Philip Morris International submitted a letter to the Ministry of Public Health discouraging the new legislation.

The Ministry of Public Health should tell the drug dealing Philip Morris International to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

Or perhaps make a start with the government-owned Thai Tobacco Monopoly :-

"TTM is one of the most profitable state enterprises, returning substantial revenues to the state treasury." according to Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand_Tobacco_Monopoly

[anon4546543]

It is possible to take on Big Tobacco and win. Australia did this with plain packaging with only disgusting pictures of diseased body parts on the packet. Banned all smoking in pubs and restaurants. Banned smoking in cars (don't know how you police this but it is law) When Big Tobacco lost the court case they were made to pay the costs. Interesting to see a new generation of young smokers in Australia, especially among young women. They are bombarded with education about the harmful effects but still choose to smoke. "It calms me down" is the common answer as to why they smoke. Some people against all evidence choose to be an addict to dangerous substances.

[Andre0720]

Tobacco smoking should be banned forever. It should only be used as a pesticide.

Yep, wean them off tobacco and get them onto pot. Pot is good for the economy and health of the nation.

Yup, you got that right....

[Andre0720]

Which kill faster, smoking or the annual smog?

Smoking you can avoid....

The smog...Oh well....

[willyumiii]

Just like in America, the big corporations have the money needed to control the government for the benefit of the corporations

Are you trying to tell me that you think Thai government officials in Thailand are above taking huge amounts of money to influence their decisions?