The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To disclose tobacco industry attempts to have favorable legislative environment in Ukraine and Russia and to present ways to counteract these attempts.

Methods: Study of tobacco industry open and secret documents, analysis of legislative proposals of their allies and media reports.

Results: Tobacco industry understands that it is no more able to stop tobacco control legislation and so tries to make it as weak as possible. Their allies presented to the parliaments both weak draft legislative acts and amendments to water down strict legislative proposals. Tobacco industry also tries to use legislation for competition within the industry, for example by strict tar and nicotine limits. In 2000 in Russia they managed to water down strict proposals and while the adopted law looks like tobacco control law, it is openly supported by the industry. In Ukraine in 2001-2004 the industry successfully blocked strong legislation. In 2005 tobacco industry first insisted on some compromises, but then attacked tobacco control draft law using every argument to stop it, but failed as tobacco control advocates had strong and united position. Tobacco industry even stated that Ukraine has to ratify the FCTC first and then to change legislation. Main features of pro-industry legislative proposals are revealed. Experience-based guidelines on counteracting tobacco industry attempts to stop or manipulate tobacco control legislation are presented.