Media role critical in tobacco control

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The role of media is essential in tobacco control and internationally media has paid a critical role in the passage and implementation of tobacco control laws.

The media served as a bridge between the public and policy-makers allowing the public to bring forward their concerns.

This access has been critical in tobacco control where a chance of profits for the few mean the infliction of disease and death on the many Debra Efroymson, Tobacco Control Advisor, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease said at a press conference held by the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol in Colombo yesterday.

In the David and Goliath power imbalance between health advocates and the tobacco industry the media serves as the equalising weapon that allows David the upper hand she said.

Those campaigning for strong tobacco control laws and policies in country after country including higher taxes and advertising bans, smoke free public places and graphic health warnings rely on the media to bring their concern to the attention of policy makers. The active role of the media has been critical in changing the balance of power so that pro-people rather than pro-industry policies could result, she noted. Despite all these efforts the industry still used the media to trumpet their cause by using corporate social responsibility as an eyewash.

The media therefore must be responsible to ask whether the taxes paid by the industry were more important than the lives taken away by the cigarettes. If it was genuinely interested in people does it grow more trees than the number of trees farmers burn down to grow and cure tobacco.

With the support of media the industry could be curbed and health and wellbeing of the people promoted, she said.