The blog of Jackie Tumwine

‘Nigeria is better off without tobacco companies’

The following is Akinbode Oluwafemi's detailed interview published in the Nigerian newspaper, The Nation. Akinbode Oluwafemi is a leading Nigerian tobacco control advocate and heads the Environmental Rights Action / Friends of the Earth, (ERA/FoEN)

Nigeria: Smoking troubles for tobacco companies

The British American Tobacco company Nigeria Limited (BATN), is fighting the battle to save its business as four Nigerian states, the Federal government and anti tobacco activists take them to task.

Nigeria slams US$ 42.4 billion suit on tobacco companies

Abuja, Nigeria - The Nigerian Government has sued the British-American Tobacco Plc. (BAT) and two other tobacco companies for N5.3 trillion or US$ 42.4 billion for havoc done to under-aged smokers in Nigeria.

The ugly truth behind British American Tobacco’s HIV/ AIDS conference in Nigeria

Tobacco and HIV/AIDS represent the only two major causes of death globally that continue to grow. It is an outrageous irony that British American Tobacco (BAT) –a company that manufactures products that kill half its users and is responsible for 5.4million deaths a year, sponsors an HIV/ AIDS conference.

BAT shouldn’t fund CHOGM activities

Another letter to the Editor calling for the rejection of BAT sponsorship of the Commonwealth Business Forum:

EDITOR—I concur with the view by Jackie Tumwine about BAT sponsorship of the CHOGM in the business forum as particularly detestable. There would seem to be little to bring such diverse peoples of the Commonwealth together in a voluntary association.

Tobacco firms find market in Third World

An article by Lauri Kubuitsile highlighting the tobacco industry’s expansion into Africa despite the escalating tobacco death toll in developing countries reported by the WHO’s World Health Statistics for 2007.
Source: Mmegi (Botswana)

Cameroon: British American Tobacco gives out University Scholarships

The Cameroon Tribune reports another university scholarship scheme by British American Tobacco (BAT) under the guise of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Other African countries like Rwanda and Kenya have already witnessed similar schemes. And this is from an industry that claims not to market their deadly products to the youth.

AFRICA- A Target of The Tobacco Industry

After reading the fine publications, Trust Us We Are the Tobacco Industry, and BAT in its Own Words, a sad truth is evident. My continent Africa is a prime target of the deadly tobacco industry.

Formerly secret documents of the tobacco industry confirm what recent studies reveal-tobacco is decreasing in the developed world and increasing in developing countries.