RENDEZ-VOUS 66
Monday, May 8 2000
Thank you Trudy for accepting our rendez-vous. May I ask you to introduce yourself?
I'm a rookie in tobacco control. I started in this job as the successor of Boudewijn de Blij only one year ago. Before that I worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Organisation for the Handicapped, and the National Home care Organization.
In the course of my career I gained a lot of political experience (working in the Minister's Office for 4 years will do that for you) , as well as experience in the field of communication (which is my original specialty). The subject of my university studies might come as a bit of a surprise: I graduated (summa cum laude) in comparative literature.
I used to be a very heavy smoker and I only managed to quit when my father died of lung cancer. That was eleven years ago and since then tobacco control has been a subject of interest for me. And since I've been working for Stivoro it has become almost a passion.
Q1. In an article published on December 18 1999 by the magazine Trouw Dr Els Borst-Eilers, the Dutch Health Minister was quoted as declaring war to the tobacco industry. Is there some substance beyond the rethoric ?
Dr. Borst is a physician herself and she also happens to be the sister in law of Holland's leading cancer specialist. She has strong personal views on the need for tobacco control and she has the courage to utter her views even when politically they are controversial. She has given orders to the government prosecutor to investigate if a trial against the industry is feasible. The results of this investigation will be available shortly.
She also plans to make far more money available for tobacco control: 33 million dollars a year, as opposed to 2.9 million. If she will succeed is unfortunately not only up to her. Her fellow ministers and the Parliament will have a say in it as well. But she intends to make a go for it.
Q2. The yearly tobacco control budget in the Netherlands was
-according to her- about 7 million Guilders and she said " it is a
pittance ". How much is the tobacco control budget for the year 2000
(how many guilders for a dollar? ) and what do you think would be an
adequate budget ? to have a scale of comparison can you also tell us
the amount of tobacco taxes collected ?
In 2000, as in the years before, about 7 million guilders will
be available for tobacco control. This equals about 2,9 million
dollars. As for taxes on cigarettes: in VAT and excises the government
receives about 2,5 billion. To be successful in tobacco control money
for campaigning is needed, but also for quitprogrammes and for
assistance by GP's for those who wish to quit, and for the refunding of
therapies and physicians. And, active prevention should be build into
schoolprogrammes. It is not just a matter of dollars and cents, it is
also a matter of amount of time spent in schools for instance, of
regulation concerning smoking in public places, in the workplace and in
the hospitality business. The tobacco industry is trying very hard to
keep smoking in fashion. We try to make it go out of it.
Q3. A survey done in 1996 of the main anti-tobacco groups in the
EU showed that the dutch organization Stivoro was the best staffed
(around 15 full time) and best funded. Can you explain how Stivoro is
organized and what is Stivoro's budget and staff status in 2000 ? do
you have any idea of the situation in the rest of the EU countries ? Do
you think anti-tobacco advocates are stronger ?
Stivoro now consists of 19 people, with a budget of approximately 4 million dollars. It is a daughter of the National Heart Foundation, The Asthma Fund and the Dutch Cancer Society. Together they pay for staff and office costs. For the 'work' subsidies are granted by the government, by the European Union, or by other organizations. There is a board of governors formed by the mother organizations. The organization consists of a director, a campaign manager, a researcher and 8 project managers, and an office staff consisting of a bookkeeper, a librarian, an office manager, 2 secretaries, 2 mailing clerks, and a cleaning lady. We are currently planning a call center, which will be operative in the autumn. And that will mean an addition to our staff of 4 counselors. It is rather a big organization compared to European standards.
It is also an effective organization, mostly because we cover
all aspects of tobacco control: mass media, campaigning, information to
specific target groups, liaison between organizations, lobbying, press
contacts. We have high quality people working for us, both in education
and experience. And especially that makes the organization stronger and
more effective.
Q3b. Your Health Minister has asked the attorney general to
study the feasibility of a lawsuit against the tobacco industry and she
hinted the Health Insurance Units could also be part of such a process.
Anything new on these issues?
What about individual lawsuits filed by tobacco victims ? In
France -where such lawsuits have been filed- the Health Minister did
not endorse them.
You slipped in an extra question! I already answered the Minister bit. In Holland we do not know the system of class acts. The individual lawsuits will start towards the end of the year. The lawyers involved are at the moment preparing their case and the tobacco industry is working at frustrating the preparations. Another important trial took place only recently: a postal worker asked the judge to grant her the smoke free workplace her employer had been denying her for 7 years, and the request was granted. The judge called tobacco smoke toxic and carcinogenic with no minimum tolerance and the right to a smoke-free workplace constitutional. The press had a field day (or rather fortnight) over this subject. In the public opinion 75% of the people said smoking in the workplace should be forbidden. As you see, we are on track.
Q4. The EU Parliament is in the process of reviewing the
proposal of the Commission for a new directive on labeling with Jules
Maaten from the Netherlands as a - rapporteur -. He has been presented
as a rather conservative and pro tobacco industry person. Any comment
on his position and what is your opinion on the Commission's proposal ?
Jules Maaten delivered a rapport that was mostly excellent. I
had the opportunity to talk to him on several occasions concerning the
drafting of the rapport (as did many other tobacco control advocates
throughout Europe) and I was pleasantly surprised by his views on the
matter. A pity he thinks Schnus should be legalized in the EU.
As for the directive itself, we are not home yet. It has not been
passed yet, and a lot can still happen. I especially hope that an
adequate way of establishing ingredients and additives of cigarettes
will be established.
Q5. In a very interesting study about the California experience
in tobacco control they stress as a prerequisite for efficient action
the existence an independent office of tobacco control with adequate
staff and funding. What is your opinion looking at the situation in the
Netherlands and at the EU Commission level ?
Stivoro is such an organization. We have adequate footing in
important NGO's and in the Health Ministry, yet our hands are not tight
the way they would be if we were e.g. a governmental organization. The
EU-organization is big and slow and its administration processes are
very complicated. This means that by nature it can not be very
decisive, and decisiveness is what a tobacco control organization
needs. To a certain extent this also goes for national governments.
Therefore in my opinion an independent office is most preferable.
Q6. Do you have anything else you would like to add ?
Public attitude and opinion towards smoking is of major importance. In Holland these are rapidly changing, and the change is due to providing a constant flow of information through all available channels. In this, working in close cooperation with all organizations concerned is essential. Coalitions are so much stronger than individuals. And that is something I would really like to say to all tobacco control workers.
Thank you Trudy for taking the time to be with us today, an answering my extra question as well!
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