The Tobacco Template

It has been claimed, by ASH, that

... the “domino theory” i.e. that once a measure has been applied to tobacco it will be applied to other products is patently false.

Sadly, it is their statement is false, not the domino theory. This page lists attempts by organisations and goverments to copy the 'tobacco template' in order to denormalise users of, or reduce consumption of, products.

General Controls

General stuff not covered below

GAPC - Alcohol

• “What worked for Tobacco Control?” - Ms. Shoba John[1]
• “Control marketing: lessons learn from tobacco control movement” Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee[2]

MD, PhD and a DrPH, California - Sweetners

Added sweeteners pose dangers to health that justify controlling them like alcohol, argue Robert H. Lustig, Laura A. Schmidt and Claire D. Brindis[3]

And they claim it contributes to 35million deaths a year worldwide and is so dangerous it should be controlled through taxation and legislation.[4]

Higher Taxes

Ever higher taxes are imposed with the belief that they will either (1) increase the tax the government receives or (2) reduce consumption by pricing consumers out of the market. (Ovbiously it can't do both at the same time.)

However, unintended consequences occur in the form of (a) increased sales on the black market and/or those (legitimately or not) obtaining their supplies from abroad and (b) increase in poverty because the hardest hit (and of which, demographically, tend to smoke more) are the poor who are either unwilling or unable to cut down or give up.

Doctor - Wales - fatty foods

An expert on obesity has called for a tax on fatty foods to help reduce the number of overweight people in Wales.

Dr Nadim Haboubi runs a weight management clinic and has advised on government strategy to tackle obesity/[5]

United Nations - food

In De Schutter(2011), it looks towards "Using taxation to encourage healthy diets" (page 17)

The introduction of food taxes and subsidies to promote a healthy diet constitutes a cost-effective and low-cost population-wide intervention that can have a significant impact. (page 17)

50 (d) Impose taxes on soft drinks (sodas), and on HFSS foods, in order to subsidize access to fruits and vegetables and educational campaigns on healthy diets; (page 21)

Bans - Products

Typically of the 'you can't do that here. Or there.' type.

Bans - Advertising

This covers not only direct advertising (identifiable adverts in media) but 'indirect' advertising; e.g. no smoking allowed in children's films (Think Cruella DeVille from 101 Dalmations)

United Nations - food

50 (c) Adopt statutory regulation on the marketing of food products, as the most effective way to reduce marketing of foods high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, sodium and sugar (HFSS foods) to children, as recommended by WHO, and restrict marketing of these foods to other groups; De Schutter (2011) page 21

Scottish Government - fatty foods/salt/sugar

Television adverts for food high in fat, sugar and salt should not be shown before the 9pm watershed, according to Scotland's public health minister.[6]

US Researchers - Alcohol in films

The results suggest that family focused interventions would have a larger impact on alcohol onset while limiting media and marketing exposure could help prevent both onset and progression.[7]

Australian government - 'junk' food

Greens leader Bob Brown introduced a private members bill last Monday to ban junk food advertising during children’s television viewing times of 6-9 am and 4-9 pm on weekdays, as recommended by the Obesity Policy Coalition.[8]B

BMA - alcohol advertising

There should be a ban on all alcohol advertising, including sports and music sponsorship, doctors say.

The British Medical Association said the crackdown on marketing was needed, along with an end to cut-price deals, to stop rising rates of consumption.[9]

Howard Stoate (Dartford, Labour, UK) - alcohol advertising

The only sure way to tackle the problem is removing the alcohol industry's ability to target young people in that way. Banning alcohol advertising and sponsorship from events that are attended by children and young people, or watched by them on TV, is one way to enable young people to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol.[10]

Gory Pictures/Warning Labels

Gory pictures on packets are supposed to deter (potential) smokers. Typically the medical type photographs show nothing that smoking could have caused (perfectly white teeth affected by dental caries, totally blackened lungs when we know smokers lungs are used for transplants, etc.)

BMA - Wine

[T]he British Medical Association is currently demanding that graphic warnings be placed on wine bottles and wants – in their own words – “a complete ban on [alcohol] advertising as has been done very successfully with tobacco.” [11]

Plain Packaging

Plain packaging is claimed to reduce the appeal of cigarettes. None of the studies (since it has not been put into practice yet) have conclusively proved that this is the case.

Australian health activists - alcohol

Health activists who believe even one alcoholic drink can cause cancer are lobbying MPs in Canberra (Jul '11) for limits on how much we consume and how much we pay for it. If they're successful in branding alcohol a carcinogen it could lead to tough restrictions similar to those applied to tobacco, including warnings on labels and laws requiring plain packaging.[12]