Smoke-Free Dialogue

General Information 

The global effort to curtail smoking and reduce its health impacts has made tremendous strides in recent decades, especially in developed countries. Much of this progress has been driven by government implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which guides member states in setting rules governing the production, sale, distribution, advertising and taxation of tobacco.

However, there are still more than a billion smokers worldwide and more than seven million die prematurely each year. With the potential for up to a billion more smoking-related deaths this century, progress must be accelerated. This means continuing aggressive implementation of the FCTC, but also experimenting with other innovative and effective means. As experts increasingly discuss possible tobacco endgames, there is both a need and an opportunity to address transformation of the industry itself and, in turn, to further accelerate progress toward a smoke-free world.
 
 
The Smoke-Free Index™
The Smoke-Free Index™ is envisioned as a means of encouraging and monitoring the industry’s transformation. It will provide quantifiable evidence of how the 15 largest tobacco companies in the world are supporting or impeding a smoke-free world, by objectively measuring the nature of capital allocation, research and development, marketing, product sales, production decisions, violations and more. It will also profile policies and other circumstances encouraging progress in 35 countries worldwide.

Its goal is to complement existing initiatives, including the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and MPOWER, and to enhance the availability of transparent, comparable information, enabling all relevant stakeholders – e.g. investors and analysts, policymakers, tobacco control experts, health professionals and the general public – to make better decisions.
 
 
 
 
The Smoke-Free Dialogues
Critical to developing a robust, credible and effective index is the incorporation of expert stakeholder input into its methodology, criteria, and research practices. Part of a global series planned in 2019, this dialogue invites open and constructive debate of the Index’s theory of change, potential content and governance.

Together we will address topics including but not limited to:
    • The potential for the Smoke-Free Index™ to complement existing tobacco control efforts by critically evaluating industry actions
    • How to effectively evaluate the industry’s activities related to phasing out cigarettes, reducing harm and enabling a smoke-free world
    • Accounting for other critical challenges including responsible marketing, lobbying, youth initiation, compliance, litigation, illicit trade, etc.
    • Addressing variations in circumstances between geographies – for example, low- and middle-income vs. developed countries
    • The most critical and effective means for ensuring the independence and credibility of the Index
The session will be conducted under The Chatham House Rule, which indicates that participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. Please feel free to share your findings and perspectives from the day but please do not publish any materials or attribute any perspectives from the session publicly.
 
We understand and appreciate the dilemmas that many experts face in deciding how, and with whom, to engage on these issues and that many will have strong views. Driving change in any industry is challenging; in the tobacco industry, all the more so. From our perspective, this only further underscores the necessity and value of this type of consultation.

Participants should know that diverse perspectives are welcomed and encouraged, and participation does not constitute endorsement of either the Smoke-Free Index™ or the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World. Also, given the focus of discussion, no tobacco company personnel, nor any other representatives of the industry, will be invited or permitted to participate in this dialogue.
 
Euromonitor International, which will lead the research to construct the Index, will also participate in this dialogue.
 
 
 
 
About the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Established in 2017, the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World seeks to improve health by ending smoking in this generation. In particular, it meets an unmet need for research and other initiatives to evaluate and promote smoking cessation and harm reduction strategies as a complement to the FCTC. The Smoke-Free Index™ is part of the Foundation’s Industry Transformation strategy, which seeks to mobilise investors, consumers and others to engage in dialogue and influence the industry to make an accelerated transition away from combustible tobacco.

Full disclosure: the Foundation is initially funded with a pledge of $80 million per year, for 12 years, from Philip Morris International (PMI). However, its Bylaws and Pledge Agreement prevent PMI having any control or influence over how the Foundation spends its funds or focuses its activities and acceptance of this funding does not constitute an endorsement by the Foundation of any of the pledger’s products. For more information, please see the Foundation’s website.