France

{{#badges:Tobaccowiki}} France is the largest country in Western Europe. It leads the European Union in food exports and is the world's largest maker of wine. The French government plays a large roll in directing economic activity. "Nuclear power, which supplies 80 percent of France's electricity, enjoys widespread support, in part because there is virtually no domestic oil. Government policies provide for a 35-hour workweek and five weeks of paid vacation annually."

Tobacco industry involvement in France

A 1991 public relations plan (created by the PR company Ruder Finn for Philip Morris France) discusses how the company can work around a "difficult national situation," specifically a French law called "loi Evin," which prohibits "all propaganda or publicity, direct or indirect, in favor of tobacco or tobacco products as well as their free distribution." The law also precluded sponsorship activities.

The report's author discusses how "the illness and death arguments used in anti-smoking campaigns [in the U.S.] have little effect on smokers and in particular young people [in France]," and how in France "the stressed non-smoker is still considered a fanatical trouble-maker when strongly defending his right to fresh air."

The Plan discusses how to influence legislators and opinion leaders in France, and states (on Page 25) that "defense of issues surrounding tobacco needs to be done in a third party context -- non-tobacco linked experts [and] sources need to speak on behalf of tobacco interests." It also urges Philip Morris to "take the initiative in education programmes informing young people about the risks of smoking," reaffirming that PM's application of youth anti-smoking programs in France and elsewhere is done out of concern for public relations and the effects of these activities on legislators rather than out of concern for public health.

Ruder-Finn proposed to help PM "establish a discrete, credible and effective voice and an institutionalised lobby...to defend its interests without being visible as Philip Morris," to "position Philip Morris as a concerned French citizen and a resource for factual information on both sides of the debate, and to "... highlight [PM's]...efforts to protect the environment; concern for health, youth and the quality of life in general."

The paper comments on the smoking situation in France, and lays out PM's "Overall objectives" in France:

3.1 Overall Objectives

The general principals that should underlay all initiatives would include the following:

--shifting political and media attitudes to more accurately reflect the social practice concerning smoking in France

--positioning Philip Morris as a concerned French citizen and a resource for factual information on both sides of the debate (for use by other institutions), highlighting its scientific activities and efforts to protect the environment; concern for health, youth and the quality of life in general.

--establishing a capacity for management of and participation in the on-going debate in France on the question of smoking.

--establishing a discrete, credible and effective voice and an institutionalised lobby (or more than one over time) to defend its interests without being visible as Philip Morris

--ensuring a proactive influence on legislative, regulatory and grass roots initiatives as they develop in order to extend the time frame and environmental space for smokers in France

--avoiding the debate and specific focus on smoker interest versus the general public. This debate has had a "boomerang effect" in France, rather than increasing sensitivity, the smokers versus non question tends to annoy people. In sum, avoid direct confrontation on the issue and place the debate in the context of broader discussions.

--mitigating against the sense of isolation of smoking

--avoiding dogmatism and capitalising on the French sense of individualism and liberty without being obvious ...

--Allowing Philip Morris to exist outside the context of the smoking debate.

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References