The College of Physicians of Las Palmas has denounced to the Prosecutor's Office the campaign "La Graciosa Smoke-Free", promoted by the City Council of Teguise and the tobacco company Philip Morris International, after the government group has "ignored" all the organizations that have requested its withdrawal.
"The mayor of Teguise has been warned of the danger involved in the collaboration of his City Council with Philip Morris," emphasizes the professional association, which recalls that almost all health institutions in the Canary Islands sent him requirements, including the General Directorate of Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands and the professional associations of Physicians, Pharmacists, Dentists and Nursing. Scientific societies, such as the Canarian Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (NEUMOCAN), have also joined this claim, as well as 74 national organizations and 76 international organizations have requested that he withdraw the campaign "La Graciosa Smoke-Free" and its alliance with the tobacco company.
"Despite this, the mayor and his government group in the City Council of Teguise remain determined to maintain the campaign," questions the College of Physicians, which considers that the campaign could infringe current legislation, which prohibits the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco. Specifically, it cites a European Directive, the Law on health measures against smoking and regulating the sale, supply, consumption and advertising of tobacco products and the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control. In addition, it warns that it also "collides with the sustainable development objectives of the 2030 Agenda."
For all these reasons, the College has denounced this campaign to the Prosecutor's Office to investigate it and act to stop it. In addition, it demands that "the responsibilities of the Teguise City Council, Philip Morris and those companies that may be considered instrumental be clarified."
"Masks a health hazard"
In its statement, the College of Physicians insists that the objective behind this campaign is to promote the new electronic cigarette developed by Philip Morris, which works by heating tobacco above 300 degrees, without ignition. At the same time, it created a foundation "of ecological appearance", called "Foundation for a Smoke-Free World", financed with "hundreds of millions of dollars, which is dedicated to the international promotion of its new product." With the same intention, simultaneously, it develops a theory called "Harm Reduction", which aims to imply that its new product is healthier than the conventional cigarette.
International health authorities, from the World Health Organization to universities and leading scientific societies, have called for a boycott of the "Foundation for a Smoke-Free World", understanding that it masks a health hazard. In addition, they affirm that the theory of "Harm Reduction" has been denied by scientific societies of maximum credibility. "The new tobacco product promoted by Philip Morris produces the same addiction to nicotine as the conventional cigarette and its same effects, in addition to also releasing carcinogenic products and it is not yet known if the thermal deterioration of its components may even add new diseases," they warn.
