The Ministry of Health has informed TÜV, an Austrian company that has endorsed the 'La Graciosa Smoke-Free' campaign, "to cease making erroneous references to the Ministry of Health," as its certification, endorsing the 'La Graciosa Smoke-Free' campaign, includes "compliance with the guidelines of the competent Ministry of Health." This was made public by the Las Palmas Medical Association in a press release sent to the media.
"The aforementioned communication was made to emphasize the position of the Ministry of Health regarding any activity that directly or indirectly promotes the consumption of tobacco or related products, as established in the Public Health Commission Agreement applicable to these products," the Ministry stated.
The 'La Graciosa Smoke-Free' campaign, promoted by the tobacco company Philip Morris, has been endorsed by the Austrian company TÜV, which includes it within its 'Smoke-Free Culture' certificate.
According to the Medical Association, the company TÜV, of Austrian origin, which advertises itself as independent, "and without any ties to Spanish public entities, is a certification company that has developed the certification protocol called 'Smoke-Free Culture,'" "whose objective is to certify that an organization has the willingness to plan, support, implement, monitor, and continuously improve a set of actions, with the aim of ensuring freedom from cigarette consumption in its facilities, as well as during the activities or events they organize."
The Medical Association points out that TÜV, through its "certificate" Smoke-Free Culture, "accredits" the elimination of cigarette consumption in restaurants, social clubs, hotels, and even entire islands, with the support of the tobacco company Philip Morris and its 'Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.' The international tobacco company, a regular collaborator of TÜV, "supports these organizations in the Canary Islands, collaborating with them in the process of obtaining said certification issued by TÜV."
The Las Palmas Medical Association has already reported the campaign to the Prosecutor's Office so that it can investigate and proceed, as appropriate, to stop it, as it could violate current legislation on the advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco.
The Medical Association reminds that Philip Morris "markets a new heated tobacco product, arguing that it does not produce smoke, although it does release nicotine and toxic substances." "It is striking that the aforementioned tobacco company supports not consuming cigarettes because they emit smoke, but markets a product that is still harmful to health," the Medical Association states. Their campaign emphasizes "that they do not burn tobacco," but they do heat it, "maintaining the addiction to nicotine."
To the Las Palmas Medical Association and many health professionals, committed against the tobacco pandemic, this campaign of "no smoke and yes nicotine," "seems harmful to Public Health."
