Tobacco Industry Manipulation of Tobacco Excise and Tobacco Advertising Policies in the Czech Republic: An Analysis of Tobacco Industry Documents

Background

The Czech Republic has one of the poorest tobacco control records in Europe. This paper examines transnational tobacco companies'' (TTCs'') efforts to influence policy there, paying particular attention to excise policies, as high taxes are one of the most effective means of reducing tobacco consumption, and tax structures are an important aspect of TTC competitiveness.

Methods and Findings

TTC documents dating from 1989 to 2004/5 were retrieved from the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library website, analysed using a socio-historical approach, and triangulated with key informant interviews and secondary data. The documents demonstrate significant industry influence over tobacco control policy. Philip Morris (PM) ignored, overturned, and weakened various attempts to restrict tobacco advertising, promoting voluntary approaches as an alternative to binding legislation. PM and British American Tobacco (BAT) lobbied separately on tobacco tax structures, each seeking to implement the structure that benefitted its own brand portfolio over that of its competitors, and enjoying success in turn. On excise levels, the different companies took a far more collaborative approach, seeking to keep tobacco taxes low and specifically to prevent any large tax increases. Collective lobbying, using a variety of arguments, was successful in delaying the tax increases required via European Union accession. Contrary to industry arguments, data show that cigarettes became more affordable post-accession and that TTCs have taken advantage of low excise duties by raising prices. Interview data suggest that TTCs enjoy high-level political support and continue to actively attempt to influence policy.

Conclusion

There is clear evidence of past and ongoing TTC influence over tobacco advertising and excise policy. We conclude that this helps explain the country''s weak tobacco control record. The findings suggest there is significant scope for tobacco tax increases in the Czech Republic and that large (rather than small, incremental) increases are most effective in reducing smoking. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

Effects of Tobacco Cyst Nematode on Growth of Flue-cured Tobacco

The effects of infection by tobacco cyst nematode (Globodera tabacum solanacearum) on growth of flue-cured tobacco cultivars NC 567 (resistant) and K 326 (susceptible) were evaluated in the field in 1993 and 1994. Infection by G. t. solanacearum suppressed number of leaves, plant height, and fresh weight of leaves and feeder roots. Correlations between weekly egg densities of G. t. solanacearum collected from soil and host growth during 11 weeks after transplanting (WAT) were often inconsistent between cultivars and years. However, consistent correlations were obtained between root weight and egg densities collected 9 WAT, as well as between leaf weight from susceptible K 326 and nematode egg densities 6 WAT. Leaf and feeder root weights were significantly correlated with the area under the curve for all nematodes per gram of feeder root for K 326 in 1993 and for both cultivars in 1994. Reduction in feeder root weight by G. t. solanacearum was similar for the resistant and susceptible cultivars. Reduction in fresh leaf weight by G. t. solanacearum was twice as great (P ≤ 0.07) for K 326 as for NC 567 in 1994. Incorporating nematode resistance into germplasm possessing improved yield and quality traits should produce cultivars more acceptable to growers.     

Tobacco Genetic Tumors

Tobacco genetic tumors developed spontaneously from hybrid plantsthat are derived from sexual or somatic crosses between twospecies of Nicotiana. Thus, genomic transformation by T-DNA,as occurs in cases of crown galls and hairy roots, is not indispensablefor the initiation of such genetic tumors. Tumorization may be attributable to expression of certain genomicgenes that are highly homologous to those of the T-DNA of Ri-plasmids,with subsequent overproduction of phytohor-mones and/or to elevationin sensitivity to endogenously supplied phytohormdnes of cellsof the hybrids. Tumorization events occur sequentially afterstimulation by stress, such as wounding. (Received August 19, 1991; )