Leaked tobacco lobbying plan for 'political pressure' shows tobacco giant got its tax cut wish
Leaked tobacco lobbying plan for 'political pressure' shows tobacco giant got its tax cut wish
Philip Morris planned to apply "political pressure" to get tax cuts for heated tobacco products, a document shows.
A leaked document from tobacco giant Philip Morris says the company should target political parties including NZ First to get more favourable regulation for its Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs).
RNZ has obtained the 2017 document 'Designing a Smoke-free Future in New Zealand', a corporate affairs plan to lobby for HTPs and other smokeless nicotine products to be embraced as part Smokefree 2025.
The Philip Morris New Zealand (PMNZ) lobbying plan, dated August 2017, was drawn up as the National-led government of the day was legalising vaping products. The document maps out a path for HTPs to gain similar recognition.
"It is essential that we move proactively to control the narrative about PMNZ, our products and in particular, our potential contribution to harm reduction," the document says.
"We would like to force those opposing PMNZ's role in a Smokefree NZ … into a position whereby to oppose PMNZ's RRPs (Risk Reduced Products) is to oppose harm reduction, or be pro-harm."
Just a bunch of terrible people.
honestly i called this as soon as I heard about repealing smoke free nz. nz first bought and paid for by big tobacco. screw these fascist fucks fucking hate this corrupt government
This should surprise nobody given former tobacco lobbyist for Philip Morris NZ is literally in cabinet. From the same party that selected another former Philip Morris lobbyist as an MP candidate in a cushy should-have-been-an-easy-job-for-life seat.