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Vital Strategies hails Uruguay’s victory against Philip Morris International

(July 8, 2016, New York, USA) – Vital Strategies today welcomed the verdict of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes – after six years of legal proceedings – which has concluded that Uruguay is within its rights to implement and enforce tobacco control legislation, specifically large graphic warnings on tobacco packs and a ban on multiple brand presentations. The case, brought by Philip Morris International (PMI), is a further failure for the tobacco industry in its strategy of using national and international courts to try to prevent governments from adopting proven policies to protect public health and reduce the unsustainable burden of tobacco-related non-communicable disease.

Other notable cases in the past 12 months include a failure to stop plain cigarette packaging in Australia and a failure to prevent the implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive across the European Union. Philip Morris International was a party in both cases.

José Luis Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vital Strategies commented:

“Time and again, the tobacco industry throws its financial and legal weight behind spurious legal challenges to try to prevent governments from protecting their citizens. Tobacco companies bank on governments backing down, deterred by the financial burden of potentially lengthy legal cases – in this case, six years. The anti-smoking legal fund established by Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates has been a turning point, providing essential financial backing to governments in low and middle income countries.

“The courageous stand of countries like Uruguay – and their successful defenses against tobacco industry litigation – proves that public health should never come second to tobacco industry profits, and numerous national and international courts agree. Every country can feel emboldened by today’s decision, and move forward to implement strong tobacco control laws.

“Large graphic warnings on tobacco packs are proven to raise awareness of the specific harms of smoking, deter youth from initiating smoking and encourage current smokers to cut down and quit. That’s why Philip Morris International was so keen to try to stop them, and that’s why every country should now move forward to implement them. We applaud this victory for reason and for health and stand ready to play our part in helping countries to better warn citizens about the deadly harms of tobacco.

“With concerted effort to implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as agreed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we may yet avoid seeing one billion avoidable tobacco-related deaths this century.”

About Vital Strategies

Vital Strategies envisions a world where every person is protected by a strong public health system.  Our team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change.  Vital Strategies was formed when The Union North America and World Lung Foundation joined forces.  It is an affiliate of The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).

To find out more, please visit vitalstrategies.org or Twitter @VitalStrat

For further information or to arrange an interview with a Vital Strategies public health and tobacco control expert, please contact Tracey Johnston, Vital Strategies, at +44.7889.081.170 or tjohnston@vitalstrategies.org