Each day, 7,400 people die in the World Health Organization's (WHO) European region – a territory made up of 53 countries, with the notable inclusion of Russia – as a result of strategies pursued by the tobacco, ultra-processed food, fossil fuel and alcohol industries. According to the estimate, these powerful industries are directly or indirectly responsible for a total of 2.7 million deaths a year, with tobacco leading the way with over 1 million deaths, followed by ozone and fine particle pollution (close to 580,000 deaths); alcohol (close to 430,000 deaths); and the excessive consumption of salt, processed meat, sweetened drinks and saturated fatty acids (close to 400,000 deaths).
Why compare such far-flung sectors with one another? On Wednesday, June 12, the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) published a report based on 35 case studies showing how companies in these industrial sectors use almost identical practices to shape entire systems (health, political, economic and media) to their own interests. This has a direct impact on the increase in non-communicable diseases – essentially, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory illnesses, which are responsible for 90% of deaths in Europe.
This report, with its highly charged tone, is intended as a concrete plea to European MPs and decision-makers newly elected during the June 9 race. "We allow these industries to profit from the deaths they cause and behave in ways that delay or hinder effective regulation of their products," said Hans Kluge, WHO/Europe regional director.
'These industries are deceiving the world'
The region already possesses the highest rates of alcohol consumption in the world; and among the highest smoking rates, particularly among teenagers. Further, two-thirds of European adults are considered overweight or obese. "These industries mislead the world through philanthropy while selling products that cause harm. They fund charities that raise awareness of breast cancer and other dangers, while selling alcohol which causes these harms," said Kluge.
Their tactics include exploiting vulnerable populations through targeted marketing strategies and misrepresenting the benefits of their products or their respect for the environment.
Responsibility lies with the examples cited in the report, drawn from more or less recent episodes in various European countries. In France, the authors focused on the application of the Evin Law, adopted in 1991 to regulate the advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages, particularly those targeting young people. Over the years, the list of places where alcohol promotion is permitted has been expanded, therefore narrowing the scope of the legislation: for example, the inclusion of public spaces, in 1994, and digital media, in 2009.
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