Articles

Hubert (Huub) van Breemen has been an advisor at VNO-NCW, the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers, since 1992.1 VNO-NCW’s Director General Niek Jan van Kesteren described the organisation “as one of the few friends of the tobacco industry” 2 Lobbying on the Revision of the Tobacco Products Directive Van Breemen has played a key role in…

Frank Davis is a pro-smoking blogger in the UK whose banner headline reads “banging on about the smoking ban.” 5. Davis is a smoker who disagrees with the smoking ban in indoor public places that was introduced in 2007. He has denigrated public health advocates with particularly aggressive language: “We Must Destroy the Tobacco Control ‘Nazis'” In response to…

The tobacco industry has a history of arguing against tax rises, saying that excessive taxation leads to increased smuggling, amongst other unintended consequences. This page summarises some of those arguments, focussing on the run up to an increase in tobacco tax in the UK in 2012. See also pages on Price and Tax, which details tobacco industry tactics,…

Christopher Ogden was chief executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association until October 2011. He joined the TMA in 1997 and became chief executive in 2007. He resigned “after failing to persuade the coalition government to rescind anti-tobacco measures introduced under Labour,” according to the Financial Times. 33…

Bute Communications is a public relations company set up by Alun Davies, a Labour politician in Wales. Davies established the Cardiff-based company before he entered the Welsh Assembly. Bute was hired by the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association to lobby Welsh MPs and members of the Welsh Assembly.34…

John Russell runs Russell & Hart, a communications and public relations company that worked for the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA).35 Russell used to work for Bell Pottinger and took the TMA account with him.36 ReferencesHide↑ab…

Nick Gibbon ran Vigilant Communication Ltd, a public relations company that worked for the tobacco manufacturer Gallaher.373839 ReferencesHide↑abHubert van Breemen’s Linkedin Profile, undated, accessed 25 July 2013↑I.van Woerden & S. Braam,…

Jonathan Hopkins worked for the public relations company PR21, on a contract for the Tobacco Alliance. The contract was awarded to PR21 by Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association in December 2000. Hopkins was part of the team that pitched for the work and was responsible for planning.40…

Nick Tennant worked for the public relations company PR21, on a contract for the Tobacco Alliance. The contract was awarded to PR21 by Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association in December 2000. Tennant was part of the team that pitched for the work and was responsible for media relations.41…

Beer Davies was a PR company employed by the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association in the 1990s.4243 ReferencesHide↑abHubert van Breemen’s Linkedin Profile, undated, accessed 25 July 2013↑I.van Woerden & S. Braam, De laatste vriend…