The tobacco industry has been active in promoting the release of electronic smoking devices (DEFs) since these products were banned in Brazil, but this process has intensified as multinational tobacco companies have incorporated DEFs as products in their portfolio. In general, the strategies that appear to be used by the industry in an attempt to allow the commercialization of DEFs in Brazil include:
1. Create spaces in the media to make the product more "familiar" to society;
2. Do direct advertising, including promotional campaigns;
3. Support and enable the illegal sale of DEFs over the internet;
4. Influence decision makers;
5. Exaggerate its economic importance;
6. Influencing science by funding and promoting biased studies.
The Tobacco Industry and Electronic Smoking Devices: An Observatory Report on Tobacco Industry Strategies
Technical-scientific documents repeatedly prove that electronic smoking devices (DEFs) are smoking products that contain nicotine and cause dependence and illness in those who are exposed, voluntarily or involuntarily. Based on this evidence, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) published on August 28, 2009, the Collegiate Board Resolution No. 466, which prohibits the sale of these devices, but despite the ban, the tobacco industry has insisted on the debate for that these are released and this topic became of great interest to Brazilian public health and consequently to the Observatory, which created a special page on its website, with scientific articles, technical reports and specific content on the strategies that the tobacco industry has been adopting so that DEFs can be commercialized1.
It is also possible to view entries on the latest news, events and other pertinent information about Electronic Smoking Devices (DEF's), accompanied by their respective document sources and references. To access the information, just click on the news link or access the full document which is in PDF, AVI, JPEG or MP3 format.
- 1. TURCI, Silvana Rubano Barretto; SILVA, Vera Luiza da Costa e; HALSSEMAN, Luiz William; KORNALEWSKI, Alex Medeirosi; CHEAP, Danielle. The tobacco industry and electronic smoking devices (DEFS). Cetab/Ensp/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, 1 Sept. 2021. Available at: http://tabaco.ensp.fiocruz.br/sites/default/files/001372b_0.pdf. Accessed on: 26 Oct. 2021.