Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Tobacco Control and Sales in Saudi Arabia
3.2. Lobbying Against Plain Packaging
3.3. Officials Respond
3.4. Opening a Public Investigation
3.5. Media Coverage of The “New Smoke” Campaign
3.6. Twist to the Campaign Narrative
3.7. Announcing the Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Date | Actor | Event | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Government | Tobacco Industry | Media | Consumers | External Entity | ||
23 Aug 2019 | x | SA started PP implementation | ||||
23 Oct 2019 | x | First use of the Arabic new smoke hashtag on twitter in relevance to SA PP | ||||
20 Nov 2019 | x | GAZT tweets about recognizing legal cigarette packs from taxation label | ||||
26 Nov 2019 | x | Anti PP campaign on the Arabic new smoke hashtag is trending on twitter | ||||
29 Nov 2019 | x | Increase in calls and hundreds of emails to the MoH-TCP pertaining to the “new smoke” | ||||
29 Nov 2019 | x | MCI denies responsibility of change in cigarettes on twitter, then deletes tweet a few days later. | ||||
29 Nov 2019 | x | Counter hashtag all types of tobacco trending on twitter | ||||
29 Nov 2019 | x | MoH TCP disclaims a circulating fabricated MoH statement | ||||
30 Nov 2019 | x | SFDA releases its official statement | ||||
5 Dec 2019 | x | The WHO tweets on the anti PP campaign in support of SA government efforts | ||||
5 Dec 2019 | x | 100% to 700% increase in visits to MoH smoking cessation clinics across SA | ||||
6 Dec 2019 | x | British American Tobacco Middle East releases its official statement denying change to cigarettes | ||||
11 Dec 2019 | x | SFDA and MCI release a joint investigation statement | ||||
13 Dec 2019 | x | EASM releases its official statement on complying to standards | ||||
15 Dec 2019 | x | CPA releases its official statement supporting investigation of tobacco companies | ||||
17 Dec 2019 | x | Fissora, a popular TV talk show, hosts an episode with key experts and decision makers on the new smoke controversy | ||||
20 Dec 2019 | x | Philip Morris releases its official statement denying change to cigarettes or manufacturing country | ||||
4 Jan 2020 | x | SFDA releases cigarette testing results |
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Hassounah, M.M.; Al-Zalabani, A.H.; AlAhmari, M.D.; Murriky, A.A.; Makeen, A.M.; Alanazi, A.M.M. Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 2668. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082668
Hassounah MM, Al-Zalabani AH, AlAhmari MD, Murriky AA, Makeen AM, Alanazi AMM. Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(8):2668. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082668
Chicago/Turabian StyleHassounah, Marwah M., Abdulmohsen H. Al-Zalabani, Mohammed D. AlAhmari, Afraa A. Murriky, Anwar M. Makeen, and Abdullah M.M. Alanazi. 2020. "Implementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 8: 2668. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082668