PHA-Exchange> We condemn British American Tobacco over company's position on DDT and malaria

[Claudio]

Tomorrow is a big day in Uganda.  The Government will hold a full 
Parliamentary hearing to review DDT for malaria control.  British American 
Tobacco is leading a 52-member business consortium lobbying for DDT not to 
be used because of potential harm to exports.

*Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)*
email:cboynes at core-online.org** *

*British American Tobacco perpetuates disease in Africa* *Company leads 
efforts to undermine new WHO malaria control policies.*

NEW YORK – Just days after the World Health Organization announced new 
policies to control the spread of malaria, British American Tobacco (BAT) 
has emerged as the leader and financier of efforts to undermine those 
policies.

Uganda wants to follow the example of South Africa, which slashed its 
malaria rates by 75% in just 18 months, by spraying tiny amounts of DDT on 
the inside walls of houses. This method is entirely safe for people and the 
environment.

But the Uganda Health Ministry's plans have run into opposition from 
business interests, who claim traces of DDT on their products could 
adversely affect their trade with Europe. Those interests are lead and 
financed by BAT.

BAT makes billions of dollars annuallyselling carcinogenic tobacco products 
to Africans, Europeans and Americans. Then it claims a life-saving chemical 
might cause low birth weights in babies or harm its bottom line.

British American Tobacco earned $4.7 billion in profits last year, on sales 
of $18 billion. Over 16% of those profits came from tobacco sales in Africa. 
The company insists that it supports the United Nations' human rights 
principles.