GSB BUSINESS DISRUPTION SERIES: “TECHNOLOGY AS A GAME CHANGER”
We have received this email from Savera Kalideen, Executive Director of NCAS:
Dear colleagues
Can I ask you to please urgently send letters to University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng asking her to stop the event below, and sharing our perspective on why this event is unacceptable. You can email her at mamokgethi.phakeng@uct.ac.za
See here http://www.gsb.uct.ac.za/event-technology-game-changer
Academic institutions should not offer a platform to the tobacco and smoke-free alternative industries as they will use this to build credibility for themselves. There is currently a dispute in the public health sector about the use of e-cigarettes and other smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes because of the health harm that is already evident from short-term consumption. Many countries have introduced regulation of these products along the lines proposed in our Draft Tobacco Bill. This kind of event will be used by these harmful industries to claim support from UCT and also to create the impression that they are a neutral player in this debate.
Moreover, South Africa is an important market for these industries to establish themselves in, as it will then make it easier for them to promote their products on the rest of the continent. It is critical that we push back and not allow them to misrepresent themselves as objective players, and their products as harmless alternatives to cigarettes.
There are several academics and health organisations that will be registering their protest as well. The Professor responsible for organising the event can be contacted at : kosheek.sewchurran@gsb.uct.ac.za
Regards
Savera Kalideen
Executive Director
National Council Against Smoking
Tel: 011 7251514
Cell: 0712270939
www.againstsmoking.co.za
@SAQuitline
Facebook: quit smoking-ncas
Fax: 011 7206177
Kind regards
Peter Hers
CANCER ALLIANCE EXCO: Nonku Boikhutso, Nersan Govender, Linda Greeff, Liz Gwyther, Peter Hers, Alana James, Elize Joubert, Salomé Meyer, Zodwa Sithole
Email: info@canceralliance.org.za
Web: www.canceralliance.org.za
Twitter: @Cancer_ZA