What is good for the tobacco industry is bad for public health, and vice versa. There is no "common ground" between the two. Anything that the industry does, you can be rest assured is intended to directly or indirectly maintain/boost its profits, i.e. kill more people. Here are some recommendations for maintaining your integrity as a tobacco control advocate. Some may depend on the circumstances, but it is generally advised:

1. DO NOT PARTNER WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY.

2. DO NOT ACCEPT (OR SOLICIT) MONEY OR ANY FORM OF DONATION - EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY - FROM THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY.

3. DO NOT MEET WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY ON THEIR TURF, ON THEIR TERMS.

4. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN TOBACCO INDUSTRY - SPONSORED "DIALOGUES," SYMPOSIA, EVALUATIONS ETC. IGNORE TO LETTERS OF INVITATION -- THEY ARE NOT WORTH A RESPONSE. IF CONTACTED BY PHONE, DECLINE INVOLVEMENT, STATE YOUR REASON, HANG UP.

5. DO NOT VOLUNTARILY SUPPLY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION TO THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY AND ITS HIRES.

6. INVESTIGATE STRANGE REQUESTS THAT MAY INVOLVE THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY. ASK YOUR PARTNER &/OR ESSENTIAL ACTION FOR ASSISTANCE.

7. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR RESPONSE WILL BE *BEFORE* THE INDUSTRY CONTACTS YOU. DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION, YOU MAY WANT TO INSTITUTE AN OFFICIAL "TOBACCO INDUSTRY - FREE" POLICY.

8. LET YOUR COLLEAGUES KNOW ABOUT ANY CASES OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY (OR ITS HIRES) CONTACTING YOU.

9. REQUIRE AGENCIES WITH WHICH YOU HAVE CONTRACTS TO FILL OUT A "TOBACCO INDUSTRY TIES" DISCLOSURE FORM & TO MAKE A WRITTEN PLEDGE TO REMAIN "TOBACCO INDUSTRY - FREE"

10. ENCOURAGE OTHER INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INSTITUTIONS TO ABIDE BY THE ABOVE GUIDELINES!

Or more simply: Don't debate or work with the industry. It is like mud wrestling with pigs. Two things happen . You both get dirty and the pigs love it. (Joel Dunnington, paraphrasing Alan Blum)

Good sources of further information:

Ethical Guidelines for Meeting with the Tobacco Industry
by Judith Mackay and Mary Assunta
http://www.ingcat.org/html/17eng_files/body_17eng2.htm

A "Tool Kit" for Helping Local Groups say NO to Tobacco Money
by Project SMART Money (Sponsorship Mission: Avoid Reliance on Tobacco)
Can be ordered from the Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California:
1-800-258-9090

Essential Action
Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
P.O. Box 19405 ~ Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030 ~ Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: tobacco@essential.org
www.essentialaction.org/tobacco