Former Conservative politician Kristian Tonning Riise has free access to the Storting at the same time as he is a lobbyist for the tobacco giant Philip Morris. – Should get some extra alarm bells to ring, says the Cancer Society’s leader.
Less than 10 minutes ago
–
– This is one of the world’s strongest industries, and they have an extremely large amount of money and power, says Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, Secretary General of the Norwegian Cancer Society.
In recent weeks, VG has written about that previously parliamentary representatives have free and eternal access to the National Assembly – also those who jobber as lobbyists.
Smallest 50 ex-representatives those who work with political influence have this the gold card – and the scheme can now be removed or changed.
One of them is former parliamentary representative and Young Conservative leader Kristian Tonning Riise. He left the Storting in 2021 – and in March began working as Manager for Regulatory Affairs in the tobacco giant Philip Morris Norway.
Philip Morris is an international tobacco company, which among other things produces and sells Marlboro and Petterøes. Tobacco kills over eight million people each year, according to World Health Organization.
Tobacco lobbyist Tonning Riise should now be deprived of the “gold card” to the Storting, according to the Norwegian Cancer Society.
– If we are to follow the tobacco convention, then he can not have freely rented among politicians in the Storting and influence them in favor of the tobacco industry. We expect Norwegian politicians to know their responsibility and say no to meetings, whether it is with him or others from the tobacco industry, says Stenstadvold Ross.
–– Extremely much money and power
Around eight percent of Norwegians between the ages of 16 and 74 smoked daily in 2021, according to The Norwegian Directorate of Health. There are about 360,000 people. The proportion who smoke daily has halved in the last ten years.
– There is a difference between tobacco and all other products. The tobacco industry is doing everything they can to prevent the regulation of a product that kills half of those who use it exactly as it should be used, says Stenstadvold Ross.
In 2012, Philip Morris lost a case against the Norwegian state. They had gone to lawsuits against the state, after the introduction of a ban on visible tobacco products in shops.
Although the tobacco industry should not be allowed to influence Norwegian health policy according to the Tobacco Convention, it has been documented several times contact between Norwegians politicians and industry.
DN has previously revealed that Frp and the tobacco industry have had close contact for several decades, and that Sylvi Listhaug in 2018 lived in a house rented by Philip Morris at Arendalsuka.
– Never used
Kristian Tonning Riise states that his “gold card” has been left alone after he became a tobacco lobbyist.
– If the Storting wants to change the access card regulations, I will relate to it. For my current job, it does not matter anyway, I have never used the card since I started in PMI, he writes in an e-mail to VG.
–– Do you have meetings or conversations with Norwegian politicians about Philip Morris or tobacco policy?
– I have open meetings with everyone who shares our vision of a smoke-free future, and who wants to know more about how together we can more quickly get Norwegian smokers, who otherwise do not quit, to replace cigarettes with less harmful alternatives, writes Tonning Riise to VG.
Stenstadvold Ross recalls Norway’s obligations under the Tobacco Convention:
– If it is Storting politicians who have meetings with the tobacco industry, we must shout a warning, she says.
–– No one should start smoking
Tonning Riise says that he does not recognize himself in the descriptions of the Norwegian Cancer Society.
– I work in PMI and we work to phase out the cigarettes as quickly as possible, he writes.
– We are clear that no one should start smoking, and if you have started, then you should stop immediately. If you still do not quit, you should replace the cigarettes with less harmful alternatives, such as snuff, nicotine bags, e-cigarettes or heated tobacco. We are in the process of phasing out the cigarettes and taking the step completely to non-smoking, less harmful alternatives, he continues.
Snus is less harmful than smoke – but also contains harmful substances.
Stenstadvold Ross in the Norwegian Cancer Society answers as follows:
– If Philip Morris was serious about his vision, they would have stopped selling cigarettes a long time ago.
She warns against believing in the tobacco industry:
– The industry has a long history of misleading politicians into believing that they are concerned about public health. That is why heads of state around the world have agreed that the tobacco industry should not be allowed to influence health policy.
–Billion-dollar bid for snus producer
According to Tonning Riise, the non-smoking share of Philip Morris’ income was more than 30 percent in 2021.
In the UK, the company has received criticism after they bought into the company Vectura, which produces inhalers and asthma medicine.
In May 2022, the tobacco giant filed a bud equivalent to NOK 155 billion for the snus producer Swedish Match. The company produces both several popular snus brands and cigars – and the classic Norwegian match Nitedals Hjelpestikker.
PSST! Swedish Match has, like Philip Morris defendant the Norwegian state – and lost: In 2017, the snus manufacturer lost a lawsuit in which they demanded that snus should be exempted from the new rules on standardized packaging of tobacco products.
–
