We have big news to share: the Canadian government has rejected Philip Morris International’s (PMI) attempt to buy its way back into public health policymaking. The Quebec government announced that PMI is no longer invested in Medicago’s Covifenz vaccine for COVID-19. And it’s thanks to thousands of people like you who took action to pressure the Canadian government, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, not to approve the vaccine while PMI was involved.
This is a big deal because the tobacco industry has tried to take advantage of the COVID-19 crisis to profit from it and deflect regulation of its core tobacco business, which continues to kill eight million people globally each year.
But thanks to a concerted organizing effort with allies across the U.S. and Canada, and thousands of members like you, we didn’t let Big Tobacco gain legitimacy, increase public trust, or advance its corporate interests.
And we couldn’t do any of it without your support. Taking on corporations like PMI, and successfully pushing governments to listen to people, rather than corporate interests, is a huge endeavor. Will you be part of powering these kinds of victories in the future? Donate now!
This victory means that PMI’s involvement in a COVID-19 vaccine will not legitimize the tobacco industry as a public health partner. It also means it won’t undermine decades of effective tobacco control efforts.
The control of one pandemic should not come at the expense of another. That’s why I’m so proud of this victory, and I’m so grateful for your support.
Will you stand with us and donate to power even more campaigns and victories like this one?
Together, we can challenge corporate power and take on some of the biggest and most powerful corporations in the world.
