We’re excited to share our new publication with researchers from Universiteit Leiden, which explores the shifting attitude towards academic collaborations between universities and the tobacco industry in the Netherlands—and the lessons it offers for current discussions about fossil fuel ties.
Our study reveals that despite the widespread view that collaborations with the tobacco industry are ‘not done’, there is still a lack of policy and ongoing academic ties.
Both industries use similar strategies—such as creating doubt, gaining legitimacy by association with academia, promoting technological ‘solutions’ that maintain their business models (like e-cigarettes and blue hydrogen), and targeting younger people (e.g. via sponsorship of student organisations).
While the World Health Organization and many scholars recognise an “irreconcilable conflict” between the tobacco industry and public health interests (WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control), many universities continue to justify partnerships with the fossil fuel industry if linked to the energy transition (see https://mappingfossilties.org/Overview.html) .
We hope our findings will contribute to ongoing policy discussions at universities regarding partnerships with the fossil fuel industry and inspire discussion in the wider academic ecosystems: our research shows that research funders, academic journals, and health professionals played an important role in curbing tobacco industry influence in science.
Our work was also covered in the media:
- Sjors Roeters in Vrij Nederland: “Universities still under influence of tobacco lobby – policy lacking”: https://www.vn.nl/universiteiten-nog-altijd-verbonden-met-tabaksindustrie-beleid-ontbreekt/
- TabakNee: “There has been—and still is—more contact between the tobacco industry and Dutch universities than expected”: https://www.tabaknee.nl/nieuws/item/3229-universiteiten-staan-open-voor-tabakslobby
Read our full report here: https://zenodo.org/records/15274865
Authors: Linda Knoester, Aaron Pereira, Lynn Vanheule from Solid Sustainability Research
and Andrea Reyes Elizondo, Andrew Littlejohn, Anne E. Urai from Universiteit Leiden.
This work was partly funded by the Leiden Healthy Society Center (LHSC).
Thanks to Martine Doppen, Reclame Fossielvrij, Veerle van Onzenoort, Marc Willemsen, Wanda de Kanter and Marzia Violini for their ideas, support and feedback.