P.M. BRIEFING : British Extinguish Tobacco Aid

Britain will no longer provide financial aid to tobacco companies in developing countries, the government said today.

“Tobacco remains an important crop and source of export earnings and budgetary revenue in some developing countries,” said Lynda Chalker, minister for Overseas Development. “There is, however, increasing evidence that the health risks associated with tobacco consumption will affect developing countries most severely and place increasing burdens on their health budgets, which in most cases are already inadequate,” she said in a written answer to a question from the House of Commons.

The statement did not say how much British aid had been devoted to tobacco production.