More than 34 professional health groups said that stronger measures are needed to prevent the spread of misinformation about fossil fuels
The federal government should ban the advertising of fossil fuels, including gasoline-powered vehicles and household natural gas, because of their detrimental effects on health and the environment, a coalition of Canadian physicians and related organizations says.released on Monday, more than 34 professional health groups said that stronger measures are needed to prevent the spread of misinformation about fossil fuels and to require companies to disclose the negative consequences of their use.
Dr. Lem said the open letter echoes earlier efforts to ban cigarette advertising, which came into effect in Canada starting in 1989. Though the use of fossil fuels is more widespread and more global in its environmental effect than tobacco, it has often been promoted to consumers in a similar way – through lifestyle messaging – with similar effectiveness.
“Advertising … is trying to get consumers at that point where they’re making pivotal choices, and a lot of these choices will lock them in for many years,” she said. As outlined in the open letter, a key concern of the groups is not just the impact of fossil fuels on climate and its related global effects, but the more direct health problems that accompany exposure to fossil fuel combustion, including vehicle exhaust.
However, David Sweanor, a lawyer and adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa who specializes in legal efforts to reduce cigarette smoking, cautioned that advertising bans can backfire if they restrict consumers from learning about healthier options in cases where it is not possible to completely stop using a type of product. In this case, that could include alternatives that are more efficient in their use of fossil fuels.
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