Published April 24, 2025 | Version v3
Preprint Open

Academic Collaborations and Public Health: Lessons from Dutch Universities' Tobacco Industry Partnerships for Fossil Fuel Ties

  • 1. Solid Sustainability Research
  • 2. ROR icon Leiden University

Description

Tobacco and fossil fuels are both leading commercial drivers of mortality, yet academic collaboration with these industries is treated differently. While the WHO and many academics recognise an “irreconcilable conflict” between the tobacco industry and public health interests, many universities justify fossil fuel collaborations if linked to the energy transition.

This report draws lessons from the history of tobacco industry collaborations in the Netherlands to inform current debates on fossil fuel ties in academia. We examine the evolving policies and attitudes toward tobacco in the Netherlands, the industry’s historical and ongoing influence on academia, and parallels with fossil fuel strategies—such as casting doubt on health risks, leveraging industry-funded research, shifting blame, and emphasising consumer responsibility and economic importance.

Files

Academic_Collaborations_and_Public_Health__Lessons_from_Dutch_Universities__Tobacco_Industry_Partnerships_for_Fossil_Fuel_Ties v3.pdf

Additional details

Funding

Leiden University
Leiden Healthy Society Center booster grant

Dates

Submitted
2025-04-24