Leslie Rae-Ferat and Jason Chapman On November 1, 2022 the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) officially rebranded as the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC). The Framework Convention Alliance was originally created in 1999 and was later more formally established in 2003. Today, the Alliance is the only global network dedicated solely to implementing the World […]
Category: Advocacy
Global Plastics Treaty must align with Global Tobacco Control Treaty
Debby Sy and Laurent Huber In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) mandated the negotiations of a global plastics treaty which is expected to include Single Use Plastics (SUPs), under which cigarette butts have been categorized. The UNEA Resolution encourages broad multi-stakeholder involvement including the private sector. There is no indication that the […]
Japan Tobacco International sponsored event cancelled at Scottish Nationalist Party conference but Coca Cola obesity event goes ahead
Sheila Duffy The Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) is a political party which was just one seat short of a majority in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. The SNP currently runs the administration of the Scottish Government in a cooperation agreement with the Scottish Green Party. ASH Scotland became aware of a proposed fringe event organised […]
Tobacco Control stalwart Margaretha Haglund has died
Margaretha Haglund, Maggan (1948–2022) The International Network of Women Against Tobacco (INWAT) announced on Wednesday 7th September that life-long tobacco control advocate Margaretha Haglund, or Maggan, as she was known, passed away on Saturday, 3 September. Maggan was a long-term pioneer in tobacco control, working in the field for nearly 50 years […]
Brookline introduces Tobacco-Free Generation law
Jon Berrick, Chris Bostic, Michael Chou, Richard Daynard, Lissy Friedman, Mark Gottlieb, Anthony Ishak, Tamu Green, Kate Silbaugh & D J Wilson Why Brookline? Brookline, Massachusetts is a relatively affluent and well-educated town within the greater Boston metropolitan area. It has repeatedly been at the forefront of anti-tobacco legislation, having been a municipal member of […]
Philippine Congress set to reverse protective tobacco control measures via retrogressive ‘Vape Bill’
Anna Bueno and Ulysses Dorotheo New laws often build upon and strengthen existing laws, but in the midst of a pandemic when health-protective measures should be prioritised, retrogressive bills seeking to loosen existing restrictions on heated tobacco products (HTPs) and electronic nicotine/non-nicotine delivery systems (ENDS/ENNDS) have advanced in Philippine Congress, despite firm objections from the […]
Simon Chapman at 70
Mike Daube and Becky Freeman Forty-five years ago, when modern tobacco control advocacy was still in its infancy, a youthful bundle of energy appeared on the scene in Sydney, Australia, first at Sydney University, then working for the New South Wales Health Department.. Since then, Simon Chapman has become one of the most widely known, […]
This product kills: lessons from tobacco control to help tackle the climate emergency
Sean Semple, Kate Hunt, Martine Stead. Two products that history is unlikely to reflect upon kindly are tobacco and petrol/diesel. The first kills two-thirds of those who consume it regularly and has led to more than 100 million deaths in the past century with many more deaths to occur in future, particularly in lower and […]
Menthol: Tobacco Companies are exploiting loopholes in the UK’s characterising flavours ban
Sarah Dance and Karen Evans-Reeves A ban on characterising flavours in tobacco products (including menthol), as part of the European Union’s revised Tobacco Products Directive (or TPD2), was introduced in the UK in May 2020. Flavourings, particularly menthol, appeal to young people and are erroneously perceived as less harmful. Menthol cigarettes represent 10% of the […]
Who should we trust on science diplomacy and COVID-19 recovery? Not Big Tobacco
Alice Fabbri, Louis Laurence, Mateusz Zatoński, Anna B Gilmore On April 20th the magazine Foreign Policy will hold a Virtual Dialogue on “Science Diplomacy”. The event will focus on “elevating the role of science in addressing global challenges” including recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the event’s aims is to “energize international cooperation on […]