Kashish Aneja and Sanjana Gopal In 2010, Bhutan was lauded globally for being the first country to ban tobacco sales and smoking in public places. The ban lasted for over a decade until the circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic compelled policy makers to change course, legalising the sale of tobacco within the country. In […]
Latest articles
Goodbye, PMI. Philip Morris removed from Canadian COVID-19 vaccine collaboration
Les Hagen and Daniel Dorado Tobacco giant Philip Morris (PMI) was recently removed from Canada’s Medicago Inc vaccine collaboration following a determined two-year global advocacy campaign led by ASH Canada and Corporate Accountability (CAI). This development represents an enormous win for global public health, ensuring that the control of one pandemic doesn’t compromise that of […]
Exposing the tobacco industry’s allies: an investigation by STOP
Rachel Maynard and Raouf Alebshehy A recent investigation carried out by global tobacco industry watchdog, STOP, has resulted in over 20 additional organisations being added to its Tobacco Industry Allies database. The database is an important resource to help researchers, advocates and policymakers identify third-party organisations that may be acting to promote the industry’s business […]
Government picking up the reigns on tobacco control in Australia
Michelle Scollo and Sarah Durkin Australia was one of the first countries in the world to introduce large-scale Quit smoking public education campaigns and to introduce tobacco package health warnings. It was one of the first countries to end the advertising of tobacco products in print media, in cinemas and outdoors. It was the first […]
The Framework Convention Alliance Rebrands as the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control
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 […]
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 […]
129 organizations send letter to Spanish President denouncing Spain’s intention to become a “tobacco dealer state” along French Border
Laurent Huber, Raquel Fernández Megina, Esteve Fernández, Cristina Martinez Martinez In June 2022, the Spanish Ministry of Finance announced that 203 new tobacco retail licenses were to be added to the 13,000 already operating in Spain. Of these new tobacconists, 30 will be concentrated along the French-Spanish border, dramatically increasing the concentration along the French border, […]
R J Reynolds allegedly attempts to pay Pastor to speak out against U.S. menthol ban
An investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) has revealed that Detroit Pastor Rev. Horace Sheffield, a prominent Black civil rights activist, was offered as much as $250,000 to speak out against the proposed federal menthol ban in the United States (U.S.). Back in May 2022, Rev. Sheffield had written an editorial in support […]