Articles

Background The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) is a US-based organisation which was set up by, and receives funding from, the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), which in turn accepts funding from the tobacco industry. An investigation by the Daily Beast stated that WVA had also accepted funding from British American Tobacco (BAT).1 WVA launched in May 2020 and…

Background The Less Harmful Coalition describes itself as an “incorporated, not-for-profit organization”.47 It was first incorporated as a business in Canada, in September 2021, under a different name.484950 Its stated mission is “to advance education and awareness of pragmatic approaches to less harmful substance use, mental health, and other harms impacting people and communities in Canada.”…

Background We Vape is a company that was set up by Mark Oates in 2020. The nature of its business is described as “Activities of political organisations”. 75 Relationship with the Tobacco Industry Oates is a Fellow at the Adam Smith Institute (ASI),76 a think tank with a history of accepting funding and working closely with the…

R Street Institute is a US think tank based in Washington D.C. It describes itself as a “nonpartisan, public policy research organization” with a “mission is to engage in policy research and outreach to promote free markets and limited, effective government.”83 Background R Street Institute was set up as a not-for-profit organisation in 2012 by former employees from…

Concordia states that it is a “nonpartisan organization dedicated to actively fostering, elevating, and sustaining cross-sector partnerships for social impact.”115 Each year, the organisation holds summits relating to public-private partnerships, during the same week as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).116 Until September 2023, Concordia was supported by Phillip Morris International (PMI). Background Concordia is based…

Proposed US-wide (Federal) Menthol and Flavour Ban On 28 April 2022 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced proposed standards for banning menthol as a characterising flavour in cigarettes and cigars with any characterising flavour other than tobacco.157158 The US had previously banned characterising flavours, except menthol in cigarettes in 2009 (see below). The rules would come…

Background Taxation on tobacco products is by far the most effective – and cost-effective – public health measure to reduce tobacco consumption.191 Consequently, the tobacco industry has a vested interest in undermining tax measures, and a history of tax-related interference. The tobacco industry uses a range of tactics to interfere with and undermine policies aimed at protecting public health.

A review study carried out in 2021 by the Tobacco Control Research Group, found that the industry utilises six broad pricing strategies in order to undermine the effect of tobacco taxation. 204203 These are used in both high income countries (HICs) and low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and are summarised in figure 1.205 Figure 1:…

At times tobacco companies have tried to portray their actions as part of being ‘responsible’ corporations. This is illustrated by BAT’s activities in New Zealand and Australia in 2010-11. In 2010, British American Tobacco New Zealand proposed fixed minimum tobacco prices. It made the case that this could prevent tobacco companies competing on price, and thus prevent them attracting…

The extent of market failure and the resulting excess industry profits, and worries about the use of price as a marketing tool, have lead to a proposal for price cap regulation for the sale of tobacco and cigarettes. Price cap regulation sets a cap on the price that can be charged for services or products. After the rising costs…