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Taxing tobacco products in order to reduce their affordability is one of the most effective tobacco control public health interventions. It both encourages existing smokers to quit and deters non-smokers from ever starting – particularly the young. As such, the tobacco industry has developed a range of pricing strategies designed to undermine tobacco taxes and ensure that its products remain…

A new study from the Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG), published in Tobacco Control, explores the forms of industry intimidation experienced by the tobacco control community in low and middle-income countries. The study suggests how this can result in tobacco control work being disrupted and, in some cases, prevented altogether. Intimidation tactics reported ranged from media and social media…

Every year, the PMI-funded Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) publishes online its tax returns, providing key information on the grants it gives to companies and organisations. STOP has published an analysis of the most recent tax returns, providing a picture of the FSFW as an institution with declining influence, looking “certain to fail in the years until…

A new brief from STOP explains how flavours are used in tobacco products, examines industry tactics in their development and marketing, and reviews policy responses from governments around the world. The Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG)  has produced several research papers on this topic, which are featured in the brief.  There is also new summary of TCRG research on…

New research from TCRG explores the importance of menthol and other flavoured tobacco products for tobacco markets in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). While high income countries are increasingly banning menthol and flavoured cigarettes because they are attractive to young people and support addiction, tobacco companies are busy promoting these products elsewhere.  Published in Tobacco Induced Diseases, this…

A newly published page on TobaccoTactics details how the language used to refer to tobacco and nicotine products can vary widely. Changing terminology can be confusing to navigate, and there is a concern that the use of certain terms could help promote the interests of the tobacco industry. To better reflect these concerns, some of the language previously used on…

A new blog post from the Tobacco Control Research Group exposes how the industry influenced the framing of arguments against increased tobacco control in South African media. Based on a paper published in Tobacco Control, the authors analysed traditional and new forms of media coverage of a proposed bill to strengthen tobacco control in South Africa.

A recent article published in Tobacco Control has found that Philip Morris International (PMI) conflated its IQOS heated tobacco products (HTPs) with IQOS e-cigarettes (ENDS) in its marketing material in New Zealand. By marketing both products as “IQ Vape”, the authors argue that PMI is implying similar risk levels and encouraging dual use. Changes to its own…

A new editorial in Tobacco Prevention & Cessation, co-authored by TCRG researcher Dr. Rosemary Hiscock, summarises the effects of menthol bans in Canada and Europe, including the lack of evidence of an increase in illicit trade. The authors point to tobacco industry efforts to undermine menthol bans as highlighted by TCRG research on TobaccoTactics, and raise key…

The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products is a global treaty designed to stamp out tobacco products being traded illegally. Analysis of 15,000+ previously unseen internal tobacco industry documents reveals that British American Tobacco (BAT) had a ‘clear advocacy strategy to influence the Protocol text’. The analysis also shows that BAT collaborated with other tobacco companies…