Harmful use of tobacco thrives on weak laws in Tanzania
Tobacco control campaigners said yesterday that the lack of strong laws against smoking in Tanzania continues to allow harmful consumption of the products, reversing the efforts invested in controlling non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Launching the 2021 Tobacco Industry Interference Index Report in Dar es Salaam, medical doctors, anti-tobacco activists and researchers warned unsuspecting youth and government...
Report: tobacco companies have had “a high degree of interference” in government of Dominican Republic
Interference in governments of other countries as well. DR appears among the countries where there was more interference. New York The tobacco industry used the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to gain influence in the governments of 80 countries, which were vulnerable to lobbying and charitable donations from those companies, according to a report published Tuesday...
Africa: Tobacco Control Vs Tobacco Harm Reduction – A Never-Ending War?
The latest Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction report was launched on October 27th, 2021. Titled: “ Fighting the last war: the WHO and International Tobacco Control , its release comes ahead of the forthcoming Conference of the Parties (COP 9). The “Fighting the Last War” report challenges the direction of evolution of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on...
Opinion: Why commitments to tobacco control at COP 9 are critical
The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP 26, has dominated international discourse in recent months, creating space for governments worldwide to promise action that will hopefully limit the impacts of climate change. However, another COP event is taking place at the same time. COP 9 — the ninth session of the conference...
Towards smoke-free Nigeria: Concerns mount over cigarette, tobacco addiction
Globally, over 1.3 billion people engage in cigarette smoking. From this figure, Nigeria accounts for 14 per cent of adult smokers, a development that has heightened serious concern about the growing addiction in the country. According to reports, the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing...
Japan Tobacco International Making a Mint by Circumventing Menthol Cigarette Ban
One of the world’s largest cigarette companies, Japan Tobacco International, has been systematically skirting Europe’s effort to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes by introducing new products that secretly contain menthol. Key Findings JTI introduced dozens of new products containing some menthol in the months before and immediately after the ban took effect in May 2020. OCCRP tested...
South Africa: Calls for stronger tobacco control as new study links smoking to Covid-19 deaths
Study supports Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's temporary ban on tobacco sales as it established a link between smoking and Covid-19 complications. National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) says now is the time to tighten tobacco control in the country. New evidence shows a strong link between smoking and increased risks of severe Covid-19. According to UK Biobank research published in a leading...
‘Impossible to enforce’: Big Tobacco exploiting loopholes in European menthol ban
A breach of the menthol cigarette ban could potentially be a criminal offence, but nobody knows for sure what types are covered. Tobacco companies are finding loopholes in the Europe-wide menthol cigarette ban in order to keep selling products that can get new, younger smokers hooked on tobacco. Japan Tobacco International (JTI) – which owns Sterling, Benson...
Tobacco firm donation to Covid-19 kitty costs Kenya
It sank Kenya’s ranking in the Interference Index; the law is against such sponsorships In Summary •At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, a tobacco firm contributed Sh10.6 million to the kitty that had been established by President Uhuru Kenyatta. •As a result, the Kenya Tobacco Industry Interference Index released on Friday by the Consumer Information Network...
South Africa: Tobacco companies stepped up influence efforts during Covid, report finds
Firms increased charitable donations to the healthcare sector, and was ‘unnecessarily’ involved in fight against illicit trade in cigarettes, global industry watchdog says. The government’s efforts to limit the influence of the tobacco industry weakened during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released on Tuesday by the global tobacco industry watchdog STOP. The 2021 Global...
