Press release
18 October 2023 The 2023 Africa Tobacco Industry Interference Index has been launched this Wednesday 18 October, 2023 in a virtual event attended by tobacco control advocates, government officials, the media, and other stakeholders. The Index, produced by the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) in collaboration with the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy...
FDA issues ban on RJ Reynolds menthol-flavoured vapes in US
The US federal drug regulator has told British American Tobacco’s US subsidiary to halt sales of its menthol-flavoured Vuse Alto vape, the most popular e-cigarette in the US, following a jump in popularity of the product among underage users. The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that it had issued marketing denial orders...
Philip Morris lobbying to stop WHO ‘attack’ on vapes and similar products
Philip Morris International (PMI), the tobacco and vaping company behind Marlboro cigarettes, is waging a big lobbying campaign to prevent countries from cracking down on vapes and similar products as part of a global treaty, a leaked email reveals. The company, which has been increasingly focusing on smoke-free products as governments tighten regulations on cigarettes,...
Will Australia follow England and ban smoking for the next generation?
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week declared England would follow New Zealand’s path on tobacco control and in effect ban cigarettes for the next generation. Australian Health Minister Mark Butler – who has been talking for months about making the country a world leader in tobacco control again – says he will closely monitor...
WHO stands its ground against tobacco industry
The World Health Organisation (WHO) wants smoking and vaping banned in schools in the face of relentless targeting of young people by the tobacco and nicotine industry. Saying that almost half of all children worldwide are exposed to air polluted by tobacco smoke, WHO said tobacco industry's tactics have led to an increase in the...
Kenya Wants to Ban BAT Nicotine Pouches
Kenyan legislators are urging the government to ban the sale of BAT’s nicotine pouches Velo and Lyft, reports 2Firsts. Health Minister Susan Nakhumicha was questioned about the products during a parliamentary address. The Kenyan Tobacco Control Act (KTCA) states that all packaging of nicotine pouches and tobacco products must contain warnings in English and Kiswahili. Sabina Chege,...
Group wants better funding for tobacco control
The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, on Tuesday, lamented the paltry budgetary allocation to tobacco control in the country. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Chairman of NTCA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, disclosed that the allocation to tobacco control plunged by 50 per cent from N9.4m in 2022 to N4.7m in 2023. According to him, the slash...
Continuous use, abuse of tobacco undermining SDGs in Nigeria – NTCA
The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) says the country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) efforts was being undermined by the continuous use and abuse of tobacco in the country. Akinbode Oluwafemi, the Chairman of NTCA, while briefing on ‘Effective Tobacco Control Funding in Nigeria’ on Friday in Abuja explained that tobacco use has continued to impede...
