Federal tobacco tax hike will do more harm than good
The current spending package being spearheaded by congressional Democrats could be a truly transformational achievement, solving many of the systemic and near-term problems facing the American people. However, many of this bill’s benefits could be entirely counteracted if lawmakers include a provision called the Tobacco Tax Equity Act. This bill, first introduced last spring, has flown...
BAT disowns condemned ‘LYFT’ illegally in Kenyan market
The British American Tobacco (BAT) has disowned the highly addictive and nicotine-laced oral cigarettes dubbed Lyft being sold illegally in the Kenyan market. BAT Chief Executive Officer Crispin Achola disassociated the firm from the poisonous tobacco-free modern oral nicotine pouch being sold in the Kenyan market. The new development puts officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority...
STOP’s reports reinforce need to watch govt-tobacco industry interactions — CAPPA
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, has urged the Nigerian government to ensure public officials do not engage in unnecessary interactions with the tobacco industry. CAPPA’s call was in reaction to reports that alleged that British American Tobacco Plc, BAT, ran a mass surveillance operation and informant network in South Africa and made...
British American Tobacco (BAT) Conducted Extensive and Potentially Illegal Activity To Undermine Health Policy, Sabotage Competitors And Secure Profits In Africa
British American Tobacco (BAT) Conducted Extensive and Potentially Illegal Activity To Undermine Health Policy, Sabotage Competitors And Secure Profits In Africa New STOP reports reveal how BAT ran a mass surveillance operation and informant network in South Africa and made questionable payments totaling $600,000 in 10 other African countries New York, September 13, 2021 – Two new analyses...
Smoking in Nollywood and the Next Generation of Nigerian Youths
What seemed like an insignificant issue in 2007, when tobacco control activists screened 10 randomly-selected movies and found out that the tobacco industry has been using Nollywood to promote tobacco, smoking has grown into a mega monster. A new research carried out by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, in 2020 shows how Igbo,...
One in five cigarettes in Ghana is illicit – KNUST researcher
A research conducted by Dr Arti Singh, a Faculty Member, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has revealed that one in every five cigarettes is illicit in Ghana. The research findings from the illicit tobacco trade study under the Tobacco Control Capacity Programme (TCCP), indicated that in Ghana, sale...
Seven years after passing public smoking law, Lagos struggles with enforcement
A research found that the Nigerian health system spends over N500 billion yearly to treat illnesses caused by smoking and passive smoking. Sam (surname withheld), a second-year National Diploma student at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, says he stopped reading in the school due to exposure to indiscriminate smoking. The 21-year-old has never seen a ‘No-smoking’...
Malaysia: Higher tobacco taxes can benefit health, economy
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, 21.3 per cent of adults aged 15 and above, or 4.88 million Malaysians, are smokers, with a higher percentage of male smokers. Malaysia has spent about RM15 billion (1.7 per cent of 2012's gross domestic product) on tobacco-related healthcare costs. Despite the evidence of significant potential...
Cigarette sales ban to have big tax hit on South Africa
British American Tobacco sees South Africa failing to meet tobacco excise revenue targets after a lengthy ban on the sale of the products swelled illegal sales. The country will probably generate R11.5 billion ($791 million) in duties from cigarettes and related products in the year through March 2022, the company’s East & Southern Africa unit...
New Mexico lawmakers eye tobacco tax hike to curb use
As part of an effort to curb tobacco use in New Mexico, especially among high school students who are increasingly using e-cigarettes, several lawmakers expressed support Thursday for increasing taxes on all tobacco products. The push to raise the price on cigarettes and other tobacco products came after representatives from the American Heart Association and...
