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Global Action to End Smoking (GAES)1 is a grant-giving nonprofit foundation, based in the United States, and wholly funded by Philip Morris International (PMI).2 Background GAES describes itself as “accelerating comprehensive, science-based global efforts to end the smoking epidemic, with a focus on marginalized communities and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)”.3 It states that its areas…

The UK Tobacco Industry Interference Index (UKTI) forms part of the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index (GTI). Based on a survey methodology developed by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), and published by the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC), the GTI is a global survey on how governments respond to tobacco industry interference and…

In May 2023, leaked documents published by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Truth Tobacco Documents library showed that Philip Morris Japan (PMJ), a subsidiary of Philip Morris International (PMI), had covertly funded a study by Kyoto University academics.21 PMJ also contracted a life sciences consultancy to promote PMI’s science, products and messaging.22 The Tobacco…

The National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco (NCACT) was founded in 2008 and describes itself as “a Canadian advocacy group formed with the participation of businesses, law and order organizations and individuals concerned about the growing danger of contraband cigarettes.”40 Its stated mission is to “to educate people and urge government to take quick action to stop this growing threat.”…

PMI uses the law to challenge tobacco control regulations. Figure 1 (below) gives an overview of some of these challenges.  Figure 1. Legal challenges made by PMI in the decade from 2008 to 2019.66 PMI has legally challenged tobacco control regulations across the…

2008 to 2012, JTI commissioned (consultancy based in United Kingdom), to perform economic analysis on proposed Plain Packaging in the UK, first considered by the UK government in 2008 and 2010. Four reports, prepared based on Europe Economics work, warned that if plain packaging were implemented, it would lead to an increase in counterfeit and/or contraband tobacco that would…

Outside China, the global market for tobacco and related products is dominated by the ‘big 4’ transnational companies. This article links to pages on each company and to the Tobacco Supply Chain database.

Key points Worldwide, around 50 million young teens (13-15) either smoke cigarettes or use smokeless tobacco, and nearly 155 million youth (15-24) smoke tobacco.104105 90% of new users of tobacco products become addicted by the age of 25.106 Annually, this addiction causes more than 8 million deaths and approximately US$2 trillion in economic damage.107 Most adults…

In March, 2020 British American Tobacco (BAT) rebranded its website, with a new logo and the prominent strapline “A Better Tomorrow”.251 This phrase was originally trademarked by subsidiary Nicoventures in July 2019 and used to promote its newer nicotine products, notably in motorsports. It was also registered to cover conventional tobacco products.252…

Image 1: Selection of BAT’s glo HTP devices (screenshot taken from discoverglo.jp, November 2019) Due to its focus on e-cigarettes, BAT entered the HTP market later than its competitors Philip Morris International (PMI) and Japan Tobacco International (JTI). Products i-Fuse In 2015, BAT launched its first HTP product, iFuse, a hybrid product that heated an e-liquid…