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Tag: tobacco control

  • Former CTP Director Says Tobacco Control Burden Shifts to States

    Former CTP Director Says Tobacco Control Burden Shifts to States

    Former director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products Dr. Brian King, said the Trump administration’s reductions in federal funding, including millions of dollars previously allocated to tobacco control and prevention programs, have shifted the responsibility for such efforts to state and local governments. King, who is now the executive vice president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, highlighted the implications during a keynote address at the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i annual meeting, urging local leaders to document tobacco’s impacts and advocate for continued public health protections.

    King pointed to cuts affecting major agencies, including the CDC, NIH, and FDA, which traditionally provide funds for state-level tobacco control initiatives. Hawai‘i Public Radio said the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health was eliminated, resulting in a loss of $70 million annually for tobacco control programs and $15.1 million for state quitlines. While the full impact of these federal cuts has yet to be felt, King warned that once programs lose funding entirely, many initiatives may face staffing reductions or elimination.

  • Malaysia to Enforce Tobacco Display Ban This Week

    Malaysia to Enforce Tobacco Display Ban This Week

    Restaurants and retail outlets across Klang Valley, Malaysia, are racing to comply with the upcoming tobacco display ban that takes effect October 1 under the Control of Public Health (Control of Sale) Regulations 2024. Operators have been covering cigarette shelves with shutters, tinted glass, and steel panels, while some businesses have chosen to stop selling tobacco products altogether.

    Industry associations say most members are on track, though challenges remain for smaller operators. “Some smaller operators may face challenges in terms of space and storage, but overall, members are aware that enforcement begins October 1, and are preparing accordingly,” said Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan, president of the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners’ Association, which represents about 3,500 operators. The Petaling Jaya Coffeeshop Association added that shutters supplied by tobacco companies helped speed compliance, though design preferences vary.

    While operators brace for the ban, some anticipate a dip in cigarette sales and call for clearer guidelines and enforcement against illicit products. “Hopefully, the government will conduct frequent inspections to prevent the sale of illegal cigarettes as well,” Jawahar said. More than 51,000 shops nationwide will be affected by the new ruling.

  • Ireland to Ban Tobacco and Vape Vending Machine Sales

    Ireland to Ban Tobacco and Vape Vending Machine Sales

    Beginning today (September 29), Ireland will ban the sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products from self-service and vending machines under new rules contained in the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the measure will cut off a source of easy access for minors, calling it “another significant milestone” in the government’s tobacco control policy and Tobacco Endgame strategy.

    Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor stressed that the legislation aims squarely to protect children. “We are cutting off an avenue of easy access that has been shown to contribute to early experimentation and long-term addiction,” she said, adding that prevention is central to building a healthier Ireland. The Health Service Executive confirmed that Environmental Health Officers will conduct nationwide inspections to monitor compliance.

    The measure aligns Ireland with two-thirds of Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which recommends banning vending machine sales as a form of advertising and promotion.

  • Concern That Malaysian Retailers Won’t be Ready for Vape Display Ban

    Concern That Malaysian Retailers Won’t be Ready for Vape Display Ban

    Anti-tobacco groups are raising concerns that some Malaysian retailers are still not compliant with the tobacco and vape retail display ban (RDB), which is scheduled for full enforcement on October 1 under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852). The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) noted that out of more than 51,000 retailers nationwide, a significant number have yet to install the required enclosed cabinets for tobacco and vape products. Observations from the field show some stores leaving certain cigarette products openly displayed and vape products in glass cases.

    MCTC urged the Ministry of Health not to grant exceptions, though it suggested temporary measures—such as covering products with cloth or canvas—if cabinets are still being installed. The council warned that narratives claiming the ban harms small businesses are being used by some retailers to rally political support.

  • Kenyan Retailers Push Back Against Tobacco Control Bill

    Kenyan Retailers Push Back Against Tobacco Control Bill

    Bar owners and retailers in Kenya held a protest today (September 24) and urged the Senate to halt the progress of the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024, citing a lack of public consultation. The Bars, Hotels and Liquor Traders Association of Kenya (BAHLITA) and the Retail Traders Association of Kenya (Retrak) also submitted a joint petition, arguing that consumers, retailers, and manufacturers—those most affected by the proposed law—have been excluded from the legislative process. They contend that the bill, sponsored by ODM Senator Catherine Mumma, has been rushed forward without meaningful stakeholder input.

    The petitioners warn that the bill’s stricter regulations on nicotine products, including synthetic nicotine and e-cigarettes, could harm small and medium-sized businesses, increase compliance costs, and inadvertently drive legal trade into the illicit market. With half of Kenya’s cigarette market already illegal, they argue that the legislation could exacerbate black-market activity, threaten livelihoods, and reduce employment in retail. The groups are calling for inclusive, transparent consultations before the bill proceeds to the Committee of the Whole House stage.

  • Georgia Judge Vacates FDA Graphic Cigarette Warning Rule

    Georgia Judge Vacates FDA Graphic Cigarette Warning Rule

    A federal judge in South Georgia struck down the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rule requiring graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and ads, siding with Philip Morris USA and Georgia retailers, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood ruled that the FDA failed to disclose all raw data used in developing the 2020 rule, preventing stakeholders from offering meaningful feedback. While Wood rejected most of the plaintiffs’ arguments, she vacated the rule, citing a violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.

    The Georgia plaintiffs, including the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, argued the rule would cost millions, force retailers to “speak against their own products,” and deter customers by making convenience stores unwelcoming. It said the FDA arbitrarily focused on certain smoking-related risks over others without explanation, and claimed it ignored countless red flags in its studies. The FDA defended its process, noting the warnings aimed to better inform consumers of smoking risks.

    The decision marks another setback in the FDA’s long-running effort to implement graphic warnings under the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. A similar case is pending in Texas, where a judge has already blocked enforcement until appeals are resolved.

    The case is likely to head to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

  • Namibia Considering Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Hikes

    Namibia Considering Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Hikes

    The Namibian government is exploring new tax reforms on tobacco and alcohol products as part of broader efforts to combat substance abuse and improve public health outcomes, Minister of Health and Social Services Esperance Luvindao announced this week. Speaking at the opening of a four-day workshop on tobacco and alcohol policy, Luvindao emphasized the growing burden of tobacco and alcohol use on the country’s healthcare system, calling for “further deterrent actions,” particularly increased taxation, to reduce consumption.

    Namibia is aligning its strategy with the World Health Organization’s MPOWER policy package, which includes raising taxes, offering cessation support, and strengthening regulations. The country enacted the Tobacco Product Control Act in 2010, with supporting regulations in 2014, and is now reviewing it to address emerging nicotine products such as vapes, e-cigarettes, and hookah.

  • Global Experts Warn WHO’s Anti-Harm Reduction Stance Undermines Goals

    Global Experts Warn WHO’s Anti-Harm Reduction Stance Undermines Goals

    A panel of global tobacco harm reduction experts convened this week to criticize the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat for undermining the goals of World No Tobacco Day. The group expressed frustration over the WHO’s refusal to support harm-reduction tools, such as vaping and nicotine pouches, despite growing evidence of their effectiveness in helping smokers quit.

    “The WHO dismisses adult smokers and vapers, even though adults bear the vast majority of tobacco-related harm,” said Martin Cullip, International Fellow at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. “It’s odd to see the organization celebrate bans on products that aren’t even made from tobacco.”

    Participants from Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom argued that the WHO’s prohibitionist approach is counterproductive, exacerbating smoking-related deaths and fueling black markets.

    “Australia has a massive black market and 66 people die daily from smoking-related disease,” said Pippa Starr, founder of A.L.I.V.E. (Australia, Let’s Improve Vaping Education). “These outcomes are tied to WHO-endorsed policies. Rather than reward failed approaches, the WHO should be focused on saving lives.”

    Panelists emphasized the contradiction in the WHO’s mission: while claiming to reduce tobacco deaths, it continues to oppose safer alternatives proven to help smokers quit.

    “WHO policies are scripted and disconnected,” said Kurt Yeo, co-founder of South Africa’s Vaping Saved My Life (VSML). “We need a full range of tools to achieve a smoke-free future. Prohibition has failed in countries like Mexico, India, and Singapore. The WHO isn’t facing the real issues.”

    The group urged the WHO and FCTC to embrace innovation, listen to consumers, and support harm reduction as a legitimate path to ending the global smoking epidemic.

    “Harm reduction works,” Reem Ibrahim, communications manager at the UK’s Institute of Economic Affairs, said. “These products help people quit. But the WHO’s strategy blocks access and ultimately harms public health.”

  • Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat and Anti-Tobacco Crusader, to Retire

    Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat and Anti-Tobacco Crusader, to Retire

    Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat for two decades and a leading liberal voice on Capitol Hill, announced today (April 23) that he would not seek re-election next year, closing out a 44-year congressional career focused on immigration, the federal justice system, and anti-smoking initiatives. According to the New York Times, the decision was widely expected and will immediately touch off a crowded competition for a rare Senate vacancy in his solidly blue state.

    Durbin entered Congress in 1983, and as a junior member of that chamber, led the drive to ban smoking on airplanes, helping to usher in the smoke-free movement with legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

    “That has to be the most significant thing I’ve done in terms of changing America,” Durbin said. “I was trying to get away from a health hazard, and I ended up reaching a tipping point on tobacco in America. I didn’t see that coming.”

    After winning a Senate seat in 1996, Durbin famously kept the tobacco and nicotine industry in his crosshairs. Motivated by the death of his father due to smoking, Durbin was a leading advocate for the Tobacco Control Act that gave the FDA authority over tobacco products and championed the federal lawsuit that resulted in a historic verdict that painted the major tobacco companies as racketeers who lied to the public for decades. In recent years, he turned his attention to e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco products.

    In 2022, the American Vapor Manufacturers Association (AVM) requested that the Senate Ethics Committee investigate Durbin for allegedly violating Senate rules by attempting to improperly influence the FDA’s scientific decisions about vaping products. The organization alleged Durbin pressured the FDA to ban all vaping products despite the agency’s premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) review process.

    At the time, Tobacco Reporter wrote, “Citing Durbin’s track record (urging the FDA to ban vapor products via letters, Senate floor speeches, press releases and private meetings) the AVM says it believes Durbin attempted ‘to interfere with and influence the outcome of an ongoing executive branch agency review process in violation of Senate Ethics rules.’”

    The AVM did not hold back with Durbin’s retirement news, saying today on X, “Durbin exits, leaving a trail of ash and arrogance. His intransigent, science-denying vendetta against vaping doomed countless smokers to misery. May his name be etched in infamy: the public health saboteur who’d rather outlaw hope than face facts.”

    Several Illinois Democrats have indicated an interest in running if the seat opened up and have been readying for a potential candidacy. It is likely to be one of several highly competitive primaries in both parties over the next 18 months, as Democrats embark on an uphill slog to reclaim the Senate majority and Republicans grasp to hold on to it.

  • China Tightens Smoking Restrictions

    China Tightens Smoking Restrictions

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    China is ramping up its efforts to control smoking. In 2023, 44 cities introduced or revised regulations, bringing the total number of cities with relevant regulations to 254 nationwide, according to national health authorities.

    According to the Xinhua News Agency, 24 regions at the provincial level in China have rolled out smoking regulations, and the proportion of the population protected by comprehensive smoke-free regulations is continuing to increase.

    Experts from the National Health Commission (NHC) released the data on Saturday ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

    Meanwhile, as China pledges to protect 80 percent of its population with smoke-free laws by 2030, experts on tobacco control on Sunday called for the country to introduce a national smoking control regulation as soon as possible.

    Smoking control, including preventing smoking and encouraging smokers to quit, is a viable approach for both population-wide disease prevention and individual healthcare, according to Wang Lu, a health expert from the NHC.

    Curbing smoking doesn’t aim to deprive people of their right to smoke, but to free people from being hurt by secondhand fumes, Zhang Jianshu, a senior expert at the Chinese Association of Tobacco Control, told the Global Times on Sunday.