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Tag: tobacco control

  • American Lung Association Releases Tobacco Control Report

    American Lung Association Releases Tobacco Control Report

    The American Lung Association released its 24th annual State of Tobacco Control report, grading states and the federal government on policies proven to reduce tobacco use and prevent tobacco-related death and disease. The report states that the federal tobacco prevention landscape has been significantly altered by the effective dismantling of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, including the scheduled end of the Tips From Former Smokers media campaign in 2026, which the association describes as a major setback for national tobacco control efforts. The report also evaluates each state’s progress in adopting measures aimed at reducing tobacco use and supporting cessation.

    The report gave top overall grades to California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, and Massachusetts. Its worst overall grades went to Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas, followed by Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee. It said Maine and Montana were the two most improved states.

    Read the full report here.

  • South Africa’s Tobacco and Vaping Bill Still Likely a Year Away

    South Africa’s Tobacco and Vaping Bill Still Likely a Year Away

    South Africa’s Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill is unlikely to become law for at least another year, with further delays expected for implementing regulations, according to Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf of the University of Pretoria. The bill, first drafted in 2018 and reintroduced in 2022, has faced prolonged parliamentary delays that he attributes to disinformation, political distraction, and a lack of urgency.

    Ayo-Yusuf warned that the slow pace benefits the tobacco and vaping industry by leaving a regulatory vacuum as vaping and other nicotine alternatives gain popularity among young people. While acknowledging the need to address illicit cigarette trade, Ayo-Yusuf stressed that tobacco regulation is fundamentally a public health issue, not a trade-off between health and the economy. The bill has recently gained vocal support from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which described it as pro-poor and pro-development, arguing that strong tobacco control reduces healthcare burdens and protects public welfare, while illicit trade should be tackled through enforcement rather than weakened health laws.

  • Bangladesh’s Next Govt. Urged to Uphold Tough Tobacco Laws

    Bangladesh’s Next Govt. Urged to Uphold Tough Tobacco Laws

    Bangladesh’s interim government has called on the next parliament to endorse the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, after senior advisers accused tobacco companies of mounting heavy pressure to block stricter regulations. Speaking at a Dhaka meeting Monday (January 26), Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum and Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said the ordinance—approved by the advisory council in December—expands the definition of tobacco products and tightens controls on emerging items, despite industry lobbying and revenue concerns. The advisers alleged coordinated efforts by tobacco firms to delay or dilute the measures, criticized government shareholdings in tobacco companies, and opposed plans by Philip Morris Bangladesh to set up a nicotine pouch factory without environmental clearance. Officials cited stark public health costs, noting Bangladesh records an estimated 564 tobacco-related deaths daily and annual economic losses of Tk 87,000 crore ($713 million) versus Tk 40,000 crore ($348 million) in tobacco revenue.

  • Vietnam Weighs Harm-Reduction Options

    Vietnam Weighs Harm-Reduction Options

    Despite sustained declines in smoking prevalence, Vietnam continues to face a wide gap between intent and outcomes, as surveys show more than 90% of smokers want to quit, yet only about 9.5% have been able to do so successfully. With around 15 million adult smokers, health experts say reliance on cessation alone has delivered limited results. With male smoking rates falling from 45.3% in 2015 to 38.9% in 2023, the slow pace of quitting has intensified pressure to rethink policy tools.

    To close this gap, policymakers and experts are debating whether to broaden the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms to include “risk factor reduction” alongside traditional measures. The Ministry of Health is drafting amendments for 2026 that emphasize bans on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, expanded point-of-sale restrictions, and tougher enforcement.

  • EU Suspects ‘Coordinated’ Interference in Tobacco Tax Feedback

    EU Suspects ‘Coordinated’ Interference in Tobacco Tax Feedback

    The European Commission suspects that a surge of pro-industry submissions opposing its proposed overhaul of the EU Tobacco Tax Directive was likely coordinated and intended to distort public consultation feedback, according to comments from Commission tax official David Boublil as reported by Politico. Thousands of largely anonymous responses promoting tobacco industry arguments, along with what are believed to be fake submissions attributed to public health experts, were filed in the final hours of the consultation period.

    While the Commission did not identify who was behind the activity, Boublil described industry lobbying on the issue as “gigantic.” The proposal would raise the EU-wide minimum excise duty on cigarettes from €90 to €215 per 1,000 cigarettes, a move opposed by several member states. The scrutiny comes amid broader upcoming EU reviews of tobacco taxation and regulation, including plans to extend tobacco control rules to e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches from 2026.

  • Indonesia Looking to Tighten Tobacco Control

    Indonesia Looking to Tighten Tobacco Control

    Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin outlined plans to strengthen national tobacco control through legislative reform, citing proposed revisions to expand graphic health warnings, tighten advertising restrictions, ban the sale of loose cigarettes, and regulate e-cigarettes. Speaking virtually at the 8th Asia-Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT) Summit in Jakarta today (January 26), Sadikin said the measures are aimed at reducing both tobacco supply and demand through coordinated partnerships.

    Sadikin said that tobacco is Indonesia’s third-largest risk factor for death, with around 70 million adult smokers and 9.1% of children having tried smoking. The government also plans to expand smoke-free areas and increase access to smoking cessation services at community health centers, while health officials emphasized cross-sector and community-based efforts to address tobacco use and related non-communicable diseases.

  • Osaka Tightening Public Smoking Ban

    Osaka Tightening Public Smoking Ban

    Osaka, Japan, is weighing additional measures to curb illegal street smoking after a municipal survey revealed diverging views between smokers and nonsmokers following the citywide ban introduced in January 2025. According to the survey, nearly half of nonsmokers surveyed supported raising the current 1,000-yen ($65) fine and strengthening patrols and public awareness, while about 60% of smokers called for more designated smoking areas. In response, the city plans to add 65 new smoking zones on top of the 195 already in place, increase enforcement staff beyond the current 85 officers and assistants, and focus resources on high-incidence areas, especially those in entertainment districts. Osaka reported a 40% year-on-year decline in street smoking, as it continues efforts to balance compliance with public comfort ahead of the Osaka Kansai Expo.

  • Vietnam Looking to Tighten Tobacco Regs

    Vietnam Looking to Tighten Tobacco Regs

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Health is seeking public feedback on a draft amendment to the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention that would significantly tighten regulations and close gaps in the current legal framework, according to Vietnam News. The proposed amendments prioritize public health over economic interests, align with Party and Politburo resolutions on health protection, and aim to fully meet Vietnam’s obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Key measures include banning the holding, transport, storage, advertising, promotion and use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products; prohibiting the display of tobacco products at retail outlets; expanding smoke-free venues; and increasing health warning requirements on packaging. The draft also introduces clear legal definitions for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, strengthens responsibilities of government agencies and local authorities, and adds new prohibitions on producing or trading components used to assemble such products, with a focus on protecting women, children and public health overall.

  • Aussie Tobacco Retailers Warned to File for Licenses  

    Aussie Tobacco Retailers Warned to File for Licenses  

    Less than two weeks ahead of mandatory enforcement under Victoria, Australia’s new tobacco licensing scheme, the state’s Premier and Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation is urging all tobacco retailers and wholesalers to apply for a license before the February 1 deadline. The program, part of a broader crackdown on illicit tobacco and organized crime, allows businesses that apply before the deadline to continue trading while applications are assessed, while anyone applying on or after February 1 would have to wait for approval.

    Tobacco Licensing Victoria, supported by Victoria Police, will enforce compliance with penalties of up to A$170,948 ($114535) and five years’ jail for individuals selling without a license, with businesses facing fines exceeding A$854,000 ($572,000). The initiative, backed by A$46 million ($30.8 million) in the 2025/26 budget, also grants inspectors powers to suspend or cancel licenses, seize illegal products, and pursue court action, with strict eligibility criteria ensuring licenses are granted only to “fit and proper” applicants.

  • TCA: Alternative Products Jeopardize Georgia’s Smoke-Free Ambitions

    TCA: Alternative Products Jeopardize Georgia’s Smoke-Free Ambitions

    The Tobacco Control Alliance (TCA) said Georgia’s goal of becoming tobacco-free by 2040 is under threat due to the rapid rise in e-cigarette and heated tobacco use, particularly among young people. The 2025 Global Adult Tobacco Survey said smoking prevalence in the country fell from 33% to 24% over the past decade, but the TCA says alternative nicotine products are undermining progress. The TCA is urging stronger “tobacco endgame” measures, including equal taxation of all tobacco and nicotine products, tighter controls on e-cigarettes, flavor bans, higher age limits, and stricter enforcement, noting that tobacco-related economic damage far exceeds tax revenues and that public support for tougher policies is strong.