Tobacco Industry News

Reports

Philip Morris, BAT sought to influence smoking policy
Two studies suggest that two tobacco companies, British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International, sought to undermine anti-smoking efforts in China and Thailand. The first study found that British American Tobacco helped create the Beijing Liver Foundation in order to shift the focus of China’s Ministry of Public Health away from the risks of smoking. According to the second study, a senior scientist at Philip Morris International gained a “disturbing” and “inappropriate” influence over the curriculum at a Bangkok research institute. Both studies analyzed tobacco industry documents from the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, and are published in the journal PLoS Medicine. Representatives from the tobacco companies deny that the companies have inappropriately influenced tobacco policies, and maintain that the documents in the studies do not reflect current company policies. Find out more here. Click here to read the research on BAT’s influence in China. Click here to read the paper about the research in Bangkok affiliated with Philip Morris. Click here to read more about history of Phillip Morris in China.

The “green” cigarette? How one US tobacco company is trying to make users forget that its product can kill them
American Spirit cigarettes are marketed as all-natural, yet there is no evidence that they are any safer than standard cigarettes. The Natural American Spirit brand through the Sante Fe Natural Tobacco Company is the largest organic tobacco manufacturer and markets itself as “earth friendly” and “socially progressive”. What many smokers of this brand do not realize is that they are owned by Reynolds American, Inc, the second largest tobacco company.  Click here to read more.

Judge tosses suit challenging tobacco settlement
General Tobacco, the sixth largest tobacco company in the US, had filed a lawsuit challenging the 1998 Master Settlement agreement seeking more than $1 billion in damages. A federal judge has dismissed this challenge claiming that there is no legal basis and the company failed to show that the Settlement created any conspiracy or anti-competitive behavior. General Tobacco upholds that it has been unfairly required to pay millions more because it was a latecomer to the agreement. Click here to read more.

Up in smoke: Tobacco advertising
Several states reached a settlement with Sante Fe Natural Tobacco Company after it recently violated a 1998 multistate agreement. The company was distributing branded tin signs for its “Natural American Spirit” product. The company has agreed to not distribute any branded merchandise and to pay a $250 fine per future incident. Click here to read more.

Smokeless tobacco: the industry’s miracle cure
As smoking restrictions increase and cigarette consumption declines in developed nations, the tobacco industry is forced to create new ways to market and sell tobacco. Latest trends by tobacco companies suggest that they are moving towards pushing smokeless tobacco products. This niche market has potential for expansion in light of growing concerns regarding second-hand smoke. The United States and Sweden are currently the two largest markets for smokeless tobacco products. Click here to read more.

How big tobacco will benefit from US anti-smoking laws
Under the new administration, multiple anti-tobacco bills are expected to be passed that raise tobacco taxes and give the FDA authority over tobacco products. The expectation is a serious decrease in national smoking rates and tobacco consumption. Surprisingly, the US tobacco giant, Altria, supports the bill and actually stands to benefit from its passage. The bill prevents the FDA from ever banning cigarettes completely and the language used virtually prevents any new cigarette product from ever being approved. It also cracks down on the sale of counterfeit cigarettes which have always been an issue for the tobacco industry. These measures could actually place current tobacco giants in a pretty comfortable market position. Despite the decline in smoking in America over the last decade, big tobacco has managed to maintain a 30% profit margin. Click here to read more.

Tobacco industry efforts to undermine policy-relevant research
 This article published in the American Journal of Public Health reveals the tobacco industry’s involvement in the policymaking process.  By silencing opposing voices and discouraging other scientists from doing work that may expose them to tobacco industry attacks, policy-relevant research over the last decade has been thwarted. The support of highly credible public health organizations and of researchers’ employers is crucial to the continued advancement of public health. To read the abstract of this article, click here.  To read the full article, click here.

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International

Tobacco makers face tough rules on sponsoring events (Korea)
As part of Korea’s “Quit Smoking 2020” plan, tobacco companies will no longer be permitted to sponsor mass events. Currently in Korea, tobacco companies own popular sports teams and sponsor large events which equates to excellent advertising for their products. Smoking rates have fallen drastically since 1992 but have remained fairly constant at over 20% for the last several years. Additional measures will be taken including requiring retailers to keep tobacco products hidden from view and requiring all people to show ID no matter how old they look. Click here to read more.

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