Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index

The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index (Global Tobacco Index) is a global survey on how governments are responding to tobacco industry interference and protecting their public health policies from tobacco industry's commercial and vested interests as required under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

This report is based on publicly available information on tobacco industry interference in countries and their respective governments’ responses to these interferences. Countries are ranked according to total scores provided by civil society groups. The lower the score, the lower the overall level of interference, which augurs well for the country.

See Report Highlights
The Global Tobacco Index rates countries on their response to tobacco industry interference through a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire, developed from Article 5.3 Guidelines, contains 20 questions covering 7 indicators of industry interference on which countries are scored:
  • Participation in Policy Development
  • TI Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Benefits to the Industry
  • Unnecessary Interaction
  • Measures for Transparency
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Preventive Measures

Global Rankings

This report is based on publicly available information on tobacco industry interference in countries and their respective governments’ responses to these interferences. Countries are ranked according to total scores provided by civil society groups. The lower the score, the lower the overall level of interference, which augurs well for the country.

More information can be found on the Country Ranking

2021
2020
2019
Tobacco Pollution: Why Africa Must Support International Plastic Treaty
For decades, tobacco production and use has wrecked harm and damage on health and economies to the tune of more than US$1 trillion annually in health care costs and lost productivity. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally and its use can exacerbate poverty by increasing health care costs, reducing incomes, and dec ...
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BAT Uganda On the Spot for Smuggling Illicit Cigarettes, Evading Billions in Tax
KAMPALA, UGANDA: British American Tobacco (BAT) Uganda and BAT Kenya have taken advantage of the loopholes in tobacco control governance systems and control the illicit trade of Tobacco products to dump illicit cigarettes into the country, an investigative undercover report has revealed. A spot check market survey has since e ...
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Israel: the Ministry of Health Plans to Ban the Electronic Cigarette
In one year, the rate of teenagers aged 12 to 14 smoking electronic cigarettes has increased by 300% The Israeli Ministry of Health on Thursday considered the possibility of banning the marketing of electronic cigarettes. Senior ministry officials said "options are being considered due to two difficult cases".
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Australia to Ban Recreational Vaping in Major Public Health Move
Recreational vaping will be banned in Australia, as part of a major crackdown amid what experts say is an "epidemic". Minimum quality standards will also be introduced, and the sale of vapes restricted to pharmacies. Nicotine vapes already require a prescription in Australia, but the industry is poorly regulated and a blac ...
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Bulgaria to Support Tobacco Growers with 36 mln euro
March 13 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria will provide 70.5 million levs ($38.4 million/36.05 million euro) to its tobacco growers for 2022 under a programme for supporting their transition to an alternative livelihood, State Fund Agriculture said. The financing will be awarded to producers who have grown tobacco during at least one year ...
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PROGGA and ATMA Conduct Press Conference to Raise Prices of Tobacco Products
At a pre-budget press conference held on March 18, 2023 at the National Press Club in Dhaka, PROGGA and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) called for the introduction of a tiered specific excise/supplementary duty with a uniform tax burden to increase the cost of cigarettes in the upcoming national budget. Eminent econom ...
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MSHR Advises Govt to Reassess GEG, Form Independent Science-based Vaping Committee
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Society for Harm Reduction (MSHR) called on the government to re-assess Generation Endgame (GEG) measure, especially on vape, given its potential in helping to reduce smoking prevalence in Malaysia. MSHR chairman professor Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said more smokers are switching to vaping to quit ...
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New Smoking and Cannabis Laws in the Pipeline for South Africa this Year
South Africa is set to see some major changes to tobacco, vape and cannabis smoking this year with a handful of new regulations in the pipeline. New bills relating to smoking form part of the 42 bills before Parliament, which include a mix of consequential, medium-level and minor legislation, said the Parliamentary Monitoring ...
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Put Hefty Taxes on Alcohol, Cigarettes to Generate Funds to Fight Cancer
Breast Care International (BCI), a member of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), has urged the government to impose high levies on cigarettes, and alcohol to support cancer fight. According to Dr. Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, President of BCI, hefty taxes will discourage the use of cigarettes and alcohol in order to s ...
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Kenyans to Pay More for Cigarettes, Juice, Cosmetics
Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets to enjoy a puff of cigarette, quench their thirst with fruit juice or enhance their appearance with make up. This is because the National Treasury has proposed to increase the stamp duty on cigarettes, fruit juices and cosmetics in the coming months. In the proposals publi ...
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Cigarettes up by 50 cent, Alcohol Left Untouched
Budget 2023: Heart Foundation warns against complacency and calls for cigarettes to be taxed up to €20 a pack Alcohol sidestepped any price increase in the budget but a packet of 20 cigarettes was hit with a by now routine tax increase of 50 cent. The increase will see the price of a pack of 20 climb past the €15.50 mark, wit ...
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UK Campaigners Call for Tighter Regulations on Vapes to Match Tobacco
Vapes should be taxed and displayed in plain packaging behind the counter to reduce their popularity among children, health campaigners and councils have warned. To tackle the rapidly growing popularity among children and young people, Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) is calling on Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, to set out a ...
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It’s Time to Ban Cigarette Filters
BANGKOK, Thailand, Jun 9 2023 (IPS) - The second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastic pollution (INC-2), held in Paris, France, from May 29 to June 02, 2023, concluded with optimism and the prospect of ending plastics pollution. Over 700 delegates from 169 Member States agreed to prepare a zero draft ...
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Countering Corporate Sabotage: Impact Stories on Tobacco Interference Index
In 2021, civil society groups in 80 countries prepared their Tobacco Industry Interference Index (Index), coordinated by GGTC and published by STOP, to assess how well their government has been protecting tobacco control policies and efforts from being undermined and derailed by commercial and other vested interests.
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Regional Resources

Access regional resources on tobacco industry interference by clicking the map

Resources

You can find more information on our resource pages

Get Involved

Countering tobacco industry interference is a collaborative effort that needs the involvement of policymakers, civil society organizations, and concerned citizens in calling for the implementation of WHO FCTC Article 5.3.

You can support the movement for good governance in tobacco control through the following ways:

  • Raise Awareness
    Follow GGTC's and Facebook and Twitter and share our campaign to your network.
  • Learn More
    Increase your impact by leveraging tools to help in countering tobacco industry interference.
    ggtc.world
  • Speak Up
    Report tobacco industry misconduct in your country and contribute to STOP’s efforts to expose industry tactics.
    exposetobacco.org/speak-up