The tobacco industry strongly influences policy-making in Japan, Jordan, Egypt and Bangladesh. Conversely, the United Kingdom, Uganda, and Iran emerge as countries with the least industry meddling, according to a first-ever report to systematically assess levels of industry influence in countries, by the watchdog group STOP (Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products).
The tobacco industry’s new rhetoric that smoking is harmful and that its so-called less risky products will reduce the global tobacco epidemic, should see the industry stop opposing or fighting government efforts to reduce tobacco use. However, this is not the case.
These are some of the measures deployed by countries around the world to limit influence over their anti-smoking policies, according to the first-ever Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index.
The first ever global index to track tobacco industry influence over public health policy has revealed that the UK is a world leader in efforts to curtail undue meddling.
The UK has the least tobacco industry influence in policy making while Japan experiences the greatest interference, a global analysis has concluded.
Does Big Tobacco have sway in your country? Find out using the first Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index, which ranks countries based on the amount of meddling they allow in health policy.
Countries around the world still allow the tobacco industry to sit at the policy table, despite their obligations under Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and its guidelines.