Research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) have welcomed the government's approval of the 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025'.
The SA government has failed to raise its defences against the influence from the tobacco industry, according to a report released on Tuesday by the global tobacco industry watchdog STOP.
SA’s scored 64 in the 2023 global tobacco industry interference index. This is the identical rating it received in STOP’s 2021 report, which noted at the time that the government’s efforts to limit the influence of tobacco companies had weakened during the coronavirus pandemic. The higher the score, the greater the tobacco industry’s interference in public health policies.
Senegal is ranked 10th in Africa in terms of tobacco industry interference in state policies. The information was given this Wednesday morning by Djibril Wélé, executive secretary of the Senegalese League Against Tobacco, during the launch of the LISTAB report on the tobacco industry interference index. An acceptable ranking that LISTAB is committed to surpassing.
After the launch of the African report on the interference of the tobacco industry on public policies, Senegal has just done the same thing by launching this Wednesday morning its 2023 report on the industry interference index tobacco. On this occasion, the executive secretary of the Senegalese League Against Tobacco announced the ranking of African countries where the interference of the tobacco industry in public policies is very present. “At the African level when the report was published, Senegal ranked 10th . This is still the average compared to other countries like Cameroon where the influence of tobacco is very present,” announced Djibril Wélé, executive secretary of LISTAB.
Tobacco industry interference in governments’ tobacco control policies has increased in 43 out of 90 countries analysed over the past two years.
This is according to the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023 released on Tuesday by tobacco watchdog STOP, and the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC).
“No country has been spared from the interference, and there is a worsening trend,” said Mary Assunta, CGTC’s head of research and advocacy. “More countries deteriorated in their scores compared to countries that improved” – with only 29 countries improving efforts to push back against industry.
Countries with the highest level of interference are the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Japan, Indonesia and Georgia – and this is also reflected in “poor tobacco control measures in their countries”, according to the report.
Governments around the world continue to be influenced by powerful tobacco companies that hinder efforts to reduce tobacco use. They are not taking sufficient measures to protect policy from the tobacco industry as required under Article 5.3 of a global treaty, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(WHO FCTC).
The interference of the tobacco industry in health policies has increased in 43 countries since 2021, according to the fourth edition of the report by the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC), of the Stop network , which has analyzed this situation in a total of 90 countries and has revealed industry tactics that include the promotion of electronic products and the concealment of environmental damage.
New York, Nov 14 (EFE).- The anti-smoking group STOP denounced this Tuesday an increase in interference by the tobacco industry in governments around the world, especially to expand the acceptance of its electronic products and hide the environmental damage caused by these and for cigarettes.
Nowhere in Europe does the tobacco industry exert more influence on health policy. In the new country comparison, Switzerland ranks 89th out of 90 worldwide.
The UK has made “no progress” in protecting public health policies from the powerful commercial interests of the tobacco industry, according to a report from health campaign groups.
The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index ranks the UK 21st globally when it comes to implementing and complying with measures designed to prevent the tobacco industry interfering with policymaking. It is a drop from the UK’s third position in 2021 and best overall ranking in 2019.
Produced by the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, with input from Action on Smoking & Health (ASH), ASH Scotland, ASH Wales, and Cancer Research UK, the index covers the period from April 2021 to March 2023.
This ranking is no glory for Switzerland: in the tobacco lobby index it only leaves one country behind and takes 89th out of 90 places. In Europe we are at the bottom of the list , and globally only the government of the Dominican Republic is doing less to reduce the influence of the tobacco industry. France, the Netherlands and Norway are making the greatest efforts in Europe, as the “ Tages-Anzeiger ” reports.
The anti-tobacco group STOP denounced this Tuesday an increase in interference by the tobacco industry in governments around the world, especially to expand the acceptance of its electronic products and hide the environmental damage caused by them and cigarettes.
Lollipop sticks, cigarette butts, bread tags and heavyweight plastic shopping bags could all be redesigned or phased out as the NSW government looks to meet its recycling targets.
A ban on the sale of flavoured heated tobacco products came into force in Czechia on Monday, bringing it in line with an EU directive issued last year. EU member states were required to implement the prohibition into national law by July 23, 2023, and apply it with effect from October 23, 2023. The directive does not allow for a transition period to sell off remaining stocks after this date.
Join us this November 14 for a global launch! The Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) unveils the 4th edition of the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index. Learn how the tobacco industry is intensifying its interference in public health policy and what governments are doing to protect us.
Stay tuned for the report’s unveiling on www.globaltobaccoindex.org.
According to the 2023 Tobacco Industry Interference Index, tobacco giants still influence the development of policies regulating the industry, making then a threat to the younger generation.
Big Tobacco firms including British American Tobacco (BATS.L) are selling heat sticks made from nicotine-infused substances such as rooibos tea, countering an incoming European Union ban on flavored heated tobacco products.
KT&G Corporation (“KT&G“) (KRX:033780) held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new state-of-art manufacturing plant in Kazakhstan on October 11, 2023. The new Kazakhstan factory is expected to serve as the company’s Manufacturing Innovation Hub in Eurasia and accelerate the company’s long-term vision of becoming a ‘Global Top-tier’ company.
Tobacco use kills more than 1200 Fijians every year, and 852 (71 per cent) of those deaths are among individuals under the age of 70, which is classified as premature deaths.
The Coalition Cabinet statement noted this statistic as it announced its approval of the release of the Investment Case for Tobacco Control in Fiji Report into the public domain.
The South Africa Liquor Brand Owners Association (Salba) has welcomed Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s amendment to the Customs and Excise Act and Value-Added Tax Act, banning the duty-free sale of alcohol and tobacco products to foreign diplomats, calling it a turning point in the enforcement of stricter measures on curbing the illicit trade of alcohol, and encouraging more decisive action of this nature.
The TII index shows Indonesia's score of 84 points. This means that the Indonesian government is considered to be closer to the tobacco industry than in its efforts to reduce the prevalence of smoking
Türkiye has expanded the scope of the ban on serving and selling alcohol and tobacco products, the country's official gazette said on Wednesday.
The sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products has been banned on the entire premises of health, education, and cultural and sports facilities, the gazette said in a statement.
The gazette added that the ban would not apply to points of sale in accommodation, recreational and camping areas.
The retail sale of alcohol between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time (1900-0300 GMT) has been prohibited in the country since 2013. ■
