Health Advocates Urge Govts to Block Big Tobacco’s...

Health Advocates Urge Govts to Block Big Tobacco’s Interference

Audrey Galawu | Assistant Editor

Public health experts and civil society organisations are calling on governments worldwide to firewall tobacco control policies from industry interference, accusing tobacco companies of misleading tactics and youth-targeted marketing disguised as innovation.

This renewed call comes following the release of the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025, which highlights the urgent need to protect public health from the world’s largest preventable killer—tobacco.

“Recognise the tobacco industry as the biggest barrier to global progress in tobacco control. Reject engagements with organisations working with, or funded by, the tobacco industry,” states the World Conference on Tobacco or Health Declaration, signed in Ireland earlier this year.

The WHO report notes that tobacco continues to kill over 8 million people every year—more than 7 million of them from direct tobacco use and 1.3 million from second-hand smoke. Among the most worrying trends is the rise in e-cigarette use among youth, with global data showing that:

In some countries, 1 in 5 adolescents aged 13–15 uses e-cigarettes.
Over 16,000 e-cigarette flavours are currently marketed, many designed to appeal to children and teens.
Youth who use e-cigarettes are more than twice as likely to later use cigarettes.“The evidence is clear: e-cigarettes are harmful, particularly for children and adolescents. We cannot allow a new generation to become dependent on nicotine,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

African countries are among those increasingly targeted by tobacco and nicotine companies. At the recent WCTC, Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, warned of Big Tobacco’s attempts to manipulate African lawmakers and youth through rebranded messaging.

“Tobacco industry is not only attacking Africa but public health globally. In the garb of ‘reducing cigarette use’ it is trying to hook our children and youth to its tobacco and nicotine products to make even more profits,” said Oluwafemi.

Philip Morris International (PMI), one of the largest tobacco multinationals, held a “Techno Innovation Summit” in South Africa as the country debated new tobacco legislation. Critics argue such branding disguises industry intent.

“Products that cause preventable diseases and untimely deaths like tobacco or nicotine cannot be associated with positive words like ‘techno’ or ‘innovations’,” said Oluwafemi.

The WHO report outlines several documented tactics the industry uses:

Lobbying against tobacco regulations
Astroturfing, or funding front groups to oppose legislation
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) schemes to gain public favour
Deliberate targeting of children through online and lifestyle marketing
“Tobacco industries sell the harm, the hook, and now the palliatives. This is not a transformation – it looks a lot like vertical integration,” said Daniel Dorado Torres, Tobacco Campaign Director at Corporate Accountability.

Dorado also cited cases from Colombia, where PMI set up flashy booths at music festivals, distributing free nicotine pouches to teenagers.

“Make no mistake—this is advertising. Just repackaged for political and social legitimacy.”

Civil society is urging governments to make Big Tobacco pay—literally—for the damage caused to human health and the environment. The WHO recommends that countries explore liability mechanisms, including litigation and compensation schemes.

“We appeal to all State Parties that have ratified the global tobacco treaty to take stronger action in holding the tobacco industry legally and financially liable,” said Dorado. “We have to make big tobacco pay.”

Dr. Tara Singh Bam, Board Director at Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development, reinforced the need for coordinated national responses.

“Tobacco control is not only a job of Ministry of Health. To #EndTobacco and #endNicotine, we need to ensure clear roadmaps and time-bound targets,” he said. “It is high time we recognise that a tobacco and nicotine free generation becomes possible.”