Time to close the loopholes in the free trade of tobacco

Ellen Huan-Niemi, Hanna Ollila, Eeva Ollila The WHO FCTC is regarded as a significant achievement in global public health efforts to control tobacco use since its adoption in 2003, currently with 183 Parties covering more than 90% of the world population. The implementation of FCTC measures has contributed to significant reductions in tobacco use prevalence, […]

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Professor Mike Daube: 50 Years of Service to Public Health

Thomas J. Kehoe and colleagues* *Other contributors listed at end of the article. August 2024 marks 40 years since Professor Mike Daube AO started work in the Western Australia Department of Health, in Australia. It is an opportune time to acknowledge his continuing and tireless contribution to international tobacco control over more than 50 years. […]

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E-cigarette and cannabis influencer marketing on social media despite regulations

Julia Vassey, Julia Chen-Sankey, Jennifer B. Unger Cannabis and nicotine are two of the most commonly used substances among youth in the United States. In 2023, 11.4% of eighth graders and 23.2% of 12th graders (15-17-year-olds) vaped nicotine, while 6.5% of eighth graders and 19.6% of 12th graders vaped cannabis in the past year. Some evidence […]

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Senior researchers present their case for why pharmacists should be able to dispense nicotine vapes without a prescription in Australia.

Coral Gartner, Kathryn Steadman, Lisa Nissen In Australia, nicotine-containing vape products are only available on prescription, and reforms to further restrict the availability of vaping products are planned which will make the country’s vaping laws among the most restrictive in the world. In a recent Special Communication, Professor Coral Gartner and colleagues argue for an […]

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Advancing Environmental Protection at COP10: Implications for Tobacco’s Toxic Plastics and Extended Producer Responsibility

Deborah Sy In the ongoing battle against plastic pollution to protect the marine environment, a decision at COP10 on the implementation of Article 18 (Protection of the Environment) serves as a beacon of hope. Every year, some 4.5 trillion littered plastic cigarette butts contribute to the consistent ranking for the top plastic items in debris […]

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COP 10: Action needed to prevent tobacco industry interference in environmental solutions

Deborah Sy and Lilia Olefir In its 10th session, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)  Conference of the Parties (COP) has for the first time, an opportunity to support the development of options for using liability to protect the environment, as suggested by the Draft Decision on WHO FCTC Article 19 initially proposed […]

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Sluggish and yielding: Governments’ response to aggressive tobacco industry interference – 2023 Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index

Mary Assunta The tobacco industry (TI), that peddles harmful and addictive products globally, has intensified its interference to sabotage and undermine public health policy. Many governments succumbed to its influence mainly because they failed to act cohesively when dealing with the industry and its tactics. No country has been spared from the interference and there […]

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“Thank you for smoking”: New Aotearoa/New Zealand government ditches history-making smoke-free plan to fund tax cuts

Ruth Canty and Marita Hefler New Zealand has announced it will repeal the country’s world-leading smokefree laws. Faced with a choice between leading a turning point in the global tobacco epidemic or turning back the clock, New Zealand’s new incoming coalition government chose the latter. The new coalition government is made up of right-wing parties, […]

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