An important declaration adopted last week calls upon the governments of the world to accelerate the implementation of all measures under the global tobacco treaty in order to end the tobacco epidemic. Among other actions, it urges countries to: "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. Hold the tobacco industry liable for the harms it causes, including seeking compensation through legal actions."

As the World Conference on Tobacco Control (WCTC) 2025 concluded in Ireland - with the WCTC Declaration reaffirming global commitment—and in the lead-up to the upcoming intergovernmental meeting on the global tobacco treaty (formally called the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control or WHO FCTC) later this year, the tobacco and nicotine industries have once again been exposed for using the same old tactics and misinformation to hinder public health advocates from implementing stronger measures to save lives from tobacco-related harm.

There is a plethora of overwhelming and growing strong scientific evidence since decades that tobacco causes preventable and life-threatening diseases and untimely deaths. Despite 183 State Parties committing to global tobacco treaty 20 years back and implementing it with domestic laws, every year over 8 million people die of tobacco use. Tobacco continues to be the biggest preventable cause of death worldwide – with most of these deaths taking place in the Global South.

Tobacco industry’s so-called ‘Techno-innovation’ is just another tactic to push profits over people’s health and lives

“Products that cause preventable diseases and untimely deaths of its consumers like tobacco or nicotine, cannot be associated with positive words like ‘techno’ or ‘innovations’. Tobacco industry uses the garb of such dark lies and deceptive phrases to distract us from enforcing lifesaving tobacco control policies,” says Akinbode Matthew Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) in Nigeria.

“We need to understand why so-called ‘techno-innovation’ meet of world’s largest tobacco industry, Philip Morris International, was held in South Africa: South Africa had passed one of the most promising tobacco control laws 20 years back. Many African countries too had adapted that law in their own contexts since then. South African government is currently updating this law to make it even more effective in saving lives from tobacco and nicotine. Regulating electronic cigarettes or vaping or other such ‘new’ tobacco products, total ban on point-of-sale and direct advertising of all tobacco and nicotine products vaping products (like e-cigarettes etc), and protect youth from manipulative marketing, amongst others, are part of the reforms South African government’s new law is proposing,” said Akinbode.

“That is why Philip Morris International is using the same-old tricks and tactics to delay, dilute or water-down lifesaving tobacco control policies in South Africa as well as other countries in Africa. Africa has weak policy environment when it comes to banning e-cigarettes or vaping etc. Tobacco and nicotine industry is trying to exploit this to earn more profits,” said Akinbode. “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, with scant regard to their health or lives.”

He was speaking in a special media briefing organised during the WCTC online, by Corporate Accountability, Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT), Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media), Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA), Health TV Online Nepal, and Citizen News Service (CNS).

WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 says e-cigarettes harmful

WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said around the report launch that “The evidence is clear: e-cigarettes are harmful, particularly for children and adolescents. We cannot allow a new generation to become dependent on nicotine.”

“This report clearly states that tobacco industry interference remains one of the greatest threats to the adoption, implementation and enforcement of effective tobacco control measures. It states that countries must ensure that tobacco control policies remain robust in the face of tobacco industry interference. This report also outlines a century of tobacco industry interference in public health policy and tactics used by it,” said noted lawyer Daniel Dorado Torres, Tobacco Campaign Director, Corporate Accountability.

He added: “This WHO Report 2025 also states that tobacco industry, which now also manufactures and sells emerging nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, has a long history of opposing and obstructing public health efforts to protect people from tobacco. Tobacco industries sell the harm, the hook, and now the palliatives. This is not a transformation – rather it looks a lot like vertical integration.”

Daniel Dorado cited examples of music festivals in Colombia where tobacco and nicotine industry was promoting its deadly products to the young people. “Make no mistake - this is advertising. Just repackaged for political and social legitimacy.”

Governments must enforce science-based tobacco control policies and protect public policy from tobacco industry interference

“It was a historic first when first-ever legally-binding corporate accountability and public health treaty (WHO FCTC) came into force 20 years back. We have made progress in advancing lifesaving tobacco control measures, despite tobacco industry interference at all levels. But that is not enough. Governments need stronger actions in implementing science-based tobacco control policies to save lives from tobacco or nicotine, as well as ensure that public policy remains safeguarded from any kind of tobacco industry interference across sectors. Tobacco control is not only a job of Ministry of Health but warrants a whole-of-government approach to save lives,” said Dr Tara Singh Bam, Board Director of Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT) and Asia Pacific Director for Tobacco Control, Vital Strategies.

Dr Tara Singh Bam added: “To #EndTobacco and #endNicotine, we need to ensure that there are clear roadmap and timebound targets. It is high time we recognise that a tobacco and nicotine free generation becomes possible.”

Kalpana Acharya and Ram Prasad Neupane, journalists from Nepal shared that media in Nepal have played a stronger role in helping advance tobacco control and expose tobacco industry interference in public policy.

It’s time to make Big Tobacco pay

“We appeal to all governments that have ratified the global tobacco treaty to take stronger action in advancing progress in holding tobacco industry legally and financially liable. We have to make big tobacco pay, for the harms it has caused to human life and our planet since decades,” said Daniel Dorado Torres of Corporate Accountability. He called upon everyone to act now by endorsing the campaign (online at www.makebigtobaccopay.org) "It’s time to make Big Tobacco pay for its abuses!"

Shobha Shukla – CNS (Citizen News Service)

(Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA received AMR One Health Emerging Leaders and Outstanding Talents Award 2024). She also coordinates SHE & Rights initiative (Sexual health with equity & rights). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here www.bit.ly/ShobhaShukla)