2023 has been a mixed bag of outcomes for tobacco control. The ASEAN region had some hard- fought wins with strong measures being implemented in a few countries, while others succumbed to interference from Big Tobacco (PMI, BAT, JTI and Imperial Brands) as it undermined government efforts and continued its ugly practices to promote its lethal products.
This year’s WHO’s World No Tobacco Day theme, “Protecting Youth from Tobacco Industry Interference” put the focus on giving youths a voice, expose industry tactics and to protect our youths. Across the globe around 37 million youths use tobacco – this means the tobacco industry makes money from these young people. WHO also supported a ban on cigarette filters as avoidable problematic plastics in the ongoing negotiations of UNEP’s Tobacco Plastic Pollution treaty.
Electronic smoking devices (ESD) continued to be a hot issue as harm reduction front groups linked to the industry promoted its voice and agenda. The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, now renamed Global Action to End Smoking (GAES), continued to operate with the US$140 million it received from Philip Morris International (PMI) and funded a few groups in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Here is a snapshot of what was bad and ugly (thumbs down), and good (thumbs up) in 2024.
2024 in review
| The Bad and the Ugly | ||
| International / Regional | ||
| 1. Big Tobacco relies on cigarette sales for profits while simultaneously stating smoking is harmful | About 5 trillion cigarettes are smoked every year globally. Despite major tobacco companies acknowledging smoking is harmful and making statements about shifting away from cigarettes, every company continues to aggressively market cigarettes, which comprise more than 90% of the global sales of tobacco products. |  |
| 2. The tobacco industry harms the environment with its products | Another 4.5 trillion cigarette butts were discarded into the environment in 2024. Cigarette filters, problematic single-use plastics (SUPs), are the top-littered in international clean-ups. Cartons and packaging from tobacco products leave behind 2 million tons of solid waste annually. | |
| 3. Deceiving Countries: Declaring “Smoke-free” while sustaining nicotine addiction globally | The tobacco industry promotes “smoke-free alternatives” like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, claiming smokers can switch instead of quitting. By declaring countries “smoke-free”, the tobacco industry misleads the public, normalizing nicotine addiction and undermining the true goal of tobacco control: eliminating both smoking and nicotine use. | |
| 4. Global Action to End Smoking (GAES) is still operating with the US$140 million it received from Philip Morris International (PMI) | While the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World reportedly terminated its agreement with PMI, it continues to operate (renamed GAES) with PMI’s funds. In 2024, GAES gave another grant to ASCRA Consulting Inc. (Philippines). Its 2023 grants to Synergeia Foundation in Philippines and Yayasan Pembangunan in Indonesia were still active in 2024. | |
| 5. Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates promotes industry position |
Pro-harm reduction group, Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) isrepeating Philip Morris International’s “Quit or Die doesn’t work” mantra and calling on governments across the Asia Pacific to allow the sale of oral nicotine products. CAPHRA had championed the approval of the Vape Bill in the Philippines and for Malaysia to regulate e-cigarettes where the health departments of both countries wanted these products banned. Now, both countries are struggling to protect minors from obtaining these products. More children are vaping than smoking in both countries. |
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| 6. Philip Morris New Zealand benefited from a 50% tax cut for heated tobacco products | The New Zealand government gave a 50 percent excise tax cut for heated tobacco products, at a cost of up to NZ $216 million. The government will pay this cost. As the sole supplier of HTPs in New Zealand, Philip Morris was the biggest beneficiary from this tax cut. Since New Zealand is often paraded to other countries by harm reduction groups, this is a bad move as it goes against WHO FCTC Article 6 which calls to increase tax to reduce tobacco use. | |
| National | ||
| 1. PMI-funded Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) set up a branch at Universitas Padjadjaran in Indonesia | PMI-funded Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) based in University of Catania, Italy, signed a letter of intent (LOI) to set up abranch at Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad) in Indonesia. | |
| 2. Malaysian Department of Agriculture and Food Security recognized BAT Malaysia as a strategic partner in food security | The Department of Agriculture and Food Securityendorsed BAT Malaysia’s CSR program, “Beyond Benih” recognizing the company as a strategic partner in its efforts to ensure food security for Malaysia in the national MADANI Rakyat programme. Tobacco related CSR activities are banned in Malaysia. Malaysia phased out tobacco cultivation. | |
| 3. Lao Tobacco Limited is non-compliant with new standardized packaging of tobacco products | Lao Tobacco Limited (joint venture between Imperial Brands and the Lao government) which controls bulk of the cigarette market (77%) is non-compliant of standardized tobacco packaging law which came into force on 5 December. | |
| 4. The Philippines violates its Civil Service Commission- Department of Health Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) by accepting mobile clinics from Philip Morris and JTI, and endorsing opening of a second manufacturing factory. |
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| Good Counter Action | ||
| International / Regional | ||
| 1. COP10 recognized plastic cigarette filters as unnecessary, avoidable and problematic, and recommended an immediate ban. | In February 2024, COP10 adopted a decision under Article 18 of the WHO FCTC and recognized that “plastic cigarette filters are unnecessary, avoidable and problematic” and recommended an immediate ban on cigarette filters and vaporizers in its submission to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution. |  |
| 2. International awards for ASEAN’s leading smoke-free cities | The inaugural ASEAN Smoke-free Awards were launched in August with Iloilo City, Philippines earning the top-level Gold Award for achieving the highest score after a rigorous screening process. Bogor City, Indonesia, received the Silver Award, while the Bronze Award was presented to Saensuk Municipality in Thailand and Bagan City, Myanmar. | |
| 3. ASEAN youths to governments: work with us to protect us from tobacco industry interference | ASEAN youth leaders urged governments to work with them to effectively protect them from the tobacco industry. | |
| 4. SEATCA released the 6th edition of the ASEAN Tobacco Control Atlas | SEATCA’s 6th Tobacco Control Atlas reveals progress, but challenges endure. Despite achievements in several countries, the Atlas shows ASEAN still accounts for one-tenth of the world’s smokers and half a million tobacco-related deaths annually, incurring billions in healthcare costs and economic losses for governments. | |
| 5. Launched: Free, self-paced e-learning platform on innovative and sustainable financing for health promotion | SEATCA, in partnership with ThaiHealth Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), launched the Health Promotion Fund Resource Hub E-Learning Platform in February 2024. The e-learning platform is available at no cost to policymakers, health advocates, researchers, development agencies, and those interested in a self-paced course on how to establish sustainable financing for health promotion and tobacco control programs. | |
| National | ||
| 1. Cambodian court finds Viniton guilty of violating law banning tobacco advertising | In February the Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Viniton Group Company Ltd and its marketing executive guilty of violating the 2015 law on the control of tobacco products. Viniton was fined KHR 30 million (USD 7,356.55) and ordered to reimburse KHR 20 million (USD 4,904.36) to the Ministry of Health. | |
| 2. Indonesia’s new Government Regulation bans sales of single sticks and raises purchase age of tobacco from 18 years to 21 years | Indonesia’s new Health Law, passed in 2023, approved Government Regulation which bans the sale of single cigarette sticks and raises the purchase age of tobacco from 18 years to 21 years. The Regulation also bans online advertising of e-cigarettes. | |
| 3. Lao PDR becomes the third ASEAN country to require standardize packaging of tobacco products | Standardize packaging of tobacco with 75% pictorial warning went into effect on 5 December in Lao PDR without any delay. | |
| 4. Philippines Supreme Court reaffirmed the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory oversight over health aspects of tobacco products | After a protracted legal challenge by the tobacco industry, the Supreme Court of the Philippines has reaffirmed its 2021 decision, asserting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulatory oversight over the health aspects of tobacco products. This decision rejects with finality the appeal of the Philippine Tobacco Institute and paves the way for the FDA to finally get on with its work to implement tobacco control measures without interference from the tobacco industry. | |
| 5. Thai youths urged Prime Minister to maintain and strengthen ban on e-cigarettes | On Thai National Children’s Day, the Ramathibodi Medical Student Association urged the Prime Minister to “maintain the law banning the importation and sale of e-cigarettes” and called for the “urgent enforcement of the law” specifically in restricting sales of e-cigarettes. | |
| 6. Vietnam’s National Assembly passed a resolution on 30 November to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products starting 2025 | Vietnam’s National Assembly passed a resolution to ban the production, sale, import, storage, transportation and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products from 2025. The Health Ministry in November 2022 had proposed a ban on electronic smoking devices because of the harm they cause. | |