Our recent studies examining British American Tobacco’s anti-illicit trade programme suggest that the primary focus of that programme was to increase the company’s revenue and policy influence, rather than preventing the smuggling of its products.

There is less than a week to go until our interactive #webinar on tobacco industry disinformation. If you are interested in the growing challenge of #disinformation and its impact on public health, register now. 📅 Tuesday 3 November 2026 🕜 12.30pm GMT 🔗 forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/Respon...

New article with Anna Gilmore @tcrgbath.bsky.social in @bmjtobacco-control.bsky.social: tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/earl...

Examining the nature of bot responses to public health consultations: the example of automated submissions to the 2023 UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Public consultations are an increasingly common mechanism for informing health regulation, yet their vulnerability to automated interference remains undocumented. We examined bot activity within the U...

tobaccocontrol.bmj.com

How vulnerable are public consultations to automated interference? New #research in @bmjtobacco-control.bsky.social by @spidermaani.bsky.social and Prof. Anna Gilmore suggests that 76% of responses to the UK smoke-free generation consultation were bot-generated. Read: doi.org/10.1136/tc-2...

Examining the nature of bot responses to public health consultations: the example of automated submissions to the 2023 UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Public consultations are an increasingly common mechanism for informing health regulation, yet their vulnerability to automated interference remains undocumented. We examined bot activity within the U...

doi.org

Can a tobacco company be trusted to help fight illicit trade? Read STOP's 🆕 fact sheet which outlines the findings of our recent analysis on British American Tobacco’s involvement in the illicit tobacco trade. 👀 exposetobacco.org/resource/bri...

Covering Its Tracks: Is British American Tobacco Still Involved in Illicit Trade?

Analysis of 15,000 leaked documents from BAT suggests the tobacco giant was facilitating the illicit trade of its own products.

exposetobacco.org

Our research examines ways in which the #TobaccoIndustry interferes with #PublicHealth policy after it has been adopted. A new #blog from STOP explores these findings alongside real-world examples collected by @vitalstrategies.org Global Implementation Programme. exposetobacco.org/news/tobacco...

Passed a Policy? The Tobacco Industry May Still Try to Interfere

Effective tobacco control doesn't end at passing legislation: strong implementation and enforcement are critical parts of the process.

exposetobacco.org

Many thanks to @mattchapman.bsky.social and @theexamination.org for speaking with @allengallagher.bsky.social and Benoît Gomis about their #research on British American Tobacco’s role in cigarette smuggling. Read full interview and learn more about research: www.theexamination.org/articles/bri...

British American Tobacco touted anti-smuggling efforts. Researchers say it cracked down only to help its bottom line.

New research into leaked company documents concludes BAT went after black market sales to stave off competitors.

theexamination.org

‼️ Our recent research explores tobacco company British American Tobacco’s involvement in the illicit tobacco trade.

🚨 Our latest report reveals that tobacco industry funded research appears to exaggerate the size of the UK’s illicit tobacco market by three times compared to HMRC’s official estimates.

Tobacco giants ‘exaggerate size of illegal market to fight curbs’

Report by Action on Smoking and Health suggests the industry’s figures on the scale of the problem are way above official estimates

thetimes.com

The tobacco industry uses misleading narratives to advance its interests at the expense of public health. In a free #webinar for London Global Cancer Week 2026, we will examine the evolving tactics used to promote public health #disinformation. Register - forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/Respon...

Since 2019, STOP has analysed the tax returns of Global Action to End Smoking, formerly the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World. The recent analysis of its 2025 tax return shows GAES has still not resolved its underlying conflict of interest. https://exposetobacco.org/resource/gaes-fsfw-tax-returns/

Analysis of Global Action to End Smoking's Tax Returns

GAES, formerly FSFW, has been funded by cigarette giant PMI since its founding, despite claims of wanting a "smoke-free world."

exposetobacco.org

🆕 research raises serious questions about British American Tobacco’s role in cigarette smuggling. A team from the Tobacco Control Research Group analysed 164 documents and found evidence that the tobacco company used its anti-smuggling programme to boost its own profits and influence.

💫 Event 💫 @brittakm.bsky.social will speak about tobacco industry interference in policy implementation and enforcement in an upcoming @vitalstrategies.org #webinar. #PolicyImplementationPlaybook 📅 Thursday 22 October 2026 🕜 1pm UK / 8am New York 🔗 vitalstrategies.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Join Vital Strategies’ webinar to hear Dr. Britta Matthes speak about her research on the Policy Implementation Playbook and industry tactics the tobacco industry uses to interfere in policy. RSVP: https://vitalstrat.org/3VB5tD5 @tcrgbath.bsky.social @centre21cpubhealth.bsky.social

What kinds of evidence can help drive #PublicHealth policy change? In a new #blog for @ias.org.uk, Dr Alice Fabbri, @brittakm.bsky.social and @profkatsmith.bsky.social explore the #EvidenceJigsaw.

Completing the evidence jigsaw: how evidence can drive regulation of unhealthy commodities - Institute of Alcohol Studies

How can public health researchers and advocates ensure that their findings inform real-world policies?

ias.org.uk

“Participants felt successful examples of policy change to tackle unhealthy commodities have usually been supported by an ‘evidence jigsaw’.” Our latest blog explores what evidence helps turn public health proposals into policy. 🔗: www.ias.org.uk/2026/10/13/c...

Completing the evidence jigsaw: how evidence can drive regulation of unhealthy commodities - Institute of Alcohol Studies

How can public health researchers and advocates ensure that their findings inform real-world policies?

ias.org.uk

There are many different nicotine-containing products, and definitions of these products vary from country to country, posing a challenge to #TobaccoControl progress.

💫 Event 💫 Register for our webinar on #TobaccoIndustry disinformation, being held as part of London Global Cancer Week 2026. 📅 Tuesday 3 November 2026 🕜 12.30pm GMT 🔗 https://www.bath.ac.uk/events/tobacco-industry-disinformation-emerging-tactics-and-lessons-for-public-health/ #PublicHealth

A new brief from TCRG and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) explores how approaches to protecting #HumanRights defenders could be a potential way to strengthen protection for #TobaccoControl advocates. https://ash.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/From-Recognition-to-Protection-HRD-Brief-2026.pdf

Global Action to End Smoking (GAES) is still largely funded by tobacco company money. A recent analysis of its 2025 tax return shows that the organisation is funding efforts to influence health care providers and researchers. https://exposetobacco.org/wp-content/uploads/GAES_2025_Tax_Return.pdf

It’s day two of @uiccofficial.bsky.social World Cancer Congress. In a session on countering cancer misinformation, Dr Tess Legg explored how commercial actors shape evidence and narratives around cancer, and why tackling disinformation requires protecting the systems that turn evidence into action.

💫 Event announcement 💫 How does #disinformation influence public understanding of health evidence and policy - and what can public health learn from the #TobaccoIndustry’s approach?

Day one at the @uiccofficial.bsky.social World Cancer Congress #WCC2026 has been a brilliant opportunity to connect with and learn from colleagues from across the global tobacco control community. Three of our team contributed to a powerful session on 'Unmasking Tobacco Industry Interference'.

Submissions for a special issue of Academy of Social Sciences #ContemporarySocialScience are open until 15 January 2027. The editors are looking for submissions that apply the tools of social science to address the tobacco and nicotine epidemic. think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...

Global Action to End Smoking (GAES) presents itself as an independent organisation with a mission to end smoking, but it still runs mostly on tobacco money & supports activities that promote industry interests. STOP has analysed the organisation's latest tax return exposetobacco.org/wp-content/u...

Four members of TCRG will showcase their innovative #TobaccoControl research at the @uiccofficial.bsky.social #WorldCancerCongress in Hong Kong from 24 to 26 September. www.bath.ac.uk/announcement... @uniofbath.bsky.social @centre21cpubhealth.bsky.social #PublicHealthResearch #WCC2026

A range of evidence is required to support regulation of unhealthy commodities such as tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food. But which types of evidence are useful, and why?

Would recognising #TobaccoControl advocates as human rights defenders strengthen protection from intimidation? @ash.org and @tcrgbath.bsky.social organised a cross-sector roundtable to discuss this. Find out the key insights in our new brief: www.bath.ac.uk/announcement... @brittakm.bsky.social

Look out for our latest TCRG #newsletter landing in inboxes this morning. September's update contains details of all our recent #research and #TobaccoTactics pages. 🖱️ Sign up to our mailing list: bath.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=... 👀 Read the latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/77f9a6731bf4...

In a commentary for Addiction, Dr Rob Branston and Prof Coral Gartner discuss Australia’s problematic illicit tobacco and nicotine market. They argue that #IllicitTobaccoTrade is influenced by under-regulation, limited monitoring, and inadequate enforcement of regulations. doi.org/10.1111/add....