International Updates

8 September 2026 By Agence France-Presse – Inquirer PARIS — More than 2.7 billion people including children have been exposed to second-hand smoke globally, contributing to nearly 1.7 million deaths in 2023, according to study published Tuesday in The Lancet. Tobacco remains a leading cause of disease globally, the study said, noting many “non-smokers exposed

2 September 2026 By Erica Andrews – New York Post A Northern California city has moved to ban the sale of all tobacco and nicotine products from stores in the wealthy enclave. The Corte Madera Town Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to advance an ordinance that would prohibit businesses from selling, commercially distributing or delivering

9 September 2026 By ABM Zubair – The Business Standard With non-communicable diseases accounting for most deaths in Bangladesh, the country needs to move beyond treatment towards prevention — including a dedicated, autonomous institution for health promotion In Bangladesh, the majority of deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart attacks, strokes, cancer,

Harmful industries operate on a single financial calculation: privatize trillions in profit, and leave taxpayers to bear the fallout. 7 September 2026 By Mary Assunta and Cyresse Achilleos – Green Network For at least a century, harmful industries have operated on a single financial calculation: privatize trillions in profit, and leave taxpayers to bear death

28 August 2026 By Respiratory Therapy The ERS is urging European countries to adopt “tobacco endgame” policies to permanently reduce tobacco use and end the epidemic. RT’s Three Key Takeaways: Endgame Strategies: The ERS supports policies aimed at reducing smoking prevalence to minimal levels and phasing out the commercial sale of tobacco products. Public Health

14 July 2026 By GST Between 2021 and 2023, several South Korean municipalities conducted experiments collecting and transforming cigarette butts into urban paving stones. Chemical analyses revealed the presence of carcinogenic substances in the resulting product, even after high-temperature heat treatment, leading to the discontinuation of these experiments. A study published in the journal Tobacco

6 August 2026 By European Medical Journal ENVIRONMENTAL tobacco smoke was associated with greater sleep fragmentation in children evaluated for suspected sleep-disordered breathing. Secondhand Smoke and Sleep Fragmentation Children exposed to environmental tobacco smoke had a 67% higher arousal index than unexposed children, according to a prospective study using overnight polysomnography and urinary cotinine testing.

9 August 2026 By Marie O’Halloran – The Irish Times Government considering ban for anyone born after certain date The Government is considering a ban on the sale of tobacco and nicotine-inhaling products to anyone born after a certain date, following the introduction of similar legislation in the UK. As part of a review of

9 August 2026 By Mathew Robertson – CBC News New warning labels can help fight messages losing effectiveness over time, says advocate Canadian smokers have seen graphic warning labels on cigarette packaging for decades, but as of this month they will have new images that experts hope will deter smoking. Health Canada has introduced a