Philippines: ‘Neither allies nor friends’
3 June 2021 Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer Public health advocates led by four former secretaries of the Department of Health (DOH) marked World No Tobacco
Philippines: Former health chiefs, medical sector groups denounce tobacco industry’s ‘tactics’ to ease government control
30 May 2021 Source: Business world FORMER health secretaries, medical sector groups and health advocates have slammed the tobacco industry for strategies that allegedly aim
Commentary: How the tobacco industry wrote the ‘fake news’ playbook
30 May 2021 Anna Bueno. Source: Philstar In case you didn’t know, there’s a website dedicated to 14 million documents that expose the tobacco industry’s
Tobacco use in PH: Health, income going up in smoke
2 June 2021 Cristina Eloisa Baclig. Source: Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—Every June, the Philippines celebrates No Smoking Month, during which Filipinos are being encouraged to stop
Is the Philippines’ CSR Bill a Trojan Horse for corporate interests?
31 May 2021 Kristine Fonacier, Source: Eco-Business Without the proper safeguards in place, a bill that incentivises CSR programs might instead open the door to
Philippines: Opposition to lowering the age of access to e-cigs snowballs
22 May 2021 Source: Opinyon News Team As the House of Representatives pass on second reading a bill regulating e-cigarettes, two former health secretaries have
Philippines: COVID-19 donations of tobacco firms ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ – law group
17 May 2021 Ralf Rivas, Source: Rappler ‘The tobacco industry has a long history of using so-called corporate social responsibility or CSR to interfere with
Philippines: DILG: No liquor, cigarettes in community pantries
28 April 2021 Melissa Luz Lopez, CNN Philippines Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will prohibit the
Philippines: The hypocrisy of “CSR” in the time of COVID-19
25 March 2021 Anna Bueno, Vera Files: A bill to reward businesses for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities is pending in Congress. At its face, the bill
Cambodia: New tobacco device banned
21 March 2021 Niem Chheng, The Phnom Phen Post: The National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) has instructed all relevant ministries and institutions to take
100% smoke-free pushed to prevent the spread of COVID-19
February 2021, The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a fervent call for the establishment of more smoke-free environments in the Philippines to uphold every Filipino’s
Filipinos want national smoking ban in public places, survey says
4 February 2021 Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco, Business Mirror: More can still be done to ensure the safety of Filipinos when it comes to the harmful effects
What happens when Big Tobacco’s pandemic donations tangle with Philippine politicians drafting new laws?
January 2021 Lina Sagaral Reye, Eco-Business: Major tobacco firms have long used corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to cosy up to government officials and policy
Malaysia: did the tobacco industry collaborate with media to defeat tax increase?
26 January 2021 Marita Hefler, BMJ: Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed It has been five years since Malaysia last had a tobacco tax increase. The 2021
Philippines: Dark side to Big Tobacco’s Covid-19 CSR activities?
16 December 2020 Lina Sagaral Reyes, Eco-Business: Donations of ventilators and supplies are part of a ‘classic tactic’ by the industry to get close to
PASS OR FAIL: Findings from Asian and ASEAN Tobacco Industry Interference Indexes
On 20 November 2020, SEATCA gathered public health experts, tobacco control advocates and government agencies to launch the 2020 Asian and ASEAN Tobacco Industry Interference Indexes
Tobacco Industry Capitalizes on Pandemic to Increase Influence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
20 November 2020 Jennie Lyn Reyes, IPS: BANGKOK, Thailand, While the COVID-19 pandemic has elevated public health to a top priority in every country in
Malaysia: Ban alternative tobacco products to save lives
3 November 2020 Dr Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed, New StraitsTimes: LETTER: I am responding to the letter, “The need for alternative products” by John Soosai
Malaysia: Time to increase tax on tobacco companies
7 October 2020 New Strait Times: LETTERS: A tobacco company sponsored black bus that has been driving around the streets of Kuala Lumpur recently, must be
Philippines: Communal eating and smoking noted to cause Covid-19 spread
10 September 2020 NewsLine Philippines: DAVAO CITY — A top health official says Communal eating and smoking together in chambers are seen to open opportunities for COVID-19
Philippines: FDA Warns Public Against Vape Juice Containing ‘Mamon’ or Illegal Drugs
5 September 2020 Sethe, Philippines News: FDA Warns Public Against Vape Juice Containing Illegal Drugs Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public about a
More than just hot air: The Philippines’ need for science-based vaping regulations
Mikael Angelo Francisco, flip science: “Never mind the law. The law will come.” On November 19, 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte declared an immediate ban on
EXPOSED: The Tobacco Industry’s Smoke-Free Deception Webinar
On 2 September 2020, SEATCA gathered public health experts, tobacco control advocates and government agencies online for a webinar to expose the tobacco industry’s smoke-free deception.
Malaysia: Government must use tax measures to protect public health — Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance
9 September 2020 Malaymail: I am responding to the article highlighting BAT Malaysia’s survey on tobacco black market in Malaysia published in the Malay Mail on 3 September
Philippines: Workplace under MECQ? Gov’t prohibits dining in canteens, common smoking areas
11 August 2020 Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News: MANILA — Eating in canteens and smoking in common areas are prohibited in workplaces in modified enhanced community
Singapore: 10 tobacco retailers have their licences suspended for selling cigarettes to underage buyers
24 July 2020 Jean Iau, The Straits Times: Ten tobacco retailers who sold cigarettes to people under the minimum legal age had their licences suspended
Tobacco Industry Factoid on Illicit Trade Leading Governments Astray
21 July 2020 Sophapan Ratanachena-McWhortor and Dr. Hana Ross, SEATCA: BANGKOK, Thailand, Jul 21 2020 (IPS) – A factoid is unreliable information repeated so often that
Protecting tobacco tax from industry sabotage webinar
On 3 July, SEATCA gathered public health experts, tobacco control advocates and government agencies online for #TheUnfilteredTruth Webinar Series: Protecting tobacco tax from industry sabotage to
Investing in Tobacco Control: Twelve Years of MPOWER Measures and Progress in the Western Pacific Region
July 2020 Katia De Pinho Campos, Mina Kashiwabara, Ashlee Teakle, Ramon De Guzman, Kate Lannan, and Susan Mercado, Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: Abstract
Philippines: DOF mulls ban on online sale of cigarettes, alcohol
6 July 2020 Mary Grace Padin: The Philippine Star, MANILA, Philippines — In another step to tighten the regulation of sin products, the Department of
Singapore: Mandatory standardised packaging, bigger graphic health warnings on all tobacco products from Jul 1
29 June 2020 CNA A proposed layout of a standardised cigarette box. (Photo: Ministry of Health) SINGAPORE: All tobacco products sold in Singapore must have
Vietnam: The harmful effects of electronic cigarettes
24 June 2020 Dong Thap Online Electronic cigarette devices (TLTT) include: battery parts, charging, heating, gas flow; parts containing electronic solution tubes. TLTD works by heating the
Indonesia: Child Smokers Easy Target for Tobacco Industry: Ministry
18 June 2020 Tara Marchelin: Jakarta Globe Jakarta. Indonesian children are an easy target market for the tobacco industry, said Lenny Rosalin, the deputy head for child
Special Award from WHO for Dr Mom Kong
18 June 2020 Pech Sotheary: Khmer Times Cambodia Movement for Health executive director Dr Mom Kong received the “WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award” from the
Celebrating tobacco control champions in the Western Pacific Region
22 May 2020 World Health Organization: Dr Mom Kong, Cambodia Movement for Health, receives WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes
Malaysia needs innovative fiscal measures for sustainable health financing
15 May 2020 Yen Lian Tan, East Asia Forum Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 73 per cent of total deaths in Malaysia in 2015, with
Cambodia: More hotels and restaurants commit to being smoke-free
15 April 2020 Twenty hotels and restaurants in Cambodia were recognized by the Ministry of Tourism Cambodia for complying with the Sub-decree on Smoke-free Workplaces and Public Places
Philippine towns ban smoking during COVID-19 pandemic
Three towns in the Philippines have temporarily banned smoking, cigarettes and other tobacco products as part of efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. General Luna,
Philippines: Dominguez: Liquor, cigarette restrictions to stay as health top priority amid pandemic
27 April 2020 Ben O. de Vera, Inquirer MANILA, Philippines — The government will keep the restrictions on liquor sale as well as withdrawals of
Philippines: Duque tells smokers, vapers: Quit now, you’re at risk from Covid-19
3 April 2020 Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Business Mirror HEALTH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III appealed to smokers and vapers to stop immediately for they may be
Philippines: Quezon town temporarily bans cigarettes amid COVID-19 threat
29 March 2020 Delfin T.Mallari Jr. Inquirer LUCENA CITY, Quezon – The mayor of General Luna town in Quezon has ordered a temporary ban on
Lao PDR: Moving towards a smoke-free Plain of Jars
February 2020 SEATCA Lao PDR is moving forward with its smoke-free advocacy by meeting with the Departments of Health, Education and Sports, Security, Culture and Information,
Indonesia: Philip Morris fined B130m for tax-dodging
20 March 2020 Bangkok Post Philip Morris (Thailand) Limited (PMTL) says it will appeal a Criminal Court ruling that it wrongly declared the price of
Myanmar: Bagan increases smoke-free areas to 91
10 March 2020 Kyaw Ko Ko The number of smoke-free areas has increased to 91 in the Bagan cultural zone, according to the Archaeology and
Philippines: Duterte amends nationwide smoking ban, outlaws unregistered e-cigarettes
(UPDATED) ‘With the President as our reliable ally in public health, and with medical associations and advocacy groups joining our campaign, our anti-smoking efforts are
Philippines: Will e-cigarettes help you quit smoking?
Part 1: Doctors say it’s just like taking poison in smaller amounts 26 February 2020 Michelle Abad AT A GLANCE The science behind electronic cigarettes
Philippines: After U.S. scandal, JUUL develops new market in the Philippines
Part 2: Amid a crackdown in its home market, leading e-cigarette company JUUL treads carefully with ‘transparency’ efforts as it sets up shop in the
Myanmar: A clouded future for e-cigarettes in Myanmar
The law is vague on the status of vaping in Myanmar, and the Ministry of Health and Sports may ban e-cigarettes before changes can be
Indonesia: Exclusive: Juul halts Indonesia e-cigarette sales, throwing Asia expansion in doubt
24 February 2020 Chris Kirkham, Fanny Potkin, Neil Jerome Morales (Reuters) – Juul Labs Inc is halting sales in Indonesia, citing concerns that it can’t stop retailers
Philippines: Baguio goes after vapers: fine, community service, or blood donation?
Those who fail to pay the penalties will face cases, Mayor Benjamin Magalong writes in his demand letter to those caught by the Smoke-free Task