New tobacco control law passed
3 March 2017: The National Legislative Assembly on Friday passed the final reading of the Tobacco Control Bill, which raises the minimum age to legally
Big haul of fake tax stamps
2 March 2017: Joint operations of the bureaus of Customs and of Internal Revenue on Wednesday yielded a total of 23.2 million packs of cigarettes
Heated tobacco products just as bad as cigarettes: Amy Khor
2 March 2017: SINGAPORE — Allowing the use of heated tobacco products here could draw a much larger group of users — especially among youth
Bataan holds ‘Zumbale’ for anti-smoking program
1 March 2017: BALANGA CITY: This component city of Bataan recently held “Zumbale” or dancing while walking to conclude the healthy lifestyle month of February
The colorful change for the sin tax on cigarettes
28 February 2017: Cigarette smoking significantly affects the lives of many Filipinos whether directly or indirectly. In fact, dating back to 2009, based on the
Cardiologists call on Duterte to sign EO on smoking ban
25 February 2017: Cardiologists of the Manila Medical Center (Manila Med) and Philippine Heart Association (PHA) joined medical communities and health advocates in calling on
BIR to summon tobacco firms on fake tax stamps
28 February 2017: MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue will summon cigarette firms to get to the bottom of the proliferation of fake tax
SEATCA facilitates study visits of Cambodian tax dep’t & Myanmar MOHS
Bangkok: Parliamentarians and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Health and Sport (MOHS) together with the People’s Health Foundation (PHF) paid
Four Indonesians richer than poorest 100 million
24 February 2017: Gap between rich and poor has grown faster in Indonesia than in any other country in Southeast Asia, Oxfam reports. A report
Why you need to quit smoking
23 February 2017: by Henrylito B. Tacio After staying for a few days in a hospital last December due to asthmatic bronchitis, Manila Mayor Joseph
Introduce licensing for tobacco retailers
22 February 2017: THE Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, is asking for stakeholders’ feedback on the best way to
Ending the tobacco scourge
18 February 2017: Tobacco-related deaths are a commercially propagated epidemic. Each year, smoking kills more than six million people, a tenth of them the innocent
17 health organizations reject draft bill on tobacco
21 February 2017: Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Seventeen health organizations in Indonesia have issued a joint declaration urging President Joko Widodo to reject the draft
In Marlboro’s last frontier, a smokers’ rights group is defending the “human right” to light up
18 February 2017: “A man without a vision always falls for his past,” reads Aditia Purnomo’s t-shirt, as he sits in his office west of
Philippines: Ban smoking nationwide – DOH
13 February 2017: MANILA, Philippines – Despite the delay in the approval of an executive order, the Department of Health (DOH) has remained firm in
Manila rolls out smoking ban
13 February 2017: Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada answers questions during a briefing, January 2016. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday
Graphic health warnings cut cigarette use by 1 billion packs
9 February 2017: Cigarette consumption in the country declined last year by 1.4 billion packs which revenue authorities attributed to the graphic health warnings printed
SEATCA refutes former PH NEDA chief, reiterates benefit of high unitary tax
31 January 2017: 31 January 2017, Manila – The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) asserts that former National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General
2-tier cigarette tax bid shelved
6 February 2017: Review the Sin Tax Reform Law first before tackling the proposal to revert to a two-tier excise tax system for cigarettes. This
Smoking zones disappear in a puff with new law
4 February 2017: PETALING JAYA: Smoking zones in open-air public transport stops, air-conditioned food outlets and stadiums are no more, said Health director-general Datuk Dr
DoF vows to oppose two-tier cigarette tax
29 January 2017: The Finance Department said it will oppose a bill reverting to the two-tier tax system on cigarette packs in the country once
Cambodia: Minister vows action against tobacco firms
23 January 2017: Within almost six months of a sub-decree going into effect requiring graphic warnings on all cigarette packages, Health Minister Mam Bunheng issued
Indonesia: Yogyakarta to Introduce Bylaw on Smoke-free Areas
20 January 2017: TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The city of Yogyakarta will soon introduce a bylaw to regulate smoke-free areas in a bid to control tobacco
WHO: Tobacco control measures save lives
17 January 2017: MANILA, Philippines – With cigarettes remaining to be a leading cause of preventable premature deaths, tobacco control measures are highly cost-effective and
Unitary cigarette tax seen to level playing field
16 January 2017: The ongoing implementation of the single excise tax rate on cigarettes would be effective in combating not only smoking but also tax
Executive order sought vs smoking in public
15 January 2017: Tobacco-control advocates are seeking the signing of an executive order (EO) that bans smoking in public places. Statistics show that 10 Filipinos
Singapore: Orchard Road ramps up fight against smoking
12 January 2017: Designated smoking points are making their mark along the Orchard Road shopping belt, as the area inches towards becoming smoke-free. Last month,
Indonesia may ban cigarette advertisements from TV, radio
12 January 2017: The government may completely ban tobacco companies from advertising their products on television and radio in the future, according to a tobacco
Philippines: Civil Service Commission Clarification
5 January 2017: THIS refers to the article “Groups hit Civil Service official for pushing ban on e-cigarettes” by Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco published on print and online
Philippines: Government backs ban on e-cigarettes
19 December 2016: MANILA, Philippines – Arguing that its potential health risks remain undetermined, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC)
Philippines: Don’t mess with sin tax
19 December 2016: Republic Act No. 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Law was passed four years ago after protracted debates and delays. Aside from
Philippines: ECOP airs concern over passage of 2-tier cigarette tax
19 November 2016: MANILA, Philippines – The country’s employers have expressed concern on the passage of House Bill 4144, saying that the measure — which
Philippines: Single cigarette tax rate easier for govt
16 December 2016: MANILA – A single tax rate for cigarettes, which will take effect next year, will make revenue collection easier for the government,
The House bill on tobacco tax is dangerous – for Duterte and for the country
13 December 2016: The House of Bebot Alvarez, Rudy Fariñas, Eric Singson, Dakila Cua, et al rubber-stamped a weak and controversial tobacco tax bill. Attempting
Indonesia: Court puts end to tobacco expansion plan
14 December 2016: The Supreme Court has annulled a government road map designed to boost national tobacco production, ruling that the plan is incompatible with
Indonesia’s tobacco road map annulled for contravening prevailing rules
13 December 2016: Victory — Indonesian anti-tobacco coalition members express their support following a decision by the Supreme Court to annul the Industry Ministry’s tobacco
Tobacco Giant Behind Camel and Winston Are ‘Liars’ – Myanmar Health Official
12 December 2016: A senior public health official has said representatives from the company that produces Camel cigarettes are “liars” during a disagreement over Myanmar’s
Philippines: ‘Unsound’ Sin Tax House measures
10 December 2016: A regional health group on Saturday raised alarm over the “economically unsound” proposals in Congress to amend the Sin Tax Law that
Finance urges Congress to leave Sin Tax Law alone
8 December 2016: THE Finance department on Thursday urged lawmakers to leave the Sin Tax Law alone and let it mature next month. The DoF
Do graphic health warnings on cigarette packs work?
8 December 2016: Graphic health warnings are effective in prompting smokers who buy on per-stick basis to think about the dangers of smoking, which in
DOF ‘strongly’ opposes House bid on two-tiered sin tax regime
5 December 2016: The Department of Finance (DOF) said it is strongly opposing the House committee approved measure seeking to maintain the present two-tiered sin
Tobacco firms told to go all-out in campaign against underage smoking
5 December 2016: Tobacco companies must go all-out with campaigns against underage smoking, including removing tobacco product advertisements near schools, a children’s protection group has
Think tank: Big-time increase in cigarette taxes to force smokers to quit
29 November 2016: Public health policy think-tank HealthJustice Philippines Monday pushed for a single-tier tax system for tobacco products, saying other proposed systems would not
Vaping may damage your teeth and give you bad oral health
28 November 2016: In a scientific study that looks at the effect of vaping using e-cigarettes on cellular and molecular levels, a team of researchers
COPD takes your breath away
27 November 2016: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, is a progressive lung disease that makes it increasingly difficult to breathe. The condition
Defend the unitary excise tax for cigarettes
28 November 2016: Seeking to attain health and revenue objectives, the government and reformers in civil society, the health community, and the private sector pushed
Thailand on front lines of tobacco control
28 November 2016: By Narendra Kaushik in New Delhi Thailand has won praise from a United Nations conference on tobacco control for its success in fighting
SEATCA, IAKMI hold workshop to strengthen tobacco control in Indonesia
From 5 to 7 December, the IAKMI (Ikatan Ahli Kesehatan Masyarakat Indonesia) or Indonesian Public Health Association with the support of SEATCA conducted a workshop to
Indonesian young innovators committed to make country tobacco free
22 November 2016: Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), 20 Indonesian young innovators from 17 districts/cities committed themselves to
PHL delegates to COP7 call for vigilance vs tactics of tobacco industry
21 November 2016: MANILA — The Philippine delegates to the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP7) to the World Health Organization Framework