Indonesia on track to become world’s largest tobacco market
13 July 2016 If current trends hold, Indonesia is on track to become the world’s largest market for tobacco. As other countries move to regulate
With return of Big Tobacco to Myanmar, smoking rates on the rise
11 July 2016 Since the return of Big Tobacco to Myanmar en masse in 2013, smoking rates have increased markedly. Tobacco control experts warn that
Philippines 15th among 23 Western Pacific countries with youth smokers
3 July 2016 MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines ranks 15th out of the 23 countries in the Western Pacific with youth smokers. In the report
Indonesia: Pictorial warnings not included in tobacco bill
27 June 2016 Activists have raised suspicion of what they called “foul play” in the deliberation of the controversial tobacco bill in the House of
Philippines: Smoker Aquino thanked for anti-smoking laws
26 June 2016 Health advocates yesterday expressed gratitude to President Aquino who, despite being a smoker, approved two “vital” tobacco control laws during his term.
Singapore: New anti-smoking rules from June 1: What you need to know
1 June 2016 SINGAPORE – From Wednesday (June 1), reservoirs and more than 400 parks, including those in private and public housing estates, have been
June is No Smoking Month in the Philippines
27 June 2016 Manila, Philippines: The Department of Health (DOH) headed by Secretary Janette P. Loreto-Garin launched last 20 June the National No Smoking Month
Who is Winning Indonesia’s Tobacco War?
16 June 2016 Why you need to know Battleground Jakarta: Big Tobacco calls Indonesia its ‘crown jewel’; in a country of 250 million people, 70%
Indonesia: Rejecting tobacco pact, govt must empower farmers, enforce laws
18 June 2016 A much lauded 2015 presidential decree on a national development strategy that aims to reduce the prevalence of smoking, especially among teenagers,
Philippines: Cancer support group supports Ubial as DOH secretary
19 June 2016 MANILA – The cancer support group New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) has expressed full support for incoming Health Secretary Paulyn
Indonesia: President urged to protect children from dangers of cigarettes
15 June 2016 Jakarta (ANTARA News) – The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Youth Movement (GM-FCTA) has called on President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to protect
Indonesia: 54 percent of Indonesian children smoke: Minister
14 June 2016 Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Indonesian Minister of Empowerment of Women and Child Protection, Yohana Yambise, has expressed concern about the increasing number
Indonesia: Tobacco firms ignore legal restrictions
14 June 2016 Precious bundles: Workers store shredded tobacco in a warehouse in Temanggung, Central Java. The quality of tobacco relies on the weather. Temanggung’s
Indonesia: Govt to limit public smoking areas
14 June 2016 The government is set to limit smoking in public places for the sake of the health of the nation’s younger generation. Speaking
Malaysia: Plain packaging protects the human right to health
9 June 2016 Representing various Malaysian groups and associations, the National Cancer Society of Malaysia is responding to the statement ‘Plain cigarette packaging an infringement
Malaysia: Anti-smoking measures don’t work, says Subra
7 June 2016 PUTRAJAYA: Anti-smoking campaigns do not seem to be working, with five million Malaysians still on the puff and the number of smokeless
Indonesia: Activists demand bigger, scarier warnings on cigarette packs
6 June 2016 A huge cigarette pack replica showing the picture of a baby in critical condition was installed on Jl. Jend. Sudirman in Central
Malaysia: Health Ministry rapped over tobacco plain packaging plans
25 May 2016 KUALA LUMPUR: A DAP lawmaker has criticised the Health Ministry for backtracking on its plans to implement plain packaging for tobacco products.
Indonesia: Plain cigarette packaging to put smokers off, ministry hopes
28 May 2016 The Health Ministry is pushing for plain packaging on all cigarettes sold in Indonesia to reduce the alarmingly high smoking rate, especially
Indonesia on track to world’s highest smoking rates
1 June 2016 JAKARTA, Indonesia—With few commitments to curb cigarette consumption, Indonesia is poised to have the largest population of smokers in the world in
SEATCA’s Smoke-Free Program Manager eyeing a smoke-free Philippines
After the Philippines elected smoke-free champion and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte last 9 May, the Davao City Anti-Smoking Task Force headed by SEATCA’s Smoke-Free
Scary warnings to appear in Cambodia’s cigarette packs in July
Cambodian smokers will see scary, graphic warnings on cigarette packs starting 23 July 2016, nine months after cigarette companies were given time to comply with the requirements
SEATCA launches world’s first Tobacco Packaging and Labelling Index
To mark this year’s World No Tobacco Day celebration (31 May), the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) released a report recognizing both achievements and gaps in
Asean government urged to enforce large pictorial warnings, plain packaging of tobacco
28 May 2016 To mark this year’s World No Tobacco Day (May 31), the South-East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) released a report recognising both
Cambodia: Cigarettes must have pictorial warnings by July 2016
27 May 2016 The government in July will begin to issue fines to tobacco companies, distributors and retailers that don’t display a graphic warning on
Cambodia: Gruesome Images Soon To Adorn Cigarette Packs
27 May 2016 Images depicting the dreadful health effects of smoking will soon adorn all cigarette packs in Cambodia, which will be joined by Laos
Malaysia needs new Act for tobacco control, says ex-MOH official
KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — Putrajaya must enact a standalone law on tobacco control with standardised packaging rules before the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement
Philippines: Health group lauds Duterte’s plan for nationwide smoking ban
17 May 2016 Public health policy think tank and Bloomberg Awardee for Global Tobacco Control HealthJustice Philippines welcomes presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement that he
Indonesia tobacco plantations using child labour
Big cigarette companies accused of feigning ignorance while young children work in plantations in hazardous conditions. Some of the world’s best known tobacco companies have
Food outlets should stop cigarette retail business as food handlers — MCTC
17 May 2016 In reference to the report Malaysia and Singapore coffee shop owners hit back at Malaysia Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) on May
Philippines: Groups tout health issues for elections
5 May 2016 SEVERAL groups advanced health issues for the May 9 elections. One is HealthJustice Philippines Inc., a public health policy think tank and
Indonesia: House sneaks tobacco bill again after being rejected
26 April 2016 The House of Representatives’ Legislation Body ( Baleg ) has been quietly working to finalize the controversial tobacco bill that was already
Philippines: Comelec bans smoking in voting precincts
15 April 2016 CIGARETTE smoking will be prohibited in all voting precincts nationwide during the May 9 local and national elections. The Commission on Elections
Antismoking Coalition Gives Big Tobacco a Fight in Indonesia
30 April 2016 JAKARTA, Indonesia — The densely packed houses along Yogyakarta’s Kali Code River went from drab to a riot of reds, blues, yellows
Indonesia: Public health advocates protest tobacco exhibition in Jakarta
Activists rally against tobacco machinery expo 27 Apr 2016 Activists rallied on Wednesday in protest against the 2016 World Tobacco ( WT ) Process and
Big Tobacco is trying to create new “Marlboro countries” in developing nations like Indonesia
The new Marlboro country and a generation lost in smoke(s)? Julia Suryakusuma, Jakarta Post, April 27, 2016 As a teenager, I was smart enough
Malaysia: Great oped that smoking related disease and death does not spare famous personalities
The ‘unlucky draw’, New Straits Times, Chan Wai Kong, 22 April 2016 The hand of death from the evil empire headed by Darth Tobacco has
Thailand: Monopoly money under a tax
24 April 2016 Poom Prasit had been smoking the local Krong Thip cigarettes for the past 13 years. On the day of the announcement of
Malaysia: The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) is calling for plain packaging of cigarettes in conjunction with this year’s World No Tobacco Day theme
‘Pack cigarettes in plain packages to reduce appeal’ 20 April 2016 The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) is urging cigarette manufacturers to implement plain
Cigarette ads: A powerful temptation targeted at teenagers
21 March, 2016 It was a cold, rainy, Sunday afternoon when Dani Kurniawan, 15, spent time with a friend at a convenience store in Pejaten
Cigarette ad ban gets irate manufacturers in a puff
21 March, 2016 The Jakarta Legislative Council’s (DPRD) plan to pass a law implementing no-smoking zones highlights ongoing efforts to protect non-smokers from the harmful
Health Ministry hits pause on plain tobacco packaging plan
21 March, 2016 By Mayuri Mei Lin KUALA LUMPUR, — Cigarette packs will be plainly packaged in future, but the Health Ministry said today it
Capacity Building Workshop for the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF)
20 March, 2016 On March 17-18, 2016, the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance’s (SEATCA) Tobacco Tax Program and the World Health Organization (WHO) Cambodia organized
British American Tobacco closing PJ plant, blames high duties
17 March, 2016 BAT said it will reduce operations at the factory located on Jalan Universiti in stages, and is targeting to cease all activity
Making it harder to light up
15 March, 2016 by sarban singh SEREMBAN: All hotels will be gazetted as smoke-free areas by end of the year while other public places will
Parliament bans display of tobacco products, including cigarettes, in shops
14 March, 2016 SINGAPORE: Stores will be banned from displaying tobacco products, after changes to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Bill were passed on Monday
Tiny village becomes Indonesian anti-smoking champion
13 March, 2016 This photo taken on December 20, 2015 shows a general view of the Bone-Bone village in Enrekang, South Sulawesi. (Cening Unru/AFP) Nestled
Cigarette packs to carry graphic health warnings
1 March 2016 Starting September 1, health warnings and graphic pictures illustrating the dangers of tobacco will appear on all brands of cigarette and other
Big tobacco plainly lying about plain packaging ― Mary Assunta
29 February 2016 FEBRUARY 29 ― I wish to respond to the reports in the Malay Mail Online on plain packaging of tobacco. The logical next step for
Putrajaya plans to strip tobacco packs of branding
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — Malaysia is planning to introduce generic packaging for tobacco products in a bid to reduce consumption, with standardised colours and