E-cigarettes still harmful to health, and don’t really stop smoking
30 July 2019 E. Ulysses Dorotheo, MD, FPAO I am writing in relation to the article, “Makers of e-cigarettes have 3 months to get FDA
Secondhand Smoke Is Much More Than Just a Smelly Nuisance
15 July 2019 Nadhira Nuraini Afifa Many of us still mourn the death of the much-loved disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, affectionately known as Pak Topo,
Cambodia: Gov’t to act against sale of unstamped cigarette packets
3 July 2019 Voun Dara From this month, joint working groups formed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance will act against those involved in
Philippines: DOH bans use of e-cigarettes, vapes in public
3 July 2019 CNN Philippines Staff Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 3) — The Department of Health has banned the use of electronic cigarettes in public,
Singapore: Cigarette packs to be sold in standardised plain packaging in Singapore from July 1, 2020
1 July 2019 SINGAPORE (ANN): Tobacco products sold in Singapore must have standardised packaging and enlarged graphic health warnings from July 1 2020, the Ministry
Myanmar: Threefold increase in tobacco consumption among youths under 15
27 June 2019 From 2001 to 2016, cigarette and tobacco consumption among the youths under 15 has increased around threefold, said Union Minister for Health
Indonesia: National Narcotics Agency Calls for Ban on Electronic Cigarettes
25 June 2019 Antara & Nur Yasmin Jakarta. Indonesia’s antidrug agency has come out against vaping, noting that the popular replacement for arguably more harmful conventional cigarettes was prone
Philippines: Time to quit?
24 June 2019 Business Mirror Editorial Cigarette packs contain warnings about the health hazards of smoking. And with so few public places where people are
Smoking at home to soon become a punishable offence in Thailand
24 June 2019 BANGKOK (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – People in Thailand will no longer be allowed to smoke at home if their habit has
Indonesia: Asean Countries Urged to Follow Indonesia’s Step to Ban Online Cigarette Ads
18 June 2019 Telly Nathalia Jakarta. The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, or Seatca, on Monday called on members of the Association of Southeast Asian
Thailand: Smoking at home to be banned
21 June 2019 Online Reporters A law prohibiting smoking at home will come into effect on Aug 20 in a bid to reduce deaths caused
Thailand: New law against smoking at home
21 June 2019 Songpol Kaopatumtip A new law which will be enforced on August 20, 2019 will target family members who smoke at home, the
Indonesia: Small step for health
17 June 2019 Editorial Board Treading softly and ever so cautiously is the hallmark of our policy on tobacco, the livelihood for millions of farmers
Indonesia: Southeast Asia tobacco control alliance praises Indonesia’s ad ban
17 June 2019 Ivany Atina Arbi The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) has applauded Indonesia for its move to block online cigarette advertising, as
Myanmar to designate archaeological zone as smoke-free areas
7 June 2019 Xiaoxia YANGON, June 7 (Xinhua) — Myanmar is deliberating to designate the country’s Bagan-Nyaung U archaeological zone as smoke-free areas, according to
Indonesia: Government bans online cigarette adverts
14 June 2019 Gemma Holliani Cahya The internet is a free space no more for tobacco companies seeking to market their products after the Communications
YLKI Calls for a Ban on Cigarette Ads on the Internet
13 June 2019 Translator: Ricky Mohammad Nugraha Editor: Mahinda Arkyasa TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) Cchairman Tulus Abadi said that internet cigarette advertisements that encourage people to smoke ‘deserve’ to
Indonesia cracks down on online tobacco ads
14 June 2019 REUTERS A man smokes cigarette as he attends morning prayers to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month
Philippines: Iloilo City gets WHO award for tobacco control initiatives
10 June 2019 Perla Lena ILOILO CITY — The World Health Organization (WHO) has named Iloilo City as among the recipients of the 2019 World No
Philippines: Duque: No proof e-cigarettes are healthier smoking option
5 June 2019 Jovic Yee MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III warned the public on Wednesday against the use of electronic cigarettes, stressing
Philippines: House, Senate agree on tobacco tax increase
5 June 2019 DJ Yap, Julie M. Aurelio, Marlon Ramos MANILA, Philippines — The bill raising the excise on tobacco products is only waiting for President Rodrigo
Myanmar: Myanmar earns the lowest tobacco tax revenue in Asean region
30 May 2019 Myanmar manufactures 10 billion cigarettes every year, and the government should increase cigarette tax as the tax revenue is the lowest among
Thailand: BMA declares six no-smoking zones
29 May 2019 Supoj Wancharoen Victory Momument is one of the six no-smoking zones in the capital establised by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. (Photo by
Philippines: DILG draws the line on designated smoking areas
2 June 2019 Chito Chavez The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has reiterated that “under no circumstances should there be any designated
Philippines: Butt out your cigarette and never light it again
31 May 2019 Istu Septania and Sebastian Partogi Once smokers understand why they need to quit, they can discover how to let go of cigarettes.
Public Health Advocates’ Joint Message to our Lawmakers on the Harmful Effects of E-Cigarettes and Heated Tobacco Products
31 May 2019 The recent deliberations in the Senate on the proposal to include a tax on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) without any
Myanmar: Ministry working on changes to tobacco control law
30 May 2019 AUNG PHAY KYI SOE The Ministry of Health and Sports is working on a draft amendment to the Control of Smoking and Consumption
Word No Tobacco Day: UN agencies in Thailand join forces to fight tobacco
Bangkok, 31 May 2019 – As Thailand joins the world in marking World No Tobacco Day on 31 May, nearly 200 of its citizens will die
Philippines: Malacañang certifies ‘Sin Tax’ bill as urgent
28 May 2019 Jeffrey Damicog Malacanang has certified as urgent the bill which proposes the imposition of higher excise tax on tobacco products. Justice Secretary
Cambodia: Phnom Penh schools encouraged to be smoke-free
May 30 2019 Pech Sotheary City Hall officials and civil society organisations yesterday urged leaders of educational institutions to strengthen smoke-free environments in a bid
Cambodia: Phnom Penh youth leads World No Tobacco Day celebrations
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 30 May 2019: As part of the World No Tobacco Day 2019 celebrations, the Boy Scouts of Cambodia, the Red Cross Youth
Philippines: ‘Sin’ taxes must rise
27 May 2019 Legislators are expected to be busy in the next two weeks tackling the issue of whether taxes on so-called “sin” products such
Philippines: Senate panel eyes higher tobacco tax, stiffer sanctions on smuggling
28 May 2019 Butch Fernandez SENATORS firmed up an emerging consensus Monday to raise cigarette excise tax on top of stiffer penalties against illicit tobacco
Thailand: Smoking claims 72,000 Thai lives every year
28 May 2019 Though Thailand still has over 10 million smokers, who praises government’s efforts to curb addiction to cigarettes SMOKING kills on average more
Philippines: Duterte certifies as urgent bill on higher tobacco excise tax
28 May 2019 Darryl John Esguerra MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent Senate Bill No. 2233 which seeks to increase the
Thailand: Tax-evasion lawsuit to proceed against Philip Morris
28 May 2019 PUBLIC Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn assured yesterday that a lawsuit against a leading tobacco firm over tax-evasion charges would continue as normal.
Philippine: Gatchalian pushes for passage of tobacco tax hike bill
20 May 2019 Filane Mikee Cervantes MANILA – Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday pushed for the passage of a bill seeking to increase excise taxes on
Philippine: Healthcare funding gap to get bigger if no sin tax increase —DOF
18 May 2019 Aileen Cerrudo The Department of Finance (DOF) said there will be a funding gap of P62 billion for the recently passed Universal
Philippine: Gov’t launches new ad campaign vs smoking
18 May 2019 Ben O. de Vera The government, through the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Health (DOH), has unleashed a one-two
Philippines: Higher alcohol, tobacco taxes to fund Universal Health Care: Duque
17 May 2019 Ma. Teresa Montemayor MANILA — Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III on Friday stressed the importance of passing the pending sin
Indonesian Catholic’s ‘smoke-free’ vision
13 May 2019 Katharina R. Lestari A local ban on smoking has help transform a Jakarta slum into a healthy living environment Catholic layman Azas Tigor Nainggolan initiated a
Philippines: 70% of Filipinos will support candidates who push for higher tobacco taxes – Pulse Asia
7 May 2019 Sofia Tomacruz The Pulse Asia survey also shows 75% of Filipinos believe taxes on cigarettes should be raised MANILA, Philippines – Seven
Smoke-free workshop given to Siem Reap tour guides
9 May 2019 In partnership with SEATCA and the Smoke-free Cities Asia Pacific Network (SCAN), the Province of Siem Reap together with the Ministry of
Philippines: DOH seeks P60 hike in tobacco taxes
5 May 2019 Sheila Crisostomo MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday pushed anew for an increase in tobacco taxes to P60 per
Malaysia: Penang aims to be cigarette smoke-free in five years
3 May 2019 Mohamed Basyir GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is currently studying a proposal to make the state free of cigarette smoke, with a
Philippines: Smoke-free Heritage Town launched in Jimenez
Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, 8 March 2019: In partnership with SEATCA and the Smoke-free Cities Asia Pacific Network (SCAN), the Municipality of Jimenez in Misamis Occidental,
Cambodia: Health experts call for more tobacco taxes to save lives
24 April 2019 Khouth Sophak Chakrya Health experts on Tuesday called on the government to save Cambodian lives by raising tobacco taxes and use the
Cambodia: Call for increase in tobacco taxes
24 April 2019 Sen David Health experts are calling for the government to increase tobacco tax and use the money to expand health care benefits
Philippines: Anti-smoking advocates call for strict implementation of smoking ban in public places
18 April 2019 Chito Chavez An anti-smoking advocate insisted that law enforcers and concerned government agencies should strictly enforce the smoking ban on transport terminals
Commentary: In Indonesia and more countries, social media and Big Tobacco are hooking a whole new generation of smokers
18 April 2019 Robert Kozinets Advertising agencies have cleverly leveraged social media to keep tobacco advertising under the regulation radar, University of Southern California’s Robert