Preventing Tobacco Industry Interference: FCTC Article 5.3 Toolkit (2015)
This toolkit presents a range of issues, policy options, and considerations that each country needs to take into account for purposes of developing country efforts for the implementation of Article 5.3 related to protection of tobacco control measures from interference by the tobacco industry of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). It describes guiding principles, steps for effective Article 5.3 implementation; common practices and motives used by tobacco industry in interference as well as illustrates the toolkit implementation guides including strategic planning, checklist for developing a strategy and for Article 5.3 focal teams. Case study of Philippines is included. The toolkit also provides some policy templates that can assist in the implementation of Article 5.3 and its expected output and impact on policies.
“Undermining Global Best Practice in Tobacco Taxation in the ASEAN Region – Review of ITIC’sASEAN Excise Tax Reform: A Resource Manual”
by Prof. Hana Ross, Principal Research Officer of the Economics of Tobacco Control at the University of Cape Town, is an academic review commissioned by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA). The review of the manual’s section on tobacco taxation has revealed contradictions and inconsistencies when compared against international best practices and recommendations in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 6 Guidelines on tobacco tax and price measures, which 180 governments worldwide have committed to implement.
End Tobacco Industry Corporate Giving: A Review of CSR in Southeast Asia, 2015
Tobacco companies continue to conduct fake CSR as a tactic to undermine the ban on tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorship. To circumvent the ban, they use their own foundations to fund and advertise these activities. This report provides the latest information on which organisations in the ASEAN region the top 4 tobacco companies have targeted to front their so-called charities.
Tobacco Industry Interference Index, 2015
This is the second Tobacco Industry (TI) Interference Index to assess the implementation of World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) Article 5.3 in the ASEAN region. Seven countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand) participated in this survey and have been ranked from the lowest level of TI interference to the highest. This second report shows there still remains much room for improvement in the implementation of the Article 5.3 Guidelines in the ASEAN region.
Measures to Control the Tobacco Supply Chain in the ASEAN
Elimination of illicit trade is an important component of global tobacco control. This has been recognized at the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the FCTC when Parties adopted the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to prevent the undermining effect that illicit trade has on price and tax measures, health objectives, and the economy.This paper examines the implementation of key measures to control the supply chain and help in eliminating illicit trade in tobacco products in the ASEAN region, specifically, 1) Excise tax stamps 2) Tracing and tracing technologies, and 3) Licensing systems
New Report – Blowing Smoke for Big Tobacco
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, having close ties to the tobacco industry, has been actively derailing tobacco control regulations and undermining life-saving policies in dozens of countries around the world, according to a new report released by a coalition of public interest and health groups. The report, Blowing Smoke for Big Tobacco, details how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (U.S. Chamber) has helped the tobacco industry fight tobacco control policies in many countries, including in Asia, undermining measures intended to combat a global tobacco epidemic that remains the number one preventable cause of death.
Regional Summary
The ASEAN Tobacco Control Atlas (2nd Edition)
Second edition of the ASEAN Tobacco Control Atlas with a foreword by world-renowned tobacco control activist Dr. Judith MacKay of the World Lung Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and a preface by SEATCA director Bungon Rithiphakdee. It provides a regional picture of the update on a broad spectrum tobacco control issues affecting 10 countries in ASEAN (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). An up-to-date evidence presented an immediate and visual comparison between countries and tracking the rapid changes of tobacco control policies implementation in each country. A quick access to key facts and figures on issues including tobacco consumption, costs of smoking, tobacco prices and taxes, smoke-free environments, tobacco packaging and labelling on tobacco products, tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, tobacco industry interference, tobacco farming, establishing sustainable funding, national tobacco control coordinating mechanism and ASEAN summary tables.
English, Laos, Vietnamese, Khmer, Bahasa PDF 2.7mb
Tobacco Taxes and Prices
Affordability of Cigarettes and the Impact of Raising Tobacco Excise Taxes in Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam
Governments can avail of several evidence-based interventions to reduce tobacco use, among which increasing tobacco taxes and prices is considered the most effective. Higher tobacco excise taxes can reduce tobacco consumption and save lives as well as generate more revenue for the government. The policy paper presents the comparison of cigarettes affordability cigarettes (in terms of Relative Income Prices (RIP), 1999-2010; prices of cigarettes per pack relative to daily minimum wage, 1999-2010 and cigarette prices per pack relative to other goods, 1999-2010); and the impact of raising tobacco excise taxes with scenarios showing fiscal impacts of cigarette excise tax increase as well as tobacco tax revenues in six Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam). Included are information on smoking prevalence rates; health care costs of tobacco use; tobacco taxes and prices (tobacco excise tax structure; tax burden as a percentage of retail prices; cigarette price trends of nominal and real retail price of average-priced cigarettes); conclusions and policy recommendations.
Affordability and Impact on Consumption and Revenue
The economic growth coupled with low cigarette prices contribute directly to rising cigarette consumption, thus, there is a need to examine the level of cigarette affordability in terms of percentage of income used to purchase a pack of cigarettes, the trend of affordability over time, and the fiscal and public health impacts of tax increases. The policy paper is based on the research paper “Report on Cigarette Affordability and Impact of Tobacco Taxes” conducted in five ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines and Vietnam). It presents a brief factsheet of growing smoking prevalence and tobacco-related mortality in the country; much room to raise taxes; increasing nominal prices but declining real prices of cigarettes, thus raising affordability of cigarettes; positive fiscal and health impacts of increasing taxes as well as policy recommendations. A more in-depth discussion on research findings and analysis is also included.
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 Lao PDRE-Book Download PDF 1mb |
 PhilippinesE-Book Download PDF 1.4mb |
 VietnamE-Book Download PDF 1.3mb |
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Tobacco Tax Report Card
Case studies in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Each country presents the prevalence of tobacco use, average retail price of the most popular local and imported brands, and the government revenue from tobacco tax for the past five years and health costs of tobacco in the country. It also provides a description of current tobacco tax system, how tobacco tax is calculated and detailing the process for tobacco tax to be imposed and increased. Included are a short profile of the tobacco industry as well as conclusion and recommendations to strengthen tobacco tax measures in the country.
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SEATCA Initiatives on Tobacco Tax Annual Report
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SITT Year 4 Annual Report |
SITTA Year 3 Annual Report |
SITT Year 2 Annual Report |
Smoke Free Environments
Your Guide To A Smoke-free City: A Glimpse of Davao City Philippines
As one of the earliest smoke-free city initiative in the ASEAN countries, Davao is celebrating its 10th anniversary of smoke-free city. Davao has effectively implemented a smoke-free legislation and that set a leading example for taking forward the smoke-free agenda in the Philippines since early 2002. The booklet provides a brief background of Davao City and documents the history of the comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance and the birth of the Anti-Smoking Task Force which implemented the smoke-free initiative in Davao City. It also presents eleven key elements of a Smoke-Free City Campaign. These were employed by the government’s Anti-Smoking Task Force to implement smoke-free initiatives at educational and healthcare facilities, government offices/facilities, workplaces, public transportation and terminals, hotels, restaurants and bars, recreational facilities, police stations and prison. It also outlines ten steps towards a Smoke-Free City, describing a step-by-step guide towards a smoke-free city.
Protecting the Right to Life: Promoting Smoke-free Public Places in ASEAN
The booklet presents the evidence of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) and emphasized on the fact that there is no safe level of exposure to SHS, only 100% smoke-free environments can effectively protect people. It also debunks myths and presents truths about going smoke-free and describing the status of smoke-free policy in seven ASEAN countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Key elements of an effective smoke-free law are provided under the policy recommendations to assist countries implement effective measures for protection from exposure to tobacco smoke.
Packaging and Labelling of Tobacco Products
FCTC Article 11 Guidelines: Evidence-Based Best Practices
In response to the need to provide a comprehensive guide to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) Article 11 Guidelines, a compilation of evidence-based best practices for developing effective health warning messages was presented. It focuses on a step-by-step evidence-based explanation for each clause of the guidelines that can be easily understood by policy makers and implementers. The report also includes discussion on emissions and constituent labelling, prohibitions on misleading packaging information and countering tobacco industry arguments. An overview of the current status of health warnings in the Southeast Asian region comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam is included.
Cigarette Package Health Warnings : International Status Report September 2014
This report – Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report – provides an international overview ranking 198 countries/jurisdictions based on warning size, and lists those that have finalized requirements for picture warnings. Regional breakdowns are also provided. This report is in its fourth edition, with the third edition dated October 2014.
It’s Only Words: Interference in Implementing Health Warnings in Cambodia
With the minimal tobacco control regulation in place and the absence of a ban on tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorships provided an opportunity for tobacco industry to undertake a wide range of promotional strategies. The strategies allow the industry to market its products in order to prevent advances in tobacco control in Cambodia. The industry continues to act and react solely on its own interests to challenge and interfere with the implementation of cost-effective tobacco control measures. This report documents the challenges and lessons learned from Cambodia’s experiences in advocating for strong health warning. It also aims to highlight tobacco industry tactics and arguments used to undermine the effectiveness of WHO FCTC recommendations.
Implementing Pictorial Health Warnings in Malaysia: Lessons Learned and Challenges
Malaysia faced strong challenges from the industry in pushing for effective tobacco control legislation requiring mandatory display of six sets of pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on cigarette packs. These valuable experiences of Malaysia in implementing pictorial health warnings present a good case study as documented in this booklet. It provides insights of Malaysia’s experience including challenges and lessons learned putting in place pictorial health warnings effective 1 January 2009. It is hoped to serve as a guide in providing insights and ways to implement PHWs.
Tobacco Industry Surveillance
More Myth Than Fact
This is a critique of a Philip Morris International funded study on illicit tobacco trade,The Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012, conducted by the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC) and Oxford Economics (OE) released in September 2013. This Asia-11 report, while claiming to be done by independent researchers, was prepared according to terms of reference provided by Philip Morris Asia Ltd, while the ITIC itself is funded by the major transnational tobacco companies. The main conclusions of the report echo the assertions of tobacco companies, such as countries with high taxes on tobacco also had the highest volumes of illicit cigarettes.
Failed
The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) has stamped Failed on a tobacco industry funded research on illicit trade of tobacco products in 14 Asian countries. The research, entitled Asia-14 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2013 (Asia-14) was published by the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC) and Oxford Economics (OE) last year. This is a follow up to their previous attempt to estimate the scope and composition of illicit tobacco consumption in Asia presented in Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012 (Asia-11).
FCTC ARTICLE 5.3 GUIDELINES BEST PRACTICE:
The Role of the Public Service Commission March 2015
The public service department of a country has a big role to play in implementing the global tobacco treaty, the WHO FCTC. This document describes how one Southeast Asian Government, the Philippines, has applied the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 guidelines in protecting its bureaucracy from undue influence from the tobacco industry through a Joint Memorandum Circular between the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Health. It is one of a kind and serves as an example of best practice for the region.”
Toolkit for Policy Makers and Advocates: Preventing Tobacco Industry Interference
This toolkit presents a range of issues, policy options, and considerations that each country needs to take into account for purposes of developing country efforts for the implementation of Article 5.3 related to protection of tobacco control measures from interference by the tobacco industry of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). It describes guiding principles, steps for effective Article 5.3 implementation; common practices and motives used by tobacco industry in interference as well as illustrates the toolkit implementation guides including strategic planning, checklist for developing a strategy and for Article 5.3 focal teams. Case study of Philippines is included. The toolkit also provides some policy templates that can assist in the implementation of Article 5.3 and its expected output and impact on policies.
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Electronic Cigarettes in ASIA : A Review of Promotion and Availability
This report documents how e-cigarette are promoted in selected countries/ jurisdictions in the region and is intended to inform policy makers on point of regulation in order to deal with the proliferation of e-cigarette in the market.
Primer on Good Governance and Tobacco Control
This primer makes the case for why tobacco control policies, particularly those geared towards protecting public health policymaking from the tobacco industry, are, in reality, good governance policies.
It is intended for advocates and governments around the world to give them additional tools to be able to implement the life-saving measures enshrined in the global tobacco treaty, formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)
Corporate Social IRresponsibility: Tobacco Industry Fails International Standards (2014)
The ISO 26000: Guidance on Social Responsibility is the most comprehensive standard related to social responsibility. However, current practices of TI fail in all principles of ISO 26000, making it impossible to be considered as socially responsible industry.
This report provides details how TI-CSR fails in all principles and core subjects of ISO 26000 as well as recommendations to stop TI-CSR.
End Tobacco Industry Corporate Giving (2014)
Tobacco companies are increasingly resorting to corporate social responsiblity (CSR) activities to continue their promotion to buy goodwill and credibility to earn political mileage.
CSR is a form of sponsorship, which amount to promotion hence should be prohibited. CSR must be address as part of denormalisating the tobacco industry
Ban Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship
World No Tobacco Day theme focuses on a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Such a ban is a basic step towards reducing tobacco use. The booklets provides the WHO FCTC Article 13 provision and its recommendations; implementation status of the WHO FCTC Article 13 in the ASEAN region; challenges in implementation of Article 13 including ban on advertising and tobacco product display at point-of-sale, corporate social responsibility, cross border advertising and promoting tobacco over new media.
Tobacco Industry Interference in Health Policy in ASEAN Countries
The tobacco industry has never been short of innovative ideas to promote its deadly products. Over the years, despite the industries intentions having been exposed, it continues to use sophisticated tactics to challenge, discredit, weaken, obstruct and delay implementation of effective tobacco control measures. Government officials, politicians, and the media were lobbied to support its agenda. This document provides examples of how tobacco companies have interfered and influenced with the development of tobacco control policies in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
Preventing Tobacco Industry Interference
This Toolkit for Policy Makers and Advocates for Preventing Tobacco Industry Interference presents a range of issues, policy options, and considerations that each State needs to take into account when implementing Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
Abuse of the Pack to Promote Cigarettes in the Region
Tobacco industry launched its aggressive and extensive tobacco advertising promotional strategy using innovative pack designs across ASEAN countries, regardless of any tobacco advertising ban. Recognizing the need to bring this issue to the attention of policy makers, the booklet aims to highlight the significant roles of cigarette packaging as a form of advertising. It also reveals how tobacco industries segmentise potential consumer groups. Examples of innovative pack designs across ASEAN countries and the use of pack designs to reduce pictorial health warnings impact in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are also included.
Surveillance of Tobacco Industry Activities Toolkit
This surveillance toolkit documents a practical approach used for tracking tobacco industry activities within each country. It serves as resource material for training and provides guidance on what, where, when and how to use a range of tools and strategies to monitor different industry activities such as direct and indirect advertising and promotion, point-of-sale advertising and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Included are descriptions of experiences and lessons learned during the implementation of this project together with case studies from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. A description of Tobacco Industry Surveillance Network (TISN) is presented. The toolkit also provides a brief account of tobacco industry’s marketing strategies and the key tobacco industry players within selected ASEAN countries.
Profiting from Death: Exposing Tobacco Industry Tactics in ASEAN Countries
Profiting from Deaths summarizes the ways in which the tobacco industry markets its deadly products in the ASEAN region, home to about 125 million smokers. Industry marketing tactics vary between countries depending on the existing laws on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorships. Tobacco control legislation differs between ASEAN countries. Thailand has a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, including point-of-sale display. In countries where there are either no law or weak laws, such as Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Philippines, the industry targets the poor and has extensive advertising and promotions. In countries where direct and indirect advertising have been banned, point-of-sale remains the key marketing channel.
Cool but Deadly: How Cancer is Packed in Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam
As countries in the ASEAN region are gradually implementing Article 13 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which comprehensively bans tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, the tobacco industry has devised new strategies to promote its products with innovative pack and product designs. The pack is believed to be a versatile and last advertising medium to reach out to their consumers. This booklet describes how the tobacco industry uses the pack to advertise and promotes its products in these countries.
Targeting the Poor: Casualties in Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos
The growing tobacco market in the ASEAN region provides a lucrative market for the industry especially in countries where there is no regulation on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, or where legislation is weak, products are freely marketed to entice and attract new young smokers and the poor. This booklet documents various strategies used by tobacco industry in Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos in marketing their deadly products.
Fatal Attraction: The Story of Point-of-Sale in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam
With the increasing ban in direct and indirect advertising, the industry has shifted its focus to the point-of-sale (POS). When advertising using brand names at point-of-sale is banned, the tobacco industry started to invest heavily on elaborate POS displays with colors and symbols with the aim to sensitize consumers to associate certain colour schemes with a particular brand. This booklet described tactics used by tobacco industry to advertise and market its tobacco products at POS in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
A Perfect Deception: Corporate Social Responsibility Activities in ASEAN
Tobacco companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to project its positive image as a good corporate citizen and maintain its public relations. This is one of the effective strategies used to re-brand themselves as socially responsible corporations and to protect their interests. The industry also uses CSR to fight for more lenient tobacco control legislations. This booklet documents a wide range of CSR activities carried out in almost all ASEAN countries where tobacco industry markets its products.
Tobacco Farming
Child Labour in Tobacco Cultivation in the ASEAN Region
Child labour is prevalent in tobacco cultivation in Southeast Asia. Most ASEAN countries grow tobacco with the exception of Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. Child labour has been used in tobacco cultivation in all the tobacco growing countries. The booklet provides an overview of the problem in the ASEAN region with a brief summary of regional status of tobacco cultivation; address how different industries deal with child labour issues; laws on importation of goods using child labour, and how the tobacco industry have shielded themselves through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, which have not eradicated the problem. A case study on child labour in tobacco growing from the districts of Sampang and Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia is included.
Cycle of Poverty in Tobacco Farming: Tobacco Cultivation in Southeast Asia
The booklet describes the links between tobacco use, poverty and tobacco farming. It presents data from studies conducted in the ASEAN particularly Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines on tobacco cultivation and the burdens faced by tobacco farmers. It highlights the fact that long-term outcomes of tobacco cultivation far outweigh its immediate benefits and is aimed as a guide for policy makers in coming up with measures to address tobacco supply.
Other Publications
The ASEAN Tobacco Control Report Card
The booklet provides an overview of the status of smoking prevalence and tobacco deaths, World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and national tobacco control law across the ten ASEAN countries. It also presents the price and tax measures, smoke-free environment, effective health warnings, ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and preventing tobacco industry interference. International best practice recommendations, human resource and mechanism as well as description of progress on tobacco control in each country in ASEAN are also included.
Asia Pacific Report Card: WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (Article 5.3, 6, 8, 11, 13) A Compliance of Asia-Pacific Countries: A Snapshot
The booklet focuses on five key articles (5.3, 6, 8, 11 and 13) of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). It aims to provide a regional picture of how countries across the Asia Pacific region are complying with their FCTC obligations and documents their successes. Areas for continued work towards a healthy tobacco free region are also identified.
Social Media Strategies of the Public Health Sector: Lessons Learned to Advance Tobacco Control
Recognizing the explosion in the use of social media and the rapid take up of internet and mobile technology create enormous opportunities to advance tobacco control. The booklet provides potential approaches and projects that could be adapted to tobacco control. These include crowdsourcing strategies, recruiting an envoys for tobacco control, using social media to demonstrate public support for smoke-free ASEAN, partnering with projects in other sectors, and developing initiatives which incorporate reflective blogs to challenge smoking as a cultural norm. A number of key lessons for developing tobacco control social media strategies is also included.
Campaigning for Change in Developing Countries: The SEATCA Advocacy Fellowship Programmes in Tobacco Control
An advocacy fellowship program was initiated by SEATCA in 2003. It aims to identify, empower, train and mentor a network of new and existing tobacco control advocates (fellows) in seven ASEAN countries. The program would equip them with basic skills to carry out advocacy activities on a specific policy-related tobacco control project at the national level. The booklet describes the SEATCA Fellowship Program including objectives, strategies, resource persons and contents of training program. The contents include core training, advance training and fine tuning advocacy. Case studies of fellows activities from the region are also included.
Health Promotion Fund: Sustainable Financing and Governance
Each year close to 36 million people die from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with 29 million in low and middle-income countries. Up to 80% of these total deaths are caused by cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and other tobacco-related conditions. Recognising that NCDs will be central problem for health systems and economies worldwide for many years to come, countries are looking into health promotion initiatives to address the growing health risks and significant inequalities in health status that exist among various socio-economic groups within a country. Health promotion is “the process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health.
Addicted to Change
SEATCA’s mission is to save lives by accelerating effective implementation of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in ASEAN.
