Article
Substance Abuse
Yvette van der Eijk, Ken Wah Teo, Grace Ping Ping Tan, Wee Meng Chua
Summary: This study explores the tobacco industry's strategies for flavour capsule variants (FCVs), which are cigarettes with a crushable flavour capsule. The results show that tobacco companies have been developing FCVs since the 1960s, but only achieved market success in the 2000s with the launch of Camel Crush. They have patented various FCV features and developments, such as microcapsule surface coatings and adjustable or heat-triggered flavour release systems. However, their own tests indicate that FCVs have higher toxicant concentrations. Additionally, tobacco companies have developed loose flavour capsule units to customize cigarettes and bypass tobacco flavour bans.
Review
Substance Abuse
Zaineb Danish Sheikh, J. Robert Branston, Anna B. Gilmore
Summary: This systematic review explores the tobacco industry's responses to tobacco excise tax policies and finds that the industry employs various pricing strategies to undermine tax policies and maximize profits, with variations in strategies observed across different countries.
Review
Substance Abuse
Jawad A. Al-Lawati, Stella A. Bialous
Summary: This paper investigates the interference of tobacco industry in tobacco control policies in Arab nations, specifically in Oman, and offers recommendations to prevent such interference. The study reveals various tactics used by the industry to subvert tobacco control measures, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement of regulations and implementing guidelines to curb the tobacco epidemic.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joshua Miller, Maya Vijayaraghavan
Summary: This article describes the tobacco industry's response strategies to smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing, including distortion and deflection. Despite the efforts made by the tobacco industry, local governments continued to voluntarily implement smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Jana Lososova, Radek Zdenek
Summary: This article aims to investigate the economic situation of freshwater aquaculture enterprises in the Czech Republic from 2015 to 2020 and identify factors leading to poor economic conditions, including continuous losses, low liquidity, and high indebtedness.
AQUACULTURE INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Zaineb Danish Sheikh, J. Robert Branston, Blanca Amalia Llorente, Norman Maldonado, Anna B. Gilmore
Summary: This study aims to examine tobacco industry pricing strategies in response to tax increases in Colombia. The study found that the industry employed targeted pricing strategies, such as differential shifting taxes and launching new brands/brand variants. The results suggest that excise taxes can be increased further to reduce the price gap between brand segments, and more monitoring of single stick sales and distribution is required.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Matthew Lesch, Jim McCambridge
Summary: This study explores the collaboration between the alcohol and tobacco industries in shaping excise tax policies in the US. The findings reveal that the alcohol industry actively participated in the policy debates in the late 1980s and 1990s, working in conjunction with the tobacco industry. Additionally, the alcohol industry played a leading role in advancing brewing and tobacco interests in Oregon.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Petra Maresova, Lukas Rezny, Lukas Peter, Ladislav Hajek, Frank Lefley
Summary: The paper examines the challenges and risks faced by the European medical devices industry, particularly focusing on SMEs in the Czech Republic. Findings indicate that the new legislation will improve safety but may come with higher costs and administrative burdens, potentially forcing some SMEs to diversify away from medical products.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Monika Brezinova
Summary: Craft breweries in the Czech Republic have seen growth due to globalization, increased consumer demand, and attractive business opportunities, but they also face challenges such as a lack of qualified brewers and complex administration.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Pepita Barlow, Deborah Gleeson, Paula O'Brien, Ronald Labonte
Summary: This study investigated the influence of the alcohol industry on alcohol policies through international avenues, specifically the World Trade Organization (WTO). The analysis found that WTO discussions on alcohol health warnings often featured arguments advanced by the industry in domestic settings to prevent effective alcohol policies. Transparency about vested interests is crucial to overcome industry influence.
LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Ganna Kostygina, Hy Tran, Barbara Schillo, Nathan A. Silver, Sherry L. Emery
Summary: Social media surveillance can provide valuable insights into public health needs and policy compliance, and inform strategies to prevent policy evasion. Examining the evolving tactics used by the industry to promote flavored products in response to regulatory changes can help regulators and practitioners evaluate the effectiveness of policies and inform future policy design and implementation.
Article
Substance Abuse
Yvette van der Eijk, Grace Ping Ping Tan
Summary: Despite Singapore's strict tobacco control policies, tobacco companies have continued to target consumers through marketing activities, especially by promoting 'lighter' cigarettes which appeal to health-conscious individuals, even though these cigarettes may not actually have lower tar and nicotine levels. It is essential for Singapore to strengthen legislation to prevent tobacco companies from making harm reduction claims on their products, and to enhance public health literacy to reduce smoking prevalence.
Article
Substance Abuse
Yvette van der Eijk, Adonsia Yating Yang
Summary: Following the implementation of plain packaging in Singapore, tobacco companies have introduced new variants with flavor capsules, novelty filter features, and new flavors, as well as using more descriptive variant names reflecting color coding or market positioning. Some existing variants have been revamped with Japanese marketing themes to convey a more premium product image. After plain packaging, tobacco companies have utilized longer packs and variations in stick length, filter length, and foil texture to further differentiate products.
Article
Substance Abuse
David T. Levy, Alex C. Liber, Christopher Cadham, Luz Maria Sanchez-Romero, Andrew Hyland, Michael Cummings, Cliff Douglas, Rafael Meza, Lisa Henriksen
Summary: This study examines the marketing strategy of price discounting in the tobacco industry and finds that direct advertising expenditures have significantly decreased while price discounting and promotional expenditures have increased over the past few decades. The study suggests the need for non-tax mechanisms to increase tobacco prices and restrict industry contracts to counteract industry marketing strategies.
Article
Substance Abuse
Rosemary Hiscock, Nicole H. Augustin, J. Robert Branston, Anna B. Gilmore
Summary: The implementation of standardized packaging and minimum excise tax policies in the UK led to a significant decline in tobacco sales volumes and company revenues, as well as the end of growth in cheap cigarette brands appealing to young and price conscious smokers.
Review
Substance Abuse
Zaineb Danish Sheikh, J. Robert Branston, Anna B. Gilmore
Summary: This systematic review explores the tobacco industry's responses to tobacco excise tax policies and finds that the industry employs various pricing strategies to undermine tax policies and maximize profits, with variations in strategies observed across different countries.
Article
Substance Abuse
Mateusz Zygmunt Zatonski, Catherine O. Egbe, Lindsay Robertson, Anna Gilmore
Summary: This study examines the public debate in South African print media on the potential effects of tobacco control legislation and tobacco tax regulations, using the concept of framing. Seven overarching frames were identified, with the dominant frames being Economic, Harm reduction and vaping, and Health. The dominance of economic arguments opposing tobacco control legislation, promoted by various organizations including the tobacco industry, poses a risk to tobacco control progress.
Editorial Material
Substance Abuse
Lindsay Robertson, Janet Hoek, Karin Silver
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Michelle Kelly-Irving, William Patrick Ball, Clare Bambra, Cyrille Delpierre, Ruth Dundas, Julia Lynch, Gerry McCartney, Katherine Smith
Summary: Persistent health inequalities pose challenges to researchers and policymakers. This paper highlights the tensions in the field of health inequalities research and discusses potential solutions. By analyzing evidence and debating key issues, it provides insights into causality, welfare systems, and policies addressing health inequalities.
CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Sophie Braznell, J. Robert Branston, Anna B. Gilmore
Summary: This study analyzed the information and claims on the relative risks of IQOS made directly to potential consumers through the live webchat service on the IQOS website. The results showed that a variety of claims were used to indicate that IQOS is safer than cigarettes in successful webchat conversations in multiple countries.
Article
Substance Abuse
Britta Katharina Matthes, Alice Fabbri, Sarah Dance, Louis Laurence, Karin Silver, Anna B. Gilmore
Summary: A study found that British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) participated in 213 scientific events, covering various fields, mainly in Europe and North America. They disseminated information through posters and presentations. This highlights the importance of rejecting tobacco industry involvement in scientific events.
Article
Political Science
Clementine Hill O'Connor, Katherine Smith, Ceri Hughes, Petra Meier, Robin Purshouse
Summary: Advocates of inclusive growth believe that it offers a way to combine economic success and social inclusivity, making it highly appealing in various contexts. Through studying three UK policy organizations, we argue that inclusive growth is a flexible concept that can obscure unresolved tensions. While this flexibility helps build alliances, it also makes operationalizing inclusive growth difficult in governance settings that prioritize metrics.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sharon Friel, Jeff Collin, Mike Daube, Anneliese Depoux, Nicholas Freudenberg, Anna B. Gilmore, Paula Johns, Amos Laar, Robert Marten, Martin McKee, Melissa Mialon
Summary: This paper discusses the future role of the commercial sector in global health and health equity. It does not propose the overthrow of capitalism or full support for corporate partnerships. There is no single solution to eliminate the harms caused by commercial determinants of health, but evidence suggests that progressive economic models, international frameworks, government regulation, compliance mechanisms, and strategic civil society mobilisation can collectively bring about systemic, transformative change to reduce these harms and promote human and planetary wellbeing. The question is not whether the world has the resources or will to act, but whether humanity can survive without making these efforts.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jennifer Lacy-Nichols, Sulakshana Nandi, Melissa Mialon, Jim McCambridge, Kelley Lee, Alexandra Jones, Anna B. Gilmore, Sandro Galea, Cassandra de Lacy-Vawdon, Camila Maranha Paes de Carvalho, Fran Baum, Rob Moodie
Summary: Most public health research on the commercial determinants of health to date has focused on a narrow segment of commercial actors, primarily the transnational corporations producing tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods. However, there is a lack of clear frameworks for differentiating among commercial entities, hindering the governance of commercial interests in public health. This paper aims to develop a framework that enables meaningful distinctions among diverse commercial entities, allowing for a fuller consideration of their impact on health outcomes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simon Williams, Christopher Armitage, Kimberly F. Dienes, John F. Drury, Tova F. Tampe
Summary: This qualitative study aimed to explore UK public decisions on COVID-19 vaccines and the factors influencing these decisions. Online focus groups were conducted, and data were analyzed using a framework approach. Vaccine acceptance, refusal, and hesitancy were identified, along with facilitators (social norm, necessity, trust in science) and barriers (preference for natural immunity, side effects concerns, lack of information, distrust in government, conspiracy theories, COVID echo chambers) to vaccine uptake. The study suggests that understanding and engaging with people's reasons for accepting or refusing vaccines is important in addressing vaccine hesitancy and promoting uptake.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Arti Singh, Hana Ross, Fiona Dobbie, Allen Gallagher, Tarja Kinnunen, Divine Darlington Logo, Olivia A. Boateng, Anna Gilmore, Linda Bauld, Ellis Owusu-Dabo
Summary: This study aimed to measure the extent of illicit cigarette consumption from single stick sales, determine the nature and types of illicit cigarettes in Ghana, and identify factors associated with illicit cigarette consumption. The results showed that about 20% of the cigarette packs were illicit, with the majority originating from Togo, followed by Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire. Factors such as convenience stores, border towns, pack price, and the northern zone were associated with higher odds of illicit cigarette sales.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nikita L. Poole, Barbara van Straaten, Floor A. van den Brand, Anna B. Gilmore, Marc C. Willemsen, Gera E. Nagelhout
Summary: This research analysed and compared newspaper coverage of three newly implemented tobacco control policies in the Netherlands. The majority of coverage was neutral, but plain packaging and the point-of-sale ban were portrayed more negatively when expressing a positive or negative tone. The tobacco industry appeared frequently in news articles, and arguments opposing the policies focused on negative economic consequences and questioning the need for policy.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Arti Singh, Katherine Smith, Mark Hellowell, Divine Darlington Logo, Robert Marten, Kaung Suu Lwin, Ellis Owusu-Dabo
Summary: Non-communicable diseases account for a large percentage of mortality in Ghana, with unhealthy commodities being a major contributing factor. Although health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages have gained attention, their adoption and implementation in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, are limited. This study aims to explore the contextual politics and examine the current perceptions of health taxes in Ghana.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Gillian Fergie, Caroline Vaczy, Katherine Smith, Mhairi Mackenzie, Thu Thuy Phan, Shona Hilton
Summary: It is increasingly recognized in the UK that public dialogue about the social determinants of health and addressing inequalities is crucial for effective policy action. This study engaged young people in online workshops to explore their views on health inequalities and potential solutions. The findings show their support for systemic change to reduce social inequalities and improve health outcomes.
HEALTH EXPECTATIONS
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simon N. Williams, Kimberly Dienes, Jemma Jaheed, Jamie K. Wardman, Judith Petts
Summary: This review examines the effectiveness of communication in promoting the adoption or adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions related to COVID-19 in the UK. The findings suggest that communication plays a significant role in influencing behavior, with key themes including clarity, consistency, trust, and control. The article calls for future research to prioritize quantitative, experimental, and longitudinal study designs that focus specifically on communication as an intervention.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2023)
