Preventing Tobacco Industry Interference: A Critical Tobacco Control Intervention

The tobacco industry manufacturers and promotes a product that is highly addictive, kills half of its long-term users, and is responsible for other social harms, including increased poverty and environmental degradation. Tobacco companies have a long and well-documented history of lying to governments and the public about the health risks of their products; funding pseudo-scientific research to create doubt about the health consequences of smoking and the impact of health policies; donating to charitable causes to maintain legitimacy and create a network of supporters; donating to political campaigns and funding researchers to buy influence; and undertaking costly and protracted court challenges to intimidate governments and stop legislative reforms.