LATEST ALERTS
Pakistan: During a policy dialogue organised by the Aurat Foundation, a women’s rights nonprofit organisation, member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Tahira Mushtaq called
India: The Manipur government has issued a ban on tobacco-containing food products, press reports. The ban is based on the Food Safety and Standards
Bangladesh: During a press conference held yesterday (22nd October) in Kawran Bazar, Dhaka, the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (Bendsta) called for
India: The Consortium for Tobacco-Free Karnataka (CFTFK) has called for strict enforcement of the law requiring vendor licences for the sale of tobacco
India: During a review meeting of the “Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0”, officers of the Jharkhand state government and Socio Economic and Educational
Philippines: The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)'s assistant commissioner Jethro M. Sabariaga told the press that the BIR is likely to miss its
Pakistan: In the Punjab province, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has proposed implementing a track-and-trace system across all tobacco manufacturers in order
South Korea: A group of nine members of parliament from the opposition Democratic Party of Korea has introduced a bill seeking to extend the applicable labelling and
South Korea: A group of ten members of parliament from the opposition Democratic Party of Korea has introduced a bill seeking to expand the definition
Indonesia: The minister of health has said that the regulations concerning labelling and packaging requirements for novel tobacco and nicotine products are being
Indonesia: The secretary general of the Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) has welcomed the decision of the government not to increase the excise
Jordan: The Cabinet, based on the recommendation of the Economic Modernisation and Development Committee of the Customs Authority, has issued a decision to
India: In the state of Goa and the Papum Pare district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, governments have created tobacco-free zones, aiming to
Pakistan: The government is struggling to enforce smoke-free regulations passed more than two decades ago, casting doubt on its ability to implement further
Pakistan: The Initiative on Risk-Reduction and Dependable Alternatives (IRADA) held a round-table workshop that spotlighted the urgent need to adopt effective tobacco harm-reduction
India: Deputy commissioner Vishesh Mahajan chaired a District Level Coordination Committee meeting in Reasi district – in India’s northern state of Jammu and
India: In Kashmir, the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0 is being actively implemented, creating tobacco-free schools and villages while enhancing enforcement of tobacco
India: In Bengaluru – the capital and largest city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, with a population of over 8m –
Malaysia: The minister of health has said that there is no plan to reverse the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act
South Korea: The Ministry of Health is launching an anti-smoking advertising campaign through various media platforms – including TV, social media, radio and online
Taiwan: Regarding the health risk assessments for heated tobacco products, Chen Shih-chung, minister without portfolio, said that the review deadline for the first batch
Uzbekistan: A working group meeting was held at the Alcohol and Tobacco Market Regulatory Inspection to discuss proposals around the digitalisation of the
Indonesia: The Indonesian Farmers’ Association (HKTI) has asked the government not to ratify the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO
China: The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration has released the “2024 Version of Tobacco Monopoly Licence Application Document Formats” to enhance the management of tobacco licences.
Bangladesh: A recent report on two decades of tobacco control in Southeast Asia highlighted Bangladesh’s success in implementing measures under the World Health Organization Framework
Pakistan: A civil society initiative addressing women has been organised by the Pakistan Girl Guides Association to launch the Pakistan Girls Empowerment Forum. Among
India: Several public health initiatives have been launched across the country that emphasise the connection between tobacco and cancer. Mizoram’s health minister, Pi
Vietnam: The Ministry of Health, in coordination with relevant agencies, has launched a communication campaign through mass media agencies to clarify misconceptions about
Bangladesh: Nari Maitree, a development non-governmental organisation (NGO), held a round table on 9th October to emphasise the role of journalists in advancing
Pakistan: The Peshawar High Court has temporarily suspended the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s plan to impose a cess (tax) on tobacco transported from other provinces.
India: On 11th October, a national consultation addressed the need for standardising tobacco testing laboratories, specifically focusing on the measurement of tar, nicotine
India: The Tobacco Board has initiated the registration process for processors, manufacturers and exporters of Virginia Tobacco for 2025 by setting 1st November 2024
Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in collaboration with the Tobacco Control Centre at Hamad Medical Corporation, organised an awareness campaign
Saudi Arabia: Turki Al-Sheikh, adviser at the Royal Court under the rank of minister and the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, tweeted
Philippines: Jaime Fresnedi, a member of the House of Representatives from the majority bloc Liberal Party, has filed a bill to amend the Vaporised
Indonesia: A high-ranking Ministry of Health official has criticised the decision to not increase tobacco taxes in 2025. Head of the Ministry of
India: On 8th October, Morigaon district magistrate Devashish Sharma declared all premises known as “mandaps” in the district used for the Durga Puja festival
Bangladesh: A round-table discussion on creating a “tobacco-free Bangladesh” emphasised the need for greater media involvement in reducing tobacco use, along with amendments to
Pakistan: The Initiative on Risk Reduction and Dependable Alternatives held a round-table conference in Peshawar on 2nd October to discuss effective tobacco harm-reduction
Pakistan: The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc) has called on the government to regulate emerging addictive nicotine
India: A study by Indian health economists has found that reducing tobacco consumption could temporarily lower gross domestic product (GDP) and employment but result in
India: India has the highest rate of oral cancer caused by smokeless tobacco and betel/areca nut use in South Asia, according to a study from
Philippines: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law the Anti-Agricultural Sabotage Act (Republic Act 12022), which provides a definition of smuggled tobacco – explicitly
Taiwan: The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s draft law on “Prohibited Additives in Tobacco Products” finished its public notice period yesterday, 8th October, gathering over
Pakistan: An expert from the Coalition for Tobacco Control Pakistan has called for urgent reforms to include smokeless tobacco in the country’s tobacco
India: The top official of Health and Family Welfare in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, defended the new regulation requiring stores to obtain
Uzbekistan: The chairman of the Ecological Party (a small party outside of the governing coalition), Abdushukur Khamzaev, has proposed introducing a biometric age-verification
Kyrgyzstan: The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has proposed imposing a six-month ban on the import, transit and re-export of cigarettes to Kyrgyzstan
India: According to recent findings from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the absence of effective tobacco control policies has left youth in Kashmir increasingly
India: A study published in the Indian Journal of Tuberculosis revealed that no secondary schools in Pimpri-Chinchwad city (which has a population of
