A coalition of international public health and tobacco control organisations has launched the Make Big Tobacco Pay Global Week of Action, calling on governments across the world to hold tobacco companies accountable for the health, environmental and economic harm linked to tobacco products.
The campaign brings together civil society groups, health advocates, researchers and policymakers to push for stronger tobacco control measures, including increased tobacco taxes, industry accountability mechanisms and policies aimed at shielding public health from tobacco industry influence.
Organisers said the initiative seeks to highlight the enormous burden tobacco-related illnesses place on healthcare systems and national economies, while urging governments to ensure that tobacco companies bear a greater share of the costs associated with the damage caused by their products.
The week-long action is being jointly coordinated by several global and regional organisations, including Corporate Accountability, Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC), European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP), South East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), HealthJustice Philippines, and African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA).
Other partners include ACT Promoção da Saúde (Saudé Justa), Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST Ghana), Global Alliance for Tobacco Control and Centre for Nicotine and Smoking Cessation (CNS).
According to the organisers, activities during the week will include public awareness campaigns, policy dialogues, advocacy engagements and media outreach aimed at drawing attention to the far-reaching consequences of tobacco use and the industry’s role in perpetuating the global tobacco epidemic.
They stressed that while governments spend billions annually treating tobacco-related diseases and addressing environmental damage linked to tobacco production and waste, tobacco companies continue to generate significant profits.
The coalition therefore called on governments to adopt policies that make the tobacco industry contribute more directly to addressing the public health and environmental costs associated with its operations, in line with the campaign’s central demand: Make Big Tobacco Pay.
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