Tobacco Industry Interference Undermines Global Fight Against Illicit Trade, WHO Report Warns

Tobacco industry interference is emerging as a major obstacle in the global fight against illicit trade in tobacco products, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization this week. The report highlights how industry activities are systematically undermining regulatory processes, enforcement efforts, and public perception around illegal tobacco trade.

The “2025 Global Progress Report on Implementation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products” details how tobacco companies are actively hindering implementation of global agreements designed to combat illegal tobacco trafficking.

“Parties reported industry interference in regulatory processes, obstruction of enforcement efforts and attempts to shape public perception around illicit trade,” the report states.

These industry tactics pose significant public health concerns, as illicit tobacco trade undermines health education campaigns and weakens taxation and pricing strategies that are proven to reduce consumption. Beyond the immediate health impacts, illegal tobacco diverts critical revenue away from health systems and public services.

The report also points to broader societal consequences: “Such trade fuels organised crime networks, contributing to corruption, money laundering and other forms of cross-border crime; in turn, these factors place additional burdens on law enforcement, judicial and customs authorities.”

This illicit trade is now recognized as not only a tobacco control issue but “a broader imperative for public health, social stability and economic security.”

Other significant barriers identified in the report include limited political commitment, inconsistent legal frameworks across jurisdictions, gaps in international coordination, resource constraints, and insufficient technical capacity.

The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, though relatively young at seven years old, represents a critical instrument within the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which marks its 20th anniversary in 2025.

The report acknowledges Australia’s contribution to combating illicit tobacco, noting that funding from Australia’s Office of the Commissioner on Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarettes has enabled the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to launch a comprehensive threat assessment for South-East Asia and the Pacific. This research will contribute to a broader regional assessment of transnational organized crime scheduled for publication in 2026.

Meanwhile, in Australia, the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) has raised concerns about the focus of a recently announced Senate inquiry on illicit tobacco. The PHAA warned that the inquiry “misses the lethal elephant in the room” by failing to explicitly consider the role of multinational tobacco companies and their Australian operations in the illicit tobacco trade.

The PHAA argues that the inquiry should investigate the tobacco industry’s involvement in both legal and illegal retail networks, the supply of tobacco products to illicit markets, and industry campaigns that use the issue of illicit tobacco to argue for tax reductions.

Public Health Challenges Remain Unaddressed as Parliament Rises

As the Australian Federal Parliament concludes its final sitting week for the year, numerous public health concerns remain unresolved, prompting calls from health organizations for more decisive action in 2026.

Among the critical issues receiving attention from public health advocates are the rising costs of preventable hospitalizations, which according to the PHAA now cost Australia $7.7 billion annually while significantly reducing quality of life for affected individuals.

Other pressing health matters highlighted by advocates include the need for stronger action on alcohol regulation, more effective gambling harm prevention measures, and improved responses to family and gender-based violence as the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign unfolds globally.

The global HIV response is also facing significant challenges according to a new United Nations report, which warns that funding shortfalls are coinciding with increasing restrictions on civil society and a rise in punitive laws targeting marginalized groups most affected by HIV. Alarmingly, “for the first time since UNAIDS began tracking such legislation, the number of countries criminalizing same-sex relations and gender expression increased in 2025.”

Meanwhile, health professionals have expressed concern about the impact of misinformation on vaccine confidence. The Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control issued a statement responding to recent anti-vaccine messaging, emphasizing that “for more than two decades, high quality, evidence-based research has consistently demonstrated that there is no link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder.”

The organization called for a renewed focus on evidence-based information, stating: “We urge healthcare leaders and public health organizations, within Australia and internationally, to safeguard the public’s trust in vaccination, maintain high rates of vaccination coverage, and deliver clear and credible information about vaccine safety.”

As Parliament breaks for the year, health advocacy organizations continue their work raising awareness of these critical public health issues, with many participating in conferences and forums across the country to share research and best practices in areas ranging from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health to trauma-informed care and preventive medicine.

The ongoing challenges in public health policy underscore the importance of continued advocacy and evidence-based approaches as Australia looks toward health policy development in 2026.