Resources: Tobacco Smuggling
Our curated list of sources and information about international tobacco smuggling and its links to criminal organizations, tobacco industry document caches, and efforts to reduce tobacco smuggling.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON TOBACCO SMUGGLING
International tobacco smuggling. Produced by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
How big was the global illicit tobacco trade problem in 2006? The Framework Convention Alliance.
Map of global smuggling routes for illegal cigarettes. The Tobacco Atlas, Second Edition. Dr. Judith Mackay, Dr. Michael Eriksen, and Dr. Omar Shafey.
Tobacco and Terror: How Cigarette Smuggling is Funding our Enemies Abroad. Apr. 2008. Prepared by the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, Republican staff.
BIG TOBACCO AND SMUGGLING
Tobacco Companies Linked to Criminal Organizations in Lucrative Cigarette Smuggling. Mar. 2001. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
Progress in combating cigarette smuggling. Sept. 2008. Luk Joossens and Martin Raw.
The Big Cigarette Companies and Cigarette Smuggling. Produced by the Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids.
Key to the Future: British American Tobacco and Cigarette Smuggling in China. July 2006. Kelley Lee and Jeff Collin.
The cigarette transit road to the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq: Illicit tobacco trade in the Middle East. June 2004. Tobacco Control.
British American Tobacco and the insidious impact of illicit trade in cigarettes across Africa. July 2008. Tobacco Control.
OTHER MEDIA REPORTS
Kim’s bad habit. Jan. 30, 2006. Velisarios Katoulas. Time.
Tobacco roads: Tobacco is staining the Balkans. 2007. Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
Tobacco Traffic. Apr. 2002. PBS NOW documentary with Bill Moyers.
BAT Expose. 2000-2001. The Guardian and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
Tobacco-related news resources
Global Link News
Tobacco Control Journal (newest articles require subscription)
Tobacco Journal International (sections require subscription)
EFFORTS TO REDUCE TOBACCO SMUGGLING
Smoke-free legislation around the world. Produced by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
Cigarette smuggling: Federal law enforcement efforts and seizures increasing. May 2004. The U.S. General Accounting Office.
The Framework Convention Alliance (FCA).
Founded in 1999, the FCA represents over 100 countries working to develop and ratify the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the world’s first global public health treaty.
Read more about the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Philip Morris-EU anti-contraband agreement
Japan Tobacco-EU anti-contraband agreement
Highlights of the Japan Tobacco-EU agreement (Produced by ASH)
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
OLAF is an investigative body charged with fighting fraud and corruption within the European Union, as well as other irregular activities.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Established by the G-7 in 1989, FATF is an inter-governmental organization that combats money laundering and terrorist financing.
U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Among its other duties, ATF investigates and works to prevent the illegal trafficking of tobacco products within the United States.
Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT) of 2008.
Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2008, the PACT Act makes it a felony to sell tobacco in violation of state tax laws, and also clamps down on cigarette shipments made through the U.S. Postal Service.
Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids
Asia Pacific Association for the Control of Tobacco
Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
Global Smoke-free Partnerships
National Council Against Smoking (South Africa)
INDUSTRY SOURCES AND COUNTRY DATABASES
World Bank: Economics of Tobacco, Country Data Profiles.
The American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. The Tobacco Industry Tracking Database.
The World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe. Tobacco Control Database.
Industry documents
Following a spate of health-related lawsuits in the United States in the late 1990s, some of the world’s largest tobacco companies were forced for the first time to make their internal company documents publicly available. Here they are, maintained, searchable, and updated in a variety of locations:
Legacy Tobacco Documents Library
Tobacco Institute Document Site
British American Tobacco Documents Archive
R.J. Reynolds and Brown & Williamson Document Site
Company websites
Phillip Morris
China National Tobacco Corporation
OTHER RESOURCES
Johns Hopkins Institute for Global Tobacco Control
UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education
University of Michigan Tobacco Research Network
Tobacco Law and Policy. Law Journal Articles Database.
Euromonitor: Tobacco. (requires subscription)
The World Health Organization. Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008.
Regional Office for Europe. Tobacco Control Database.