Industry Regulation

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We are open to, and seek dialogue with governmental authorities around the world to address questions about the manufacture, sale and use of our products. We have the right to express our point of view but we ultimately respect the judgment of each individual society.

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into force in February 2005. It is the first international treaty in the field of public health, providing a comprehensive frame for the tobacco control efforts worldwide. The FCTC covers all aspects of tobacco control including tobacco advertising, health warning labels, price and tax issues, illicit trade (smuggling) and smoking cessation programs.

JT International (JTI) agrees that many of the issues raised by the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) clearly need to be addressed. View our positions on a variety of topics. Tobacco products carry risks to health and we thus believe that appropriate and workable regulation of our industry is both necessary and right.

Even where we have concerns about the practicality of some of the FCTC provisions, there are many issues on which we believe we will be able to cooperate and work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Member States. For example, we strongly believe that minors should not smoke. In a number of countries we have been able to successfully partner with governments and other parties to address this issue, and we hope the WHO will play a leading role in encouraging such cooperation rather than dismissing initiatives by the tobacco industry out of hand. We also support efforts to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products and are committed to continue working with governments and law enforcement worldwide to eliminate it.

We continue to be of the opinion that a "one size fits all" approach ignores the realities of cultural and societal differences, as well as intrudes on the authority of sovereign states. And there are a number of FCTC provisions that appear to be less about protecting public health and more about punishing tobacco companies for manufacturing a legal, but controversial, product. Driving tobacco companies out of business may be the objective of some, but it would do nothing to resolve the tobacco controversy. Taking such steps may have the unintended effect of undermining the laudable, if complex, public health concerns that it is the objective of the FCTC to address.

UK Department of Health's Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control

To read our response to the UK Department of Health's Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control, please click on the links below:

JTI FTC Response (PDF, En, 48.2 MB)
Expert Report - Europe Economics (PDF, En, 64.4 MB)
Supplementary Expert Report - Europe Economics (PDF, En, 0.5MB)
Expert Report - Keegan & Co (PDF, En, 26.8 MB)
Supplementary Expert Report - Keegan & Co (PDF, En, 10.6 MB)

EU Consultation on a Possible Revision of the Tobacco Products Directive

To read our response to the EU Consultation on a Possible Revision of the Tobacco Products Directive and the appended Expert Reports, please click on the links below:

JTI Consultation Online Response (PDF, En, 126 KB)
JTI Consultation Full Response (PDF, En, 1.2 MB)

Expert Reports:

Professor Laurence Steinberg: “Adolescent Decision Making and the Prevention of Underage Smoking”. (PDF, En, 571 KB)
Professor Ravi Dhar and Professor Stephen Nowlis: “Report on Adult Consumer Behaviour and Decision-Making in the Context of Smoking”. (PDF, En, 353 KB)
Professor Daniel Gervais: “Analysis of the Compatibility of certain Tobacco Product Packaging Rules with the TRIPS Agreement and the Paris Convention”. (PDF, En, 316 KB)
Professor Martin Cave: “’Better Regulation’ and certain Tobacco Control Measures”. (PDF, En, 475 KB)
Professor Timothy M. Devinney: “Analysis of Consumer Research Evidence on the Impact of Plain Packaging for Tobacco Products”. (PDF, En, 246 KB)
Dr Warren J. Keegan: “Analysis of Consumer Survey Evidence Relevant to DG SANCO’s Proposal to Increase the Size of Health Warnings on Tobacco Packaging”. (PDF, En, 519 KB)
Dr Andrew Lilico, Europe Economics: “Economic Analysis of Restrictions on the Display of Tobacco Products – 2009 Canadian Annual Smoking Data”. (PDF, En, 4 MB)

Australian Government’s Consultation Paper on the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 Exposure Draft

JTI’s response to the Australian Government’s Consultation Paper on the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 Exposure Draft (PDF, EN, 315KB)