Japan Smoking isn't taboo in Japan — changing that is an Olympic effort Japanese lawmakers are coming under pressure to implement tougher restrictions against passive smoking before Tokyo hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics. 04/02/2018
Vatican Clearing the air in The Vatican: cigarette sales to be banned Cigarette sales in The Vatican are to vanish into a puff of smoke from 2018. 09/11/2017
USA New York hikes cigarette prices to 13 dollars per packet A packet of cigarettes will now cost a minimum of 13 dollars, or arouund 10.80 euros. 29/08/2017
world news Smoking set to kill and cost more than ever Smoking is on the rise according to the World Health Organisation and the costs far outweigh global revenues from tobacco taxes. 10/01/2017
Business Smoking consolidation: British American Tobacco bids for Reynolds American A huge cigarette merger is in the offing as British American Tobacco aims to roll up the 58 percent of Reynolds American that it does not already own. 21/10/2016
Uruguay Uruguay defeats tobacco giant in court dispute The World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has ruled in favour of Uruguay after cigarette giant Philip Morris International tried to seek compensation from the 09/07/2016
Business French insurer AXA to stop investing in tobacco industry French insurer AXA has said it plans to stop investing in the tobacco industry with incoming Chief Executive Thomas Buberl saying: "The human cost of tobacco is tragic; its economic cost is huge." 23/05/2016
brussels bureau The Brief from Brussels: NATO flexes military muscle This is the Brief from Brussels – a daily round-up of the top stories from Europe’s de facto political capital. 19/05/2016
Poland Polish police uncovered illegal cigarette factory Polish police say they have uncovered an illegal cigarette factory in the Warsaw area. Over seven million cigarettes and three tons of tobacco were 16/05/2016
world news EU court backs tougher rules for tobacco packaging The EU’s highest court has ruled in favour of tougher rules on cigarette packaging. The case is the result of a legal challenge by two major tobacco 04/05/2016
World EU officials 'hiding meetings' with tobacco industry lobbyists EU officials have been concealing meetings with tobacco industry lobbyists, a watchdog has found. European Ombudsman Emma O’Reilly told the European 05/10/2015
France Paris in move to fine smokers for throwing away their butts If you stub it out, don’t throw it away. That’s the message to smokers in Paris as the French capital starts a clean up campaign of cigarette butts 01/10/2015
France French tobacconists mount cigarette packaging protest Angry French tobacconists are mounting a protest campaign against government moves to force cigarette companies to use plain, unbranded packaging 23/07/2015
Canada Canada: Three tobacco companies ordered to pay billions in damages for failure to inform of health dangers A court in Canada has ruled that three tobacco companies must pay 11 billion euros in damages to smokers and former smokers. They have said they will appeal the verdict. 02/06/2015
World Ten questions to consider on World No Tobacco Day 2015 To mark World No Tobacco Day on Sunday, May 31, we have brought together ten key questions to consider: What is the tobacco death 29/05/2015
United Kingdom UK MPs to vote on plain cigarette packaging Cigarette packets are set to get a dramatic makeover in UK. MPs will vote on a law introducing plain packaging in England and Wales before May’s 22/01/2015
Unreported Europe Smoking out the facts of electronic cigarettes The electronic cigarette has revolutionised smoking habits in Europe and around the world, with more and more tobacco users turning to it for what 24/01/2014
USA New York cigarette buyers under age 21 to be outlawed The anti-smoking mayor of New York now has a law to raise the minimum age required to buy cigarettes in the city to the highest in the country: 21 31/10/2013
World Anger over tobacco lobbyists as Europe nears new rules on e-cigarettes A new Tobacco Products Directive has been adopted by the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. There were 10/07/2013
World EU seeks bigger health warnings for cigarettes The EU’s health chief wants bigger warnings on cigarette packets and bans on flavours such as menthol. Commissioner Tonio Borg unveiled proposals 19/12/2012
