Transnational Tobacco Companies vs State Monopolies in Asia

Abstract

Smoking prevalence in Asia is estimated at 50% of men and 2–10% of women; most smoke locally produced tobacco. Asia’s tobacco monopolies are mainly government departments that admit the health evidence, do not promote cigarettes, and cooperate (at least in part) with government health measures. In contrast, the transnational tobacco companies now invading Asia (with the help of the trade wing of the US government), deny the health evidence, aggressively promote their products, and try to prevent tobacco control measures. Their profits mainly return to shareholders in the west.

This will have a significant economic impact upon poor countries, with loss of foreign exchange as foreign cigarettes become more popular, costs of medical and health care, costs of lost productivity, costs to the individual and to the environment.

Asian governments are preoccupied with other health problems and lack experience in this new problem; but systems are slowly being put in place that will eventually contain the tobacco companies.