<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/may/18/big-tobacco-is-exploiting-fears-of-the-illicit-market-to-unwind-health-gains-australian-experts-warn>
"Big tobacco is exploiting fears of the illicit market to unwind longstanding
health policies, leading health campaigners have warned, amid a parliamentary
inquiry which took secret evidence from the cigarette manufacturer Philip
Morris.
A coalition of 15 health organisations including the Cancer Council and the
Heart Foundation, as well as health experts and researchers, have accused the
industry of trying to reshape public debate to push for major cuts to
government excise.
The inquiry into booming illicit sales attracted controversy this month when
Guardian Australia revealed it had held a secret hearing for Philip Morris
executives, ending more than 15 years of precedent under Australia’s
participation in a World Health Organization agreement.
Executives warned that illegal cigarettes would wipe out legal products in
Australia by 2030 and called for a cut to the tobacco excise to undermine
criminal business models. Company representatives appeared in secret at the
first committee hearing and their names were withheld from public transcripts.
But the group of health organisations, led by the Cancer Council, rubbished the
claims and called it a “dog whistle”.
“The industry is now using the rise of illicit tobacco to reshape public debate
and to push for lower taxes,” the group said. “But illicit tobacco is primarily
an enforcement and health issue, not a tax one.
“Even if we were to cut the tobacco tax altogether, illicit products would
remain cheaper, while legal tobacco would become more affordable, tobacco
industry profits would skyrocket and smoking rates would increase, undoing
decades of progress.”
The WHO agreement on tobacco control requires public officials to protect
health policy from interference from the tobacco industry and associated
interests.
Australia’s health department guidance suggests Australian public officials,
including MPs, should only interact with executives and lobbyists from tobacco
manufacturers “when and to the extent strictly necessary” to effectively
regulate smoking."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
