Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic – April - May 2021

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This is a continuation of our page on Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic and summarises the incidents reported during the months of April and May 2021. This page will be continuously updated as and when incidents related to the respective months are reported.

The Summary of Interference Reported as of 31st May 2021

Table 1 summarises the incidents reported since 13th March 2020, the date of initiation of Lock Down in Sri Lanka, the day we started monitoring Globally Reported Tobacco Industry Interference during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Table 1: Summary of reported TII during COVID-19 Pandemic

Tobacco Company Reported Countries Number of Incidents
British American Tobacco (BAT) South Africa, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Brazil, Kenya, Bangladesh, Croatia, Mexico, Nigeria, Honduras, Russia, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Greece, Canada, Italy 114
Philip Morris International (PMI) Brazil, Costa Rica, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Canada, Burkina Faso 56
Altria group United Sates of America (USA), Canada, Switzerland 51
Japan Tobacco International (JTI) United Kingdom (UK), Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Zambia, Japan, Romania, Germany 45
Imperial Tobacco Russia 29
ITC Limited India India 23
Korea Tobacco Ginseng Corporation (KT&G) Indonesia, Turkey, Russia 6
Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) Sri Lanka 6
Reynolds American United Sates of America (USA) 5
Universal Cooperion United Sates of America (USA) 2
VMR Products United Sates of America (USA) 2
RJ Reynolds Tobacco United Sates of America (USA) 3
Godfrey Phillips India India 3
DJarum Indonesia 2
PT HM Sampoerna Indonesia 1
Hongyunhonghe Tobacco (Group) - 2
7 HILLS Manikchand Products Private Limited India 2
Deccan Tobacco India 1
Vinataba Tobacco Company Vietnam 1
International Tobacco Company Nigeria 1
LT Group Philippines 1
China Tobacco China 2
Gamucci United Kingdom, United States of America (USA), Asia and Africa 1
JUUL Labs United States of America (USA) 1
Barco Trading Company Angola 1
Pan Africa Tobacco Group Angola 1
Company not specified or interference via Front Groups United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Australia, Lebanon, Senegal, Sri Lanka, France, Myanmar, India, Chile, South Africa, Kenya, Bhutan, Philippines, Greece 40

Week 55: 29thMarch- 4th April 2021

Even though the 2021 Corporate Equality Index is proclaimed as “the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees” in their website, it is not actually recognised as a national level authority, but is an entity sponsored by many corporates including ones from big alcohol, big fuel, big food and big pharma.[1]
  • British American Tobacco (BAT) in Zimbabwe announced that their 12% decline of sales volume was due to depressed disposable incomes of people because of COVID-19pandemic.[2]
Image 1: Media reporting the British American Tobacco (BAT) in Zimbabwe’s decline of volume due to depressed disposable incomes [2]
  • Market research institutes issued several reports on COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry this week. Details of one report mentioning COVID-19 in the title is summarised in the Table 2.

Table 2: Summary of published market research reports during the week 55

Market research institute Title of the report Tobacco companies mentioned
Market Growth Insight COVID-19 Global & China Vape Pens Market Research by Company, Type & Application 2015-2026 NicQuid, Philip Morris International Inc., International Vapor Group, British American Tobacco, Altria Group, Inc., Imperial Brands, Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd., International, Japan Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Shenzhen KangerTech Technology Co., Ltd. [3]

Week 56: 5th– 11thApril 2021

  • In Sri Lanka, media reported that the Directors of Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) participated as panelists at a series of online discussion forums hosted by the Stock Exchange (CSE) titled “Beyond Basics: Excellence in Corporate Governance”. More than 100 participants including board members and senior management representatives of listed companies was reported to have participated in the forum.[4]CSE is a company limited by guarantee established under the Companies Act No.17 of 1982 and which is regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka.[5]
  • Trefis, a business and economy website reported that unexpected lockdown will be a major barrier to Philip Morris International’s (PMI) stock recovery with the rise of COVID-19cases in Europe and the USA.[6]
  • David Jagielski, a writer of The Motley Fool website highlighted that the cannabis has become the ideal alternative for the tobacco industry due to the business expansion on high potential growth of cannabis.[7]
The Motley Fool provides business and investing advice as mentioned in their website and had previously published cannabis trade favourable reports.[8]Cannabis is perceived as an alternative product for the tobacco industry due to drop of cigarettes sales, the relaxing regulations, the promoted image within the harm reduction approach and highlighted medicinal potential.[9][10] Internal tobacco industry documents revealed the interest of multinational tobacco companies in cannabis since 1970.[11]
  • British American Tobacco (BAT) and Organigram, the Canadian company that produces cannabis products have entered into an agreement called ‘Product Development Collaboration Agreement’. Under this agreement, BAT and Organigram are developing core intellectual property values in development and delivery of the cannabidiol based products.[12][13]
Image 2: Media reporting the British American Tobacco (BAT) and Organigram are in the process of developing Intellectual Property values[12]
  • Market research institutes issued several reports on COVID-19 impact on the tobacco industry this week. Nine reports mentioning COVID-19in the title are summarised in the Table 3.

Table 3: Summary of published market research reports during week 56

  1. ↑ Business Wire. Group Recognized For Its Commitment To LGBTQ Equality, 31 March 2021, accessed May 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 A. Vinga. BAT Volumes Down 12 % On The Back Of Depressed Disposable Incomes, 4 April 2021, accessed May 2021
  3. ↑ ExlTech. Vape Pens Market Foreseen to Grow Exponentially Over 2025, 31 March 2021, accessed May 2021
  4. ↑ Daily FT. Listed companies indicate a keen interest to adopt good corporate governance, 5 April 2021, accessed May 2021
  5. ↑ Colombo Stock Exchange. Annual Report 2020, 31 December 2019, accessed June 2021,
  6. ↑ Trefis. Morris Stock A Buy At $89?, 6 April 2021, accessed May 2021
  7. ↑ D. Jagielski. This Surprising Projection Shows Why Big Tobacco Is Moving Into Cannabis, 6 April 2021, accessed May 2021
  8. ↑ The Motley Fool. About us, 2021, accessed June 2021
  9. ↑ TobaccoUnmasked. Movement to Legalise Marijuana and the Tobacco Industry, 15 June 2021, accessed June 2021
  10. ↑ Tobacco Tactics. Cannabis, 15 January 2021, accessed June 2021
  11. ↑ RA Barry, H Hiilamo, SA Glantz. [https:/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4089369/Waiting for the Opportune Moment: The Tobacco Industry and Marijuana Legalization], 3 June 2014, accessed June 2021
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 J. Rebchook. Intellectual property takes on growing role in cannabis industry deals, 2 April 2021, accessed May 2021
  13. ↑ Business Wire. Organigram and BAT Form Product Development Collaboration – Includes Strategic Investment from BAT for 19.9% Equity Interest, 11 March 2021, accessed June 2021
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