High tobacco industry influence increased in US in 2023, often working through third parties and front groups

Last month Action on Smoking and Health released its 2023 US Tobacco Industry Interference Index, the latest in a series of reports that assesses tobacco industry interference in US policy making against international standards (press release). The new report finds a modest increase in already-high industry interference in the US and provides many specific examples.

While there is nothing new in the industry strategies (which does not make them any less concerning), the report provides an extensive list of current tobacco industry front groups in the US. This list can be helpful to policymakers, public health advocates, and the media when representatives of these organizations pop up in public health debates.

I was particularly gratified to see Al Sharpton‘s National Action Network at the top of the (alphabetical) list. Sharpton, a well-known and generally respected civil rights activist, has unfortunately been a leading voice against menthol bans, despite the fact that African Americans are one of the primary targets of the industry’s menthol products. He refuses to disclose how much money he and his organization take from tobacco interests or who is providing the cash.

TOBACCO INDUSTRY FRONT GROUPS

1. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network

2. American E-Liquids Manufacturing Standards Association

3. American Enterprise institute (AEI)

4. Americans for Tax Reform

5. American Smokers Alliance

6. American Vaping Assn

7. Ballantyne Brands

8. Berman and Company

9. Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association

10. Center for Consumer Freedom

11. Cheyenne International

12. Cigar Rights of America Cigarette Store

13. Citizens for Tobacco Rights

14. Competitive Enterprise Institute

15. Convenience Distribution Association

16. Corona Cigar

17. Covance Laboratories

18. Dosal Tobacco

19. Foundation for a Smoke free World

20. FreedomWorks Foundation

21. Georgia Chamber of Commerce

22. Goldwater Institute

23. Hay Island Holding

24. Heartland Institute

25. Holt’s Cigar

26. Idaho Freedom Foundation

27. Independent Women’s Forum

28. Indiana Grocery and

Convenience Store Association

29. Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience

30. Store Association (IPCA)

31. Intl Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association

32. Intrepid Brands

33. JC Newman Cigars

34. John Locke Foundation

35. Law Enforcement Action Partnership

36. Liggett Vector Brands

37. National Association of Convenience Stores

38. National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO)

39. National Center for Public Policy Research

40. National Council of State Legislators (NCSL)

41. National Governors Association

42. National Newspapers Publishers Association

43. National Smokers Alliance National Tobacco

44. North Dakota Petroleum Marketers Association (NDPMA)

45. Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

46. Padron Cigars

47. Petroleum Marketers Association

48. Pipe Tobacco Council

49. Price & Co

50. PURO PAC

51. Pyxus International

52. R Street Institute

53. Reason Foundation

54. RYO Machine Rental

55. Scandinavian Tobacco Group

56. Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association

57. Specialty Tobacco Council

58. State Policy Network (SPN)

59. TechFreedom

60. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

61. The Cigarette Shop

62. The Institute for Policy Innovation

63. The James Madison Institute

64. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy

65. The Maryland Public Policy Institute

66. United States Conference of Mayors

67. Universal Leaf Tobacco

68. US Tobacco Cooperative

69. VGR Holding

70. Wild Bill’s Tobacco

Here are three earlier papers that include extensive lists of tobacco industry allies and front groups at the time they were written. Most of these organizations are still active.

• Cox E, Barry RA, Glantz S. E-cigarette Policymaking by Local and State Governments: 2009-2014. Milbank Q. 2016 Sep;94(3):520-96. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12212. PMID: 27620685; PMCID: PMC5020143.
• Fallin A, Grana R, Glantz SA. ‘To quarterback behind the scenes, third-party efforts’: the tobacco industry and the Tea Party. Tob Control. 2014 Jul;23(4):322-31. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2012-050815. Epub 2013 Feb 8. PMID: 23396417; PMCID: PMC3740007.
• Ulucanlar S, Fooks GJ, Gilmore AB. The Policy Dystopia Model: An Interpretive Analysis of Tobacco Industry Political Activity. PLoS Med. 2016 Sep 20;13(9):e1002125. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002125. PMID: 27649386; PMCID: PMC5029800.