United States: tobacco lobby very present at state and federal level

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has released the third edition of its tool to monitor tobacco industry lobbyists and lobbying firms in the United States. ASH’s Lobbyist Tracker is the first tool to compile and analyze tobacco industry lobbying activities in the United States. It compiles publicly available data from the various registration and reporting systems of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.[1].

ASH began tracking tobacco industry lobbying activities in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic. The association saw a significant increase in tobacco industry spending at the federal level to try to curb public health and tobacco control policies.

Former Federal Officials Serve Tobacco Industry

Although 2024 data is not yet available, the tobacco industry had 262 federally registered lobbyists in 2023, 75% of whom were former federal officials who may have extensive access to highly influential people in the House of Representatives, the Senate, and other federal agencies. ASH believes the significant delay in banning menthol cigarettes is the result of heavy tobacco industry interference, particularly at the federal level in Washington.

In 2024, at the state level, a total of 1,027 tobacco industry lobbyists or lobbying firms were identified, involving 950 distinct lobbyists or lobbying firms, an increase of 10.7% from 2023. Pennsylvania and Florida remain the two US states with the most tobacco industry lobbyists (76 and 60, respectively), while Ohio (46) moves up to third place, ahead of New Jersey, now in fourth place in 2024 (43). In a report published in January 2024, the American Lung Association[2] evaluated state and federal anti-smoking measures, and Pennsylvania and Florida were among the states that received the worst marks for their anti-smoking measures.

By comparison, states like Massachusetts or California, which have implemented effective measures (increasing taxes, banning flavors, banning sales, etc.) have very few registered lobbyists (8).

An increase in the number of lobbyists in 2023

Although JUUL sees an 81% decline in the number of declared lobbyists in 2024, the analysis highlights an increase for other manufacturers.

Altria (formerly Philip Morris USA) reported 315 lobbyists or lobbying firms, covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Reynolds American had a total of 197 lobbyists or lobbying firms covering 48 states. Since Philip Morris International (PMI) Global Services acquired Swedish Match in 2023, the number of lobbyists employed has increased significantly in the United States. For ASH, this merger signals a significant shift in PMI’s lobbying strategies as it actively promotes its new tobacco products (heated tobacco, snus). Under PMI’s ownership, Swedish Match increased the number of lobbyists employed by 200 %, from 8 lobbyists and 3 lobbying firms in 2021 to 128 lobbyists and 17 lobbying firms in 2024.

These compiled data highlight the extent of tobacco lobbying activity and lobbying firms in every U.S. state. ASH warns that there is an irreconcilable conflict between tobacco company activities and public health.

A similar trend in the European Union

This strong interference is not limited to the United States. The tobacco lobby also maintains a strong influence with the European Commission and European states. The Commission's health department and the taxation and customs department have received the tobacco industry and its representatives 11 times in three years, compared to only once a representative of civil society. In early April, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly[3], has once again warned of the risks linked to the influence of the tobacco lobby on the European Commission. It points to unrecorded meetings and insufficient or absent minutes of meetings between certain Commission departments and representatives of the tobacco industry. A group of MEPs and civil society also published a White Paper on 11 April which highlights in particular the links between the European Commission, the tobacco lobby and Dentsu Tracking[4], a Swiss company in charge of the European system for tracking and tracing tobacco products. The system in place and Dentsu's links to the tobacco industry mean that the system is not compliant with the World Health Organization (WHO) protocol to eliminate illicit tobacco trade, which was ratified by the EU in June 2016. In addition, the effectiveness of the system itself is being questioned in light of reports of an increase in illicit tobacco trade since its implementation in 2019.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] US TOBACCO LOBBYIST AND LOBBYING FIRM REGISTRATION TRACKER, Action on smoking and Health, published May 2, 2024, accessed May 3, 2024 [2] Tobacco-free generation, American Lung Association Urges White House to Act Quickly on Menthol Ban, published January 25, 2024, accessed May 3, 2024 [3] Tobacco-free generation, European Ombudsman sounds alarm over tobacco lobby's influence on Commission, published on April 8, 2024, consulted on May 3, 2024 [4] Tobaccogate Continues: The intriguing case of Dentsu Tracking, Euroreporter, published on April 27, 2024, consulted on May 3, 2024 National Committee Against Smoking |