Tobacco industry accused of masquerading as public health ally

Experts have raised serious concerns over the tobacco industry’s global efforts to present itself as a champion of public health, warning that these moves are misleading and potentially harmful.

According to them, in Nigeria and other countries, the industry is aggressively promoting the notion that it is “reducing harm” to smokers. At the same time, it is acquiring pharmaceutical companies, an alarming strategy experts say could be used to launder its deadly image.

To shed light on these practices, leading tobacco control specialists from around the world, including representatives from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), will host a webinar titled “‘Harm Reduction’ to Corporate Capture: How Tobacco Industry Marketing and Pharmaceutical Acquisitions Are Reshaping Public Health Policy.”

The event is scheduled for  Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 3:00 pm, and will take place via Zoom. Organisers hope the discussion will equip public health professionals, policymakers, and the general public with tools to critically assess the tobacco industry’s latest strategies.

Experts emphasise that while the industry frames its actions as a step towards harm reduction, the reality could threaten decades of public health progress.