Industry Regulation

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We are open to, and seek dialogue with governmental authorities around the world to address questions about the manufacture, sale and use of our products. We have the right to express our point of view but we ultimately respect the judgment of each individual society.

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into force in February 2005. It is the first international treaty in the field of public health, providing a comprehensive frame for the tobacco control efforts worldwide. The FCTC covers all aspects of tobacco control including tobacco advertising, health warning labels, price and tax issues, illicit trade (smuggling) and smoking cessation programs.

JT International (JTI) agrees that many of the issues raised by the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) clearly need to be addressed. View our positions on a variety of topics. Tobacco products carry risks to health and we thus believe that appropriate and workable regulation of our industry is both necessary and right.

Even where we have concerns about the practicality of some of the FCTC provisions, there are many issues on which we believe we will be able to cooperate and work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Member States. For example, we strongly believe that minors should not smoke. In a number of countries we have been able to successfully partner with governments and other parties to address this issue, and we hope the WHO will play a leading role in encouraging such cooperation rather than dismissing initiatives by the tobacco industry out of hand. We also support efforts to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products and are committed to continue working with governments and law enforcement worldwide to eliminate it.

We continue to be of the opinion that a "one size fits all" approach ignores the realities of cultural and societal differences, as well as intrudes on the authority of sovereign states. And there are a number of FCTC provisions that appear to be less about protecting public health and more about punishing tobacco companies for manufacturing a legal, but controversial, product. Driving tobacco companies out of business may be the objective of some, but it would do nothing to resolve the tobacco controversy. Taking such steps may have the unintended effect of undermining the laudable, if complex, public health concerns that it is the objective of the FCTC to address.

UK Department of Health's Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control

To read our response to the UK Department of Health's Consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control, please click on the links below:

JTI FTC Response (PDF, En, 48.2 MB)
Expert Report - Europe Economics (PDF, En, 64.4 MB)
Supplementary Expert Report - Europe Economics (PDF, En, 0.5MB)
Expert Report - Keegan & Co (PDF, En, 26.8 MB)
Supplementary Expert Report - Keegan & Co (PDF, En, 10.6 MB)