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Sadykova J, Ayaganova A, Yergaliyev KA. Mobilizing for Health: A Case Study of Kazakhstan’s Vaping Ban Advocacy Campaign. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jul 13;22(7):1102. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22071102. PMID: 40724169; PMCID: PMC12294346.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40724169/

Despite facing strong opposition from the vaping industry and political lobbyists, the Coalition gained support from key political figures, public health leaders, and NGOs. Over 32 months, the campaign achieved several key milestones, including criminal liabilities for those involved in the vaping industry, and, in 2024, it eventually joined several countries such as Thailand, Qatar, Japan, Singapore, and India in approving a vaping ban. The advocacy efforts relied on public engagement and social media. They coordinated civil society mobilization, including petitions, public meetings, awareness campaigns, and coalition-building among NGOs and health advocacy groups, to overcome industry resistance toward official vaping market ban approvals.

Note: Upholding an e-cigarette ban takes advocacy and determination to get and maintain a ban on e-cigarettes. The illegal smuggling of vapes makes prohibiting these harmful products from the market a continuous battle, requiring constant engagement and support from the public, the media, political figures, and health leaders. Stephen Hamann

TRC Research Commentary

US Action on Smoking and Health. Tobacco Industry Expands Lobbying Efforts by 24% across the U.S. in 2025, 31 July 2025

Tobacco Industry Expands Lobbying Efforts by 24% across the U.S. in 2025

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) released the 4th edition of the U.S. Tobacco Industry Lobbyist and Lobbying Firm Registration Tracker to expose the well-funded tobacco industry lobbying machine, which seeks to protect its profits at the expense of all Americans’ health. The Tracker aims to support advocates and policymakers committed to enacting strong public health measures and understand that they must actively exclude tobacco companies.

There is an irreconcilable conflict of interest between tobacco companies and public health (as Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC makes clear).

Unfortunately, there was a 24% increase in tobacco industry registrations in 2025, with 1,275 lobbyist or lobbying firm registrations compared to 1,027 registrations in 2024.

Comment: Tobacco Companies have many resources because they exploit customers for their riches over people’s lives. They could take their money and invest it in other products, but are addicted to the profits of nicotine addiction. Some call them greedy, and others think they are evil. Fundamentally, they are wrong, so they must be opposed and excluded. Stephen Hamann