Tobacco Asia 25
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NICOTINE IN
ITS PUREST FORM
Discrepancies between export and import declarations fuel the illicit tobacco
trade by hampering surveillance systems that depend on accurate data to flag
suspicious shipments.
Credit: Piotr Drabik, CC2.0.
Policy choices ahead
The industry continues to work on creating poli‑
cies that better limit the illegal tobacco trade. Illicit
trade is not just a criminal issue. It is also a policy
issue, a tax issue, a consumer safety issue, a to‑
bacco harm reduction issue, and a border control
issue. Ortega expressed her desire for a predictable
US approval process, consistent language among
federal agencies, and focused enforcement that
targets the most harmful players.
Foukkare called for a unified national regula‑
tory system in Australia that provides legal adult
access to safer alternatives and dismantles the
criminal control that now thrives under prohibi‑
tion. Hodsman highlighted that illegal trade is
directly hindering progress toward a smokeless
future. Kupatadze urged governments to integrate
data systems and involve academia and private in‑
telligence in enforcement planning.
Pike presented the clearest metric: smoking
rates. Not seizure counts or press releases—real
decreases in illegal use through shifts to legal, reg‑
ulated options. Pike ended his talk with a warning
that also served as an opportunity. Australia has
become a global example of how well‑intentioned
policies can fall apart when enforcement, consum‑
er demand, and regulations become misaligned.
ASEAN now bears the financial burden of
billions lost to illicit tobacco that could otherwise
bolster public institutions. The US struggles with a gray market created more
by regulatory delay than by crime. Europe deals with inconsistent enforce‑
ment. Across these regions, criminal networks adapt more quickly than gov‑
ernments.
