Tobacco Asia

66 tobaccoasia CLOSING NEWS 卷尾新闻 BAT Names Constantinescu C.F.O. British American Tobacco appointed former company executive Dragos Constantinescu as its next chief financial officer, bringing back a longtime insider as the group continues its business transformation. Constantinescu will take on the role of c.f.o. and executive director effective September 1, replacing interim finance chief Javed Iqbal, who will return to his position as director of digital and information. He previously spent 16 years at BAT, where he held a range of senior finance and general management roles across Europe, including positions overseeing Central Europe North and operations in Poland. Constantinescu currently serves as c.e.o. of Asahi Europe & International, part of Asahi Breweries, a role he has held since joining the company in 2019. BAT c.e.o. Tadeu Marroco said the appointment comes at an important stage in BAT's transformation, pointing to Constantinescu's international experience and familiarity with the company as key strengths. The leadership change follows a period of transition in the finance function after the departure of the previous c.f.o. in 2025. Since then, Iqbal has led the role on an interim basis. Shanghai Steps Up Smoking Crackdown Officials in Shanghai unveiled a new tobacco control plan for 2026 that expands smoke-free areas, increases enforcement of existing rules, and introduces new tools to discourage smoking in public spaces, reports Sixth Tone. The initiative builds on more than a decade of anti-smok- ing policies in China's largest city. Local authorities first introduced comprehensive smoking regulations in 2010, positioning Shanghai as a national leader in tobacco control efforts. Last March, Shanghai introduced a ban on smoking while walking and launched a pilot program that allows residents to report violations through the 12345 government hotline. Authorities can impose fines of up to RMB200 (US$29) on individuals and up to RMB30,000 (US$4,360) on venues that fail to comply. Under the new plan, city regulators will strengthen oversight of places where smoking bans already exist, including restaurants, office buildings, entertainment venues, and taxis. Officials will also designate bus stops as smoke-free areas as part of the broader push to reduce smoking in outdoor public spaces. Authorities say enforcement will target locations with high rates of violations. The city plans to step up inspections and improve monitoring in order to ensure compliance with existing rules. Shanghai already maintains a network of more than 5,000 registered tobacco-control volunteers who conduct inspections and report violations. Last year alone, they carried out nearly 100,000 checks across various establishments. The plan also calls for the use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, to support tobacco control efforts. Officials have not yet specified how those systems will work but say they will help identify violations and manage smoke-free zones more effectively. Healthcare institutions will also play a larger role. The city will require doctors to ask patients about their smoking history during initial consultations. In addition, each district must establish at least one standardized smoking-cessation clinic and provide training on tobacco-related care for health- care workers. Public education remains another key element of the strategy. Schools and community programs will expand outreach efforts aimed at young people and women, groups officials describe as increasingly exposed to emerging tobacco- related risks. These risks include e-cigarettes and a recent youth trend known as "cigarette cards," in which students collect discarded cigarette packages and turn them into playground game pieces. The campaign also reflects growing public support for smoke-free environments in the city. A 2025 survey conducted by Shanghai health authorities found that 98% of residents support a comprehensive ban on indoor smoking. At the same time, grassroots activism has gained visibility online. Users on the popular Chinese social platform Xiao- hongshu (RedNote) increasingly share strategies for discourag- ing public smoking and documenting confrontations with smokers who ignore restrictions. Some comedians have even turned real-life anti-smoking encounters into stand-up routines, earning recognition as informal "anti-smoking ambassadors." Europe Busts Tobacco Smuggling Ring European prosecutors have dismantled a cross-border tobacco smuggling network operating across Italy, France, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, following a coordinated enforcement action that led to multiple arrests and large-scale seizures. The investigation, led by the European Public Prosecu- tor's Office (EPPO) in Turin and code-named "Borotalco," uncovered a transnational criminal organization with an Lighting up in Shanghai faces growing scrutiny. Credit: Jupi Lu, Pixabay.

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