Despite dramatic declines in smoking, the tobacco industry continues to innovate to rebrand its public image and maintain its bottom line.
Through a combination of strategies, including expanding its product portfolio, the industry is aggressively growing its market base among youth and young adults.
The tobacco industry has spent decades doggedly using its political influence to protect its business interests, support policy makers that do its bidding and block lawmakers and public health officials’ efforts to seek an end to the tobacco epidemic. Faced with an ever-declining base for its core product — the cigarette — the tobacco industry has emerged from the shadows of these largely behind-the-scenes efforts and back-room dealings. Big Tobacco is waging a campaign to try to transform itself into “New Tobacco,” with offers of non-combustible tobacco product alternatives and claims that the industry can be part of the “public health solution” to end smoking.
The good news is that the public is as distrustful as ever of the tobacco and vaping industry, despite their extensive public relations and marketing strategies. For now. According to Truth Initiative® survey findings shared in this report, the majority of Americans strongly distrust the tobacco industry, with more than 70% viewing tobacco, vaping and e-cigarette companies unfavorably and many saying regulations on vaping and tobacco are too weak.
But public opinion hasn’t yet led to changes in policy and regulation. And the tobacco industry continues to play the “long game” on public opinion and find innovative ways to maintain and expand their interests.
Truth Initiative – December 20, 2019.
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