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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Prof Coral Gartner and I offer thoughts in @addictionjournal.bsky.social on how to address illicit markets in tobacco and vaping products in #Australia - better enforcement/monitoring efforts are key rather than letting criminal activity drive a change in government policy. doi.org/10.1111/add....

doi.org

Important issue but wrong solution

Click on the article title to read more.

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Reposted by Dr J Robert Branston

Tobacco Control Research Group @tcrgbath.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

A #PolluterPays levy and tobacco price cap could cut smoking deaths, reduce hospital admissions, and raise £billions in tax revenue. A new study by TCRG and @sarg-scharr.bsky.social has shown that such a scheme could have significant #PublicHealth benefits in the UK. doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

Combining a wholesale price cap with a tax rise could allow the government to pursue health goals by removing the [tobacco] industry’s ability to maintain affordable product ranges.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Do please consider making a submission!

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

My new paper with @sheffielduni.bsky.social Addictions Research Group exploring what would happen if England were to apply a 'polluter pays' #levy scheme on #tobacco Up to £4.9bn extra tax raised, and 1,636 fewer deaths & 10,073 fewer hospital admissions Read for free: doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

doi.org

Redirecting

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Reposted by Dr J Robert Branston

Tobacco Control Research Group @tcrgbath.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

On the final day of #ECToH 2026 @robbranston.bsky.social presented on the impact of a tobacco #PriceCap and #TaxIncrease. Thanks to the organisers of the European Conference on Tobacco or Health for giving us the opportunity to meet and share learnings with the #TobaccoControl community in Europe.

Dr Rob Branston stands on a stage delivering a presentation to an audience next to a screen with presentation slides on.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Delighted to be co-editing a special issue for 'Contemporary Social Science' exploring what social science has to offer in terms of understanding and addressing the #tobacco and #nicotine epidemics. Take a look at the call for papers: think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...

think.taylorandfrancis.com

Applying the tools of social science to address the tobacco and nicotine epidemic

This special issue takes a social science approach to explore the opportunities and challenges for addressing the global tobacco and nicotine epidemics.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Great to have been able to speak at the 'Cross Party Group on Smoking and Health' session at the Welsh Parliament yesterday. The session focused on the great potential for a #tobacco Polluter Pays Levy for #Wales. Great to see the strong interest of those attending!

Dr Rob Branston from the University of Bath, Suzanne Cass from ASH Wales, Chris Emmerson from Public Health Wales, and John Griffiths AM pictured at the Cross Party Group on Smoking and Health meeting at the Welsh Parliament

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Delighted to have been able to help with and be quoted alongside others in the important article in the The Examination by Kathryn Kranhold, that considers the latest watered-down proposals for reforming the #EU #Tobacco #Tax Directive www.theexamination.org/articles/eu-...

theexamination.org

EU countries scale back tobacco tax proposal

The latest draft recommends smaller tax hikes for cigarettes, heated tobacco and e-cigarette liquids.

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Reposted by Dr J Robert Branston

Tobacco Control Research Group @tcrgbath.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Yesterday we were in Bristol, UK at the Annual General Meeting of Imperial Brands, one of the world's largest tobacco companies. We put a number of questions to the board about the company’s activities. TCRG co-directors @robbranston.bsky.social and Dr. @allengallagher.bsky.social explain more.

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Tobacco Control @bmjtobacco-control.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Latest News: In Ukraine, the tobacco industry has used tax increases on HTPs and e-cigs as an opportunity to raise prices but with lower net revenue per stick. bit.ly/3YogqWI

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Great to see the latest version of this really import work on #cigarette #taxation, especially with the position of the #UK improving and now being the number 1 ranked country globally. I just hope this continues and that other countries are able to increase their own tax record too!

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Delighted to see the polluter pays levy scheme on #tobacco products I have been working on for a number of years has now received even more support.

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Action on Smoking Health (UK) @ashorguk.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Today, Peers meet again to debate the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. One key area for debate today is the polluter pays levy on tobacco manufacturers, a measure that could generate £700 million a year 💷🚭

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NHMRC CRE on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame @cretobacco.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

📣 Join us for our next #TobaccoEndgame CRE #Webinar on 🚭 tobacco product price caps! Dr Rob Branston will present 'A new avenue for tobacco control: price cap regulation'. 📆Wednesday, 12 November ⏰9:00am AEST 🔗 tobacco-endgame.centre.uq.edu.au/event/sessio... @robbranston.bsky.social

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Centre for 21st Century Public Health @ University of Bath @centre21cpubhealth.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

(3/3) Our recommendation is that the content be reviewed and, if found to be in breach, taken down. We would also recommend that the BBC exercises caution in future when deciding whether to engage with the tobacco industry and its representatives. Read our complaint letter to the BBC below 👇

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Centre for 21st Century Public Health @ University of Bath @centre21cpubhealth.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

(2/3) We believe that by giving a powerful platform to a tobacco company, this content breached the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines on impartiality and related standards.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Very happy to have been a co-signatory on this complaint letter to the BBC

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Producing #tobacco products is hugely profitable. Wholesale price caps & a #polluterpays levy could stop the industry making so much from a deadly product, increase government tax revenues, and stop the industry selling with price. Public health + government finances both win! tinyurl.com/mt5fb5bs

tinyurl.com

Tackling tobacco pricing

How a proposed new levy could help to hit tobacco manufacturer' profits and reduce tobacco use.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Great new blog by Mark Lloyd - Head of Policy at the RSA / former economic and fiscal policy in HM Treasury and No10 - adding his voice to our work that calls for a new scheme to fix the price of tobacco products and apply a #polluterpays levy to raise £700m annually www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

smf.co.uk

Time to levy the indefensible profits of Big Tobacco | SMF

Rachel Reeves does not want to increase taxes again. This much is clear from the Spring Statement where, rather than raise revenues to ease the new pressures on the public...

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Reposted by Dr J Robert Branston

Action on Smoking Health (UK) @ashorguk.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

🎉Last night MPs voted to pass the historic Tobacco and Vapes Bill which will phase out the sale of tobacco to the next generation, protecting children from the harms of smoking.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

#taxation is one of the key tools to address tobacco use, and in the EU this is governed by the tobacco tax directive #TTD. In my new @ijdrugpolicy.bsky.social paper with Prof López-Nicolás/Dr Ross, we evaluate leaked proposal for reform, finding enhancements not perfection doi.org/10.1016/j.dr...

Image showing people with linked arms and a caption that reads as "To safeguard citizens' health, the new European Commission must prioritise renewing the TTD with public health at its core, embedding these proposed fiscal measures into the directive

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Tobacco Control Research Group @tcrgbath.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

(2/2) The report by The Investigative Desk with support from Tax Justice Network Africa and the Tobacco Control Research Group suggests there could be a tax discrepancy of up to $28 million.

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Dr J Robert Branston @robbranston.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Delighted to have been involved with this really important project.

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Smoke Free Partnership @partnershipfree.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

💪Strong words from Commissioner Hoekstra in FISC! On Feb 6, @wopkehoekstra.ec.europa.eu called for stricter tobacco control, higher taxes & fairer taxation for new products across the EU. 💪🔥 Great to see the Commissioner stepping up! We look forward to the revision of the TTD. 🚭

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Tobacco Control Research Group @tcrgbath.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

✨ Episode five of our podcast Deadly Industry: Challenging Big Tobacco is out now. Dr. Allen Gallagher joins Louis to lift the lid on #illicittrade in tobacco including how #BigTobacco is involved and how it can be tackled. Listen: shows.acast.com/deadly-indus... #NewPodcast #DeadlyIndustryPod

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Tobacco Control Research Group @tcrgbath.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

✨ Episode four of Deadly Industry: Challenging Big Tobacco is out now. In this episode, Dr. Rob Branston discusses all things money with Louis including the vast profitability of the #tobaccoindustry and how #tobaccotax works. Listen: www.bath.ac.uk/campaigns/de... #NewPodcast #DeadlyIndustryPod

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The University of Bath @uniofbath.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Discover the ground-breaking research of The University's @tcrgbath.bsky.social with their new podcast. In this gripping 8-episode series, hosted by TCRG investigative researcher Louis Laurence, you'll dive deep into the tobacco industry's pursuit of profit, at the expense of public health

buff.ly

New podcast digs into Tobacco Industry tactics in pursuit of profit over health

The Tobacco Control Research Group releases its new podcast series, Deadly Industry: Challenging Big Tobacco

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