Tobacco Industry Lobbyists Influence State Legislatures Across America

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May.07.2024

Tobacco Industry Lobbyists Influence State Legislatures Across America

Tobacco industry lobbyists infiltrate state legislatures across U.S., with at least 950 representatives pushing for their interests.

According to a recent report by Statnews, the anti-smoking advocacy group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has found that lobbyists from the tobacco industry have infiltrated state legislatures from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Tallahassee, Florida.

The latest version of the "Tobacco Industry Lobbyists and Lobbying Firm Registration Tracking Report" released by the organization states that there are now at least 950 lobbyists representing cigarette, e-cigarette, and snuff companies lobbying in state legislatures across the country. From 2023 to 2024, the number of lobbying registrations related to tobacco companies has increased by over 10%.

This data may be underestimated because ASH's overall statistics are based on publicly available lobbying registration data, and some states only require lobbying firms, not individual lobbyists, to register.

References:

[1] Statehouses are a hotbed of tobacco lobbying and legislation

Also Read:

[1] US States Enact E-Cigarette Bans, PMTA Registry Bills Trigger Controversy

[2] Florida Governor Signs Bill to Establish Registry of Banned Vape Products

[3] Joe Biden Administration Delays Mint Cigarette Ban Indefinitely

[4] Hawaii Courts Push for Increased Tobacco and E-cigarette Taxes

#North America #United States #Traditional tobacco #Legislation #Regulation

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