Letter to Dr John Reid: regarding Tobacco Regulatory Authority
This letter, sent on behalf of 11 health organisations, calls on the Secretary of State for Health to introduce a Tobacco Regulatory Authority in the UK. The organisations point out the anomaly that tobacco products are largely unregulated while Nicotine Replacement products are highly regulated.

FAQ: Product Regulation
Frequently asked questions around what has been done and what more could be done to regulate tobacco products.

Regulation of Nicotine Replacement Therapies: a critique of current practice
This paper looks at all the main controversial applications of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) with youth, in pregnancy, heart disease sufferers, for harm reduction, smoking reduction, as a recreational drug. In each case, there is an assessment of the evidence and discussion of appropriate approach - and a critique of the failure of regulators to tackle these issues adequately. Addiction 96 (December 2001) pp: 1757-1768. 

What goes in? What comes out? The constituents of cigarettes and tobacco smoke
Collection of sources on additives and smoke chemistry. About 600 additives are allowed in tobacco products and about 4,000 chemicals are in cigarette smoke. You can find out more about these here - and about how they are regulated. 

Tobacco Additives - what are they adding to cigarettes? (and why...)
Cigarette Engineering and nicotine addiction. Over 600 additives can be used in tobacco products in the EU. some can be used to make the product more addictive and to disguise the harsh taste of nicotine and keep smokers hooked. This survey of tobacco industry documents shows what the industry was up to and makes the case for new regulation. Published in collaboration with the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.

The Safer Cigarette
WHAT THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY COULD DO... AND WHY IT HASN’T DONE IT A survey of 25 years of patents for innovations to reduce toxic and carcinogenic chemicals in tobacco smoke. Published in collaboration with Imperial Cancer Research fund.

Report from the commission to the European Parliament, the council and the European economics and social committee. First report on the application of the tobacco products directive
First report of the European Commission on the Tobacco Products Directive

Review of the implementation of the European Tobacco Products Directive 2001/37/EC
The report makes the following observations: Maximum tar/nicotine/CO yields: All 15 EU countries complied with the deadline. The accession countries did not request transitional periods for compliance. Measurement of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels: The Commission acknowledges that the use of machines to measure yields does not reflect actual smoker intake of these substances. However, the Commission is not proposing to revise the current standards until “solid evidence shows that better methods exist to replace them”. Labelling: Implementation overall is satisfactory but there have been reports of industry attempts to circumvent the legislation by attempting to hide the warnings, e.g. by the placing of cardboard covers or stickers over the warnings. However such practices are now limited. Evidence suggests that the large warnings are having an impact, with smokers being more motivated to quit smoking. The warnings appear to have been particularly effective among 15-24 year olds. Ingredients: There has been little progress in developing a proposal for a common list of ingredients. The Commission argues that the WHO should co-ordinate regulatory efforts through the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Government response to the Health Select Committee
The government offers few new initiatives on tobacco regulation, but overall it is a positive response giving a clear sense that the Government understands the thrust of the Health Select Committee's recommendations and it is steadily making progress.

Second Conference on the Regulation of tobacco dependence treatment products
Partnership to reduce tobacco dependence. The target being by the year 2015, the adverse health effects from the consumption of addictive substances such as tobacco, alcohol and psychoactive drugs should have been significantly reduced in all European Member States.

Is it the nicotine or the tobacco?
By David Sweanor and Why taking the nicotine out of tobacco is a bad idea by Clive Bates. World Health Organization Bulletin vol 78, no 7. August 2000

The future of tobacco product regulation and labelling in Europe
Implications for the forthcoming European Directive. Special report published in Tobacco Control August 1999. A major critique of the existing system including misleading low-tar cigarettes and concerns over additives. Offers proposals for alternatives.

Should nicotine be removed from tobacco products?
Should nicotine be taken out of tobacco product to make them less addictive? Some people think so. ASH believes this would do more harm than good. These letters in Tobacco Control Journal outline why.  Tobacco Control, 1998, 8: 106-112

Letter to Tessa Jowell: Tar and nicotine regulation
Letter from the Royal College of Physicians, ASH and others to the Health Minister, Tessa Jowell, regarding the regulation and labelling of harmful contents and smoke emissions of tobacco products.