It is time for governments to support retailers in the transition to a smoke-free society

Phasing out tobacco retailing is gaining traction as the natural next step in controlling the tobacco pandemic

The commercial tobacco trade is a complex system involving multiple actors, from tobacco growers and manufacturers to the importers and wholesalers that distribute products to retailers, who onsell to consumers. Consumers who purchase and use products form the demand side. Governments can influence each actor through policy, but have historically focused on the demand-side measures in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC; Articles 6–14). These outnumber the supply-side measures (Articles 15–17), which have primarily focused on constraining tobacco product manufacturers. Calls are growing for governments to increase attention on retail supply — the critical link in the supply chain between manufacturers and consumers...