About us

The Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG) was started by Professor Anna Gilmore in 2011. It has achieved real impact, particularly on tobacco policy in the UK and globally, thanks to its excellent research publications and the Tobacco Tactics website.

The commercial sector and its impacts on health

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer are already responsible for almost 70% of global deaths, and that figure is rising. Many of these diseases are driven by the consumption of unhealthy products (tobacco, alcohol, sugary drinks, junk foods), meaning that these deaths are largely preventable. The companies who manufacture, promote, and sell these products are therefore key influencers of population health and their behaviour must be closely examined.

Our research

Through our research, we:

• explore how companies seek to influence science and policy
• evaluate the effectiveness and impact of public health policy
• map environmental, social and economic impacts across global supply chains
• analyse corporate claims of interest in harm reduction, including CSR programmes and the development and marketing of products
• use digital analysis and big data to explore corporate online footprints and networks of influence
• investigate bribery and corruption in the tobacco industry, including its involvement in the illicit tobacco trade.