Brief report: Categorising characteristics of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes: a systematic review of tobacco industry documents

21 February 2019

From: Tobacco Control

Marin K Kurti1, Klaus von Lampe2, Yi He3, Hiba Khanzada4, Konstantina Kostara5, Qin Da6, Kevin R J Schroth1

Abstract

Background There is scant research on methods used to identify counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes.

Methods Systematic analysis of internal tobacco industry documents characteristics of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes.

Results In the industry documents we identified as relevant, there were 42 characteristics of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes. Overall, physical characteristics (88.1%) were the most commonly identified features across all locations, with the pack blank, cardboard shell of the cigarette pack, as the dominant site (30.9%). Some of the physical characteristics included offset lithography printing, incorrect font and colour. Overall, light microscopy was identified as the main method of forensic analysis for detecting counterfeits.

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Confronting Illicit Tobacco Trade: A Global Review of Country Experiences

1 February 2019

From: The World Bank

Illicit trade in tobacco products undermines global tobacco prevention and control interventions, particularly with respect to tobacco tax policy. Additionally, tobacco illicit trade often depends on and can contribute to weakened governance.

Confronting Tobacco Illicit Trade: A Global Review of Country Experiences, prepared in collaboration with a multisectoral team across different institutions, demonstrates that reducing illicit trade in tobacco products is critical whether viewed from the perspective of public health, public finance, governance, or equity.

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