Jason McLure

EU officials acted to aid tobacco giant abroad, documents show The EU’s actions were a “great help,” Philip Morris International said in an email.

Tobacco giant Philip Morris International wanted help overturning restrictions on its products in Asia and Latin America. It sought help in Brussels:

www.theexamination.org/articles/eu-...

EU officials acted to aid tobacco giant abroad, documents show The EU’s actions were a “great help,” Philip Morris International said in an email.

www.theexamination.org/articles/eu-...

The Auto Industry Was Warned: Battery Recycling Was Poisoning People

The Auto Industry Was Warned: Battery Recycling Was Poisoning People www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/w...

How we linked the auto industry to lead poisoning in Nigeria Blood and soil testing confirmed the health consequences. Then we tracked individual shipments to the United States.

70% of residents we tested in Ogijo, Nigeria, had harmful levels of lead in their blood. Our field tests in Africa’s battery recycling capital reveal the human costs of a murky supply chain.
www.theexamination.org/articles/aut...

Lawmaker with family ties to British American Tobacco attempts to stop UK smoking ban Lord Strathcarron didn’t publicly disclose his family connection even as he adopted the tobacco giant’s position on a “smoke-free generation” bill.

Lord Strathcarron, a UK lawmaker who tried to block an anti-tobacco bill, discussed the legislation with a family member who is “very high up” at British American Tobacco

Extremely British tobacco machinations uncovered by @mattchapman.bsky.social

why-most-countries-never-got-a-tobacco-settlement Governments in the U.S. and Canada went to court and got tobacco companies to pay for smoking-related diseases. Many other lawsuits have failed.

Governments in 21 countries have sued the tobacco industry for the health costs of smoking - and only two have seen any money

New story from @maria-perez.bsky.social breaks down how the tobacco industry has avoided paying up

Smoking costs countries billions in health care. Just two have forced tobacco companies to pay up. Governments in the U.S. and Canada went to court and got tobacco companies to pay for smoking-related diseases. Many other lawsuits have failed.

More than 20 years ago, U.S. states reached landmark settlements with tobacco companies over the costs of treating smoking-related diseases. Since then, courts worldwide have often rejected similar lawsuits. Here’s why: www.theexamination.org/articles/why...

California becomes first U.S state to regulate ultra-processed foods in schools California bans some ultra-processed foods in school meals. Plus, global health updates from across our beats.

California's crackdown on ultraprocessed foods in schools borrows from several countries

Like Brazil, it singles out UPFs. But like Chile, Mexico & others, it focuses on cutting out junk foods rather than reducing processing overall

My analysis for @theexamination.org newsletter

Nicotine pouches like Zyn and ALP don't mix well with kids.

Exposure cases from pouches reported to U.S. Poison Centers more than tripled between 2022 and 2024. This year cases are up 92% through August.

Kids under 6 were more than 70% of the exposures.

poisoncenters.org/news-alerts/...

‘Nicotine-free’ vapes and pouches promise a buzz without the downsides. Health concerns remain. Outlaw Dip, Spree Bar and other nicotine alternatives aren’t regulated in many countries. Researchers warn about health risks and misleading marketing.

Companies like Outlaw Dip sell oral pouches made with a chemical remarkably similar to nicotine. "Don't be a quitter, be an outlaw," it says.

"These products were intentionally designed to bypass regulation," says one cancer researcher.

www.theexamination.org/articles/nic...

Pre-Conference Day Events Before the 2025 Global Investigative Journalism Conference officially kicks off, GIJC25 will host a focused day of high-impact workshops and special gatherings led by top investigative journalists and...

Spots are filling up for our pre-conference #GIJC25 event! Join us for a packed day of discussions, workshops, and networking with investigative health reporters from across the world. You won't want to miss out.

🚨 More info and how to register: gijc2025.org/pre-conferen...

YouTube video by The Examination The public-health dilemma of state-owned tobacco companies

Companies partly or wholly owned by a government make most of the world's cigarettes. Our look at what this means for public health:

www.youtube.com/shorts/KUNQH...

When governments own tobacco companies, who watches out for your health? At least 17 countries have a stake in the tobacco industry, making them responsible for a product that is a leading cause of preventable death.

Many governments want people to quit smoking. Some also want them to buy cigarettes.

More on the thorny issues raised by state-ownership of tobacco companies:

www.theexamination.org/articles/whe...

YouTube video by The Examination How Imperial Brands’ Laos Deal Paid Politician’s Relative and Capped Cigarette Taxes

Thanks to @radiofreeasiapr.bsky.social for showcasing @theexamination.org investigation showing in-law of ex-Lao leader Bounnhang Vorachit earned $28 million from Laos tobacco privatization.

Interview (Lao subtitles): www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjW1...

Docs: www.documentcloud.org/projects/221...

A deal between Imperial Brands and the Laos government capped cigarette taxes for 25 years AND paid millions to a family member of the country's then-prime minister.

Read the story:
www.theexamination.org/articles/how...

View the documents:
www.documentcloud.org/projects/221...

How Imperial Brands’ Confidential Contract Kept Cigarette Prices Low in Laos — While Secretly Enriching a Political Insider The deal delivered millions to an in-law of the former president, Bounnhang Vorachit, while blocking tobacco tax hikes for 25 years. A confidential contract between tobacco giant Imperial Brands and.....

A secret deal by tobacco giant Imperial Brands delivered millions to an in-law of Laos's former president for a 25-year tax freeze.

This arrangement has kept cigarette prices among the world's lowest.

Story by grantee @jasonmclure.bsky.social for @theexamination.org. bit.ly/40ad76A

A tobacco giant took over a state monopoly in Asia.

Cigarette taxes got capped at one of the lowest levels in the world.

An ex-president’s relative secretly got millions.

Our latest:

www.theexamination.org/articles/how...

Jobs We investigate corporate behavior that threatens the health of communities around the world. See our reporting on tobacco, food, polluters and more.

We're hiring!

@theexamination.org is growing and looking to fill three crucial editor roles:

- Interim Managing Editor
- Data Editor
- News Editor

Making this a thread because these are great opportunities...
www.theexamination.org/about/jobs

Phillip Morris + a British lord + a trip to Switzerland = a new proposal to water down the UK's anti-smoking law

My colleague's @theexamination.org scoop this weekend, in partnership with @theguardian.com 👇

The Philippines is chairing the World Health Assembly for the first time – but public health organizations are calling on @who.int to revoke its role over ties between Filipino officials and tobacco giant Phillip Morris International. #WHA78 🧵

www.theexamination.org/articles/how...

Our new investigation with @nytimes.com shows how – by intertwining science and salesmanship – one researcher has fueled misleading claims about the health benefits of maple syrup, with the help of industry funding.
www.theexamination.org/articles/a-s...

The tobacco lobby claims vaping is displacing youth smoking – a close look at the evidence tells another story A 2020 study is frequently cited as evidence that vaping reduces youth smoking rates. But the research is flawed. Vaping might be a gateway for teens to start smoking.

New study contradicts claims vaping is displacing teen cigarette use. theconversation.com/the-tobacco-...

Opioids alert! Prescriptions for tapentadol have surpassed those for oxycodone.

Yet drug company Grünenthal and others have made misleading claims about its addictiveness - echoing a strategy that Purdue Pharma and other opioid makers used to hook millions.

www.theexamination.org/articles/gru...

Well that’s a headline I did not except to see. Ever.

NEW: FDA food safety scientists stopped clams contaminated with PFAS from entering America.

Then they were fired by DOGE.

Our latest story reveals how FDA cutbacks are endangering America’s food safety
www.theexamination.org/articles/tru...

NEW: The fossil fuel industry and its allies are seeking to roll back workers’ freedom to choose socially conscious "ESG" retirement plans

Trump's Energy Secretary Chris Wright has played a key role

For @theexamination.org & @gristnews.bsky.social

www.theexamination.org/articles/tru...

Overwhelmed federal agency regulating America's deadliest consumer products loses 8% of staff after DOGE:

www.theexamination.org/articles/mas...

Do you have $$ in a retirement plan that considers ESG, and want to talk about why it matters to you?

I'm a reporter working on a story about legal attacks on ESG investing, and would love to hear from you. Reply and I'll be in touch, and share to help spread the word

#climate #climatesolutions

How To Investigate Green Finance Join investigative journalists Bruna Bronoski, Alexander Abdelilah, and Sasha Chavkin for an in-depth discussion on investigating "green finance" schemes. Hosted by the Pulitzer Center, this event wil...

Join @sashachavkin.bsky.social on Feb. 11 at 4:00pmGMT for the @pulitzercenter.bsky.social webinar, "How To Investigate Green Finance."

What To Expect:
🟢 Practical techniques for analyzing financial records
🟢 Tips for using open-source intelligence in reporting
& more❕

👉 Register: bit.ly/3CvRiG9 💡

Excited to share a new investigation...

Banks have poured $286 billion in a lax form of green loans into polluting industries like fossil fuels and mining.

With the Toronto Star & Mississippi Today, published with AP & supported by Pulitzer Center
www.theexamination.org/articles/how...