Jason McLure

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...

Tracking Putin’s Most Feared Secret Agency—From Inside a Russian Prison and Beyond The spy unit that arrested a Wall Street Journal reporter is leading the biggest campaign of internal repression since the Stalin era.

Can't say enough good things about this reporting: www.wsj.com/world/russia...

China moves to ban ‘cigarette cards’ among minors The craze has sparked concern by authorities who say exposure to tobacco products could "familiarise children with cigarette brands and create a positive association with smoking".

www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/ch...

Los cigarrillos de sabores frutales, prohibidos en Europa y Estados Unidos, triunfan entre los adolescentes de América Latina ‘Marlboros’ de sandía y ‘Luckies’ de arándano y mentol: a pesar de las promesas de un mundo sin humo, las tabacaleras siguen promoviendo en la región este tipo de productos que cautivan a los más jóve...

'Like smoking gum.'

Fruit-flavored 'click' cigarettes a hit with teens in Latin America:

elpais.com/america/2024...

YouTube video by The Examination Flavored cigarettes in Latin America: ‘It’s like smoking gum'

"It's like smoking chewing gum."
'Click' cigarettes w/flavors like watermelon and blueberry have rocketed in popularity in Latin America.
@mariajpsl went to Chile to see if the industry's vows not to target children are real.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLB4...

How to get a 12-year-old to start smoking?

Making cigs youngsters compare to lollipops & lemonade may help.

Flavor capsule cigarette sales boom in Latin America as
Philip Morris Int. and British American Tobacco use festivals and feature musicians like @echosmith in marketing: bit.ly/4hXUwlE

YouTube video by The Examination Flavored cigarettes in Latin America: ‘It’s like smoking gum'

Watermelon Marlboros and lemony Lucky Strikes?

"Click cigarettes" with a flavor capsule in the filter have taken Latin America by storm.

Philip Morris Int., British American Tobacco say they don't target kids with fruity cigs.

@maria-perez.bsky.social tested that claim in Chile:

bit.ly/4g1w15j