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Evaluation and Surveillance

The Institute for Global Tobacco Control conducts tobacco control evaluation and surveillance including the development of compliance assessment guides and tracking tools, and policy evaluation research. Evaluation and surveillance is one of the three pillars of IGTC's operating framework.

Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS)

With a searchable database of more than 6,600 packs, TPackSS systematically documents the variety of tobacco packages available in select low- and middle-income countries. The project monitors the implementation of required health warnings and identifies pack design features and marketing appeals that might violate or detract from country tobacco packaging requirements in these countries.

A radar screen background with images of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches

Policy Scans

The first IGTC Policy Scan launched in 2014 with information on e-cigarette regulations in 68 countries. Now the Policy Scan contains webpages for the 194 member states recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has added information on heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. The Policy Scan is updated twice yearly.

Tobacco Watcher

Our automated media monitoring and intelligence site scans the news in real time and provides users with current articles pertaining to their interests. Tobacco Watcher analyzes more than 50,000 articles and 500,000 social media messages per day in more than 20 different languages to benefit advocates, policy makers and researchers. Sign up for alerts and track breaking news through the Sentinels feature.

Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets

From 2015 to 2021, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and IGTC collected data from more than 19,500 points of sale in more than 100 cities about cigarette advertising and promotional tactics at the point-of-sale (POS) within a short walking distance of schools and playgrounds. Spanning all six WHO regions, the data from this project has resulted in multiple publications and presentations led by IGTC faculty member Jennifer Brown.