Big Tobacco is a name used to refer to the largest companies in the tobacco industry. There are five that are normally included: Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco, Imperial Brands, and China Tobacco. Altria, which only sells in the United States, is also one of the largest tobacco companies.
The label draws a parallel to similar classifications in other industries, such as Big Tech, Big Oil, Big Soda, or Big Pharma.[1]
Overview
According to the World Medical Journal, the five largest tobacco companies are:
Altria, which only operates in the United States, is also among the largest tobacco corporations worldwide.[2]
These companies have substantial power economically, with revenues matching some small countries. These companies are well known for lobbying governments, advocating for looser restrictions and lower taxes.[3]
These companies have garnered significant controversy for the product they produce and the tactics with which they sell and market them. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. Despite a general decrease in cigarette use in the United States, there has been no change in the use of smokeless tobacco, which can also cause cancer.[4]
Some of the tactics utilized by these companies have been noted to be similar to that of other industries such as the oil, sugar, and cell phone industries.[5]
See also
- Tobacco politics
- Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, a settlement reached in the United States in 1998
- Jeffrey Wigand, American biochemist and whistleblower
- Nicotine marketing
- "Big"—Big business, Big Media, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Soda, Big Tech
Further reading
External links
References
- Will Oremus. Big Tobacco. Big Pharma. Big Tech? Slate, November 17, 2017, retrieved November 22, 2021^
- Top 25 largest Tobacco Companies in the World 2025 Disfold, retrieved 13 November 2025^
- Ruth Lee. The FCTC and Tobacco Industry World Medical Journal, January 2020^