This special issue of Tobacco Control for World No Tobacco Day is focused on the

WHO called on countries to increase tobacco taxes to combat the tobacco epidemic.1 Chan observed that “raising taxes on tobacco is the most effective way to reduce use and save lives ” (Ibid). She commented that “determined action on tobacco tax policy hits the industry where it hurts ” (Ibid). Researchers from New Zealand have modelled the implications of regular increases in tobacco taxation in the tobacco endgame.2 The researchers contend that regulator increases in tobacco taxation can play an important role in tobacco control in New Zealand. However, a wider range of strategies will be needed to meet the smoke free goal of less than 5 % prevalence by 2025. It is par-ticularly important that the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key implement the proposal for plain packaging of tobacco products.3 i Cigarette price levels in five Southeast Asian countries are the topic of another paper.4 The researchers contended that “countries should adopt specific excise tax structures to decrease cigarette price vari-ation, which would minimise opportun-ities for smokers to ‘trade down ’ to a cheaper brand to avoid a tax-driven price increase ” (Ibid). Researchers from Oregon studied the implications of taxing roll-your own tobacco as pipe tobacco in the USA.5 They concluded that the USA change the Federal excise tax so that roll-your-own tobacco and pipe tobacco are taxed at the same rate. Big Tobacco has been seeking to frus-trate and delay tobacco control measures through the use of international trade agreements—such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership,6 ii and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. The public health community is also worried about tobacco companies using investor-state dispute settlement clauses to chal-lenge tobacco control measures—such a