They've been stripped of the right to advertise, will soon be forced to sell their products in plain packaging, at least two political parties refuse to accept their donations and now there is a call to ban tobacco companies from lobbying governments.
Anti-tobacco group Action on Smoking and Health wants a crackdown on the tobacco industry's ability to influence public policy.
In a submission to a Senate committee inquiry into the Government's Lobbying Code of Conduct and and the Register of Lobbyists, ACOSH said smoking had caused the deaths of more than one million Australians since 1950 and was now responsible for the deaths of 15,000 each year.
''Action to reduce smoking has been consistently and vigorously opposed and undermined by the global tobacco industry through sophisticated and well-funded campaigns in Australia, with the goal of undermining tobacco control and public health initiatives,'' the ACOSH submission said.
''A ban on lobbying activities by the tobacco industry is an appropriate remedy to the tactics utilised by the tobacco industry, which defy accountability or transparency.
''This lack of accountability and transparency is contrary to Australia's obligations under the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention, to which Australia is a signatory.''
The framework convention required that any interaction with the tobacco industry on matters related to tobacco control or public health be accountable and transparent, the submission said.
Cigarette companies are taking legal action in an attempt to overturn laws which would require all tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging by December this year.
Labor and the Greens refuse to accept political donations from tobacco companies but the Liberal and National parties have refused to follow suit.
This reporter is on Twitter: @pjean01
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