The goal of the research, funded by the US National Institutes of Health and based out of the American Cancer Society, is to identify and explain the political economy of the intersection of public health policy making particullarly tobacco control and economic policy making. Three countries comprise the foci of the study: Zambia, Malawi, and Kenya. Other countries (Nigeria and South Africa) may also participate. The study comprises detailed analyses of trade treaty commitments, foreign and domestic policy positions, and key informant interviews related to tobacco control policy, trade policy, and the role of tobacco as an import and export contributor to local economies.
Two research projects to date include:
The Political Economy of Tobacco Farming in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Building Research and Capacity on the Economic Policy-Tobacco Control Nexus in Africa