As part of London Global Cancer Week 2026, the Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG), based at the University of Bath, will host an interactive webinar examining the evolving tactics used to promote misleading narratives.
This event asks: how does disinformation influence public understanding of health evidence and policy - and what can public health learn from the tobacco industry’s approach?
Attend this webinar
Register your attendance for this webinar.
Please note: this event is not open to employees or anyone who is a recipient of financial support from the tobacco and nicotine industry, nor those who further its interests, including organisations such as Global Action to End Smoking.
This event is free to attend and will be of interest to those working or studying in public health, cancer prevention, research, policy, communications and health advocacy. It is also open to those interested in the growing challenge of disinformation and its impact on public health.
About this webinar
Tobacco smoking is responsible for at least 20 different types of cancer and remains the leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide. This public health crisis is fuelled by the tobacco industry, which continues to promote potentially misleading narratives that advance its interests while undermining efforts to protect public health.
The session will feature four experts from the TCRG, who will each address a distinct aspect of tobacco industry disinformation.
Dr Raouf Alebshehy
Dr Raouf Alebshehy, Managing Editor of Tobacco Tactics, will discuss the disinformation surrounding the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC): the global public health treaty that supports the implementation of evidence-based measures to reduce tobacco supply and demand.
Dr Sophie Braznell
Dr Sophie Braznell, Research Coordinator, will cover how the tobacco industry uses selective evidence, misleading statistics, and references to trusted institutions to promote Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs).
Dr Tess Legg
Research Associate, Dr Tess Legg, will explore how the tobacco industry shapes science to distort understanding, delay regulation, and undermine evidence-based tobacco control.
Dr John Mehegan
Dr John Mehegan, Research Data Manager, will address the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in tobacco industry disinformation, examining how AI can contribute to the spread of misleading information while also offering new tools to identify and tackle it.
