The international traffic in tobacco.

This article examines the problem of tobacco trafficking in the less developed countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The discussion proceeds in four steps. The nature of the international tobacco trade is first examined. Political-economic forces characterizing relations within and between developing countries and less developed countries that have increased the trafficking of tobacco in the less developed countries are discussed. The extent to which this trade has negative health, environmental and social consequences for the less developed countries is outlined. Policies that have been proposed as solutions to the problem are critically reviewed.