British American Tobacco has claimed an unwanted first, taking out both categories of the 2025 Dirty Ashtray Awards.
It is the first time the annual gongs, presented by the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) and the Australian Medical Association, have been awarded to the same organisation.
ACOSH and the AMA said the honours were handed to BAT for its role in a “brazen resurgence” of tobacco industry interference in Australia’s public debate, with the company criticised for campaigning on cigarette tax policy while simultaneously promoting new nicotine products.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said BAT’s win in the Dirty Ashtray category reflected the scale of its high-profile push to pressure Australia into lowering tobacco excise.
“Through media appearances and commentary, BAT executives have reframed strong tobacco control as the cause of illicit trade while portraying tax cuts as a public good, claims at odds with independent evidence, but consistent with long-standing industry playbooks,” Dr McMullen said. BAT also won the Exploding Vape category, with the AMA and ACOSH pointing to what they described as aggressive promotion of a “smokeless” strategy, including vapes and heated tobacco products, marketed under the banner of “harm reduction”.
A key part of that strategy is BAT’s Omni™ report, released in 2025 and promoted by the company as a major scientific assessment of the evolution and harms of so-called smokeless tobacco products. BAT has described Omni™ as “a platform for a necessary societal conversation founded in evidence … a manifesto for change and a mandate for action”.
But ACOSH chief executive Laura Hunter said the report did not withstand scrutiny.
“BAT sold Omni™ as a serious scientific review. Our analysis shows it’s anything but — it’s a curated sales document dressed up as evidence,” Ms Hunter said.
She said the dual win showed the industry working “on multiple fronts”: undermining taxes, pushing new nicotine products and inserting itself into policy discussions “under the guise of credibility”.
Dr McMullen warned the media needed to do more to identify and disclose industry influence, arguing that industry-linked voices were too often presented as neutral experts.
Now in their 31st year, the Dirty Ashtray Awards were established to highlight those undermining tobacco control.
“Question your sources. Question who benefits,” Ms Hunter said.