Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA)
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Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA), Tobacco Tactics, updated 25 March 2025, accessed 19 December 2025.
In February 2025, the Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA) rebranded as the Nicotine Resource Consortium and changed its website domain to Nicotine360.org1
The Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA) is a US-based organisation which hosts discussions regarding nicotine and tobacco issues. TMA owns and runs the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF), the American Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (ATNF), and the publication Tobacco Reporter.2
Background
Founded in 1915, according to its website “TMA is a US member-driven non-profit based in New Jersey which provides open forums and sources of information for its stakeholders to discuss and debate nicotine and tobacco issues”.3
Its website states that it covers:
- Legislation, Regulation, and Policy
- News and Current Events
- Companies, Brands and Trademarks
- FDA, WHO, FCTC, TPD2, Tax Data, and Trade Information
- Tobacco and Nicotine Research
- Economics, Business, Finance, Agribusiness and Leaf Data
- Original Analysis
Acquisition of SpecComm International
In January 2019, TMA announced it had acquired the North Carolina-based publisher and conference producer SpecComm International, Inc. and its assets.4 The assets include the GTNF Conference, TabExpo, Tobacco Reporter, Vapor Voice, Tobacco Farm Quarterly, Tobacconist, Pipes & Tobacco, and Cigars & Leisure magazines.56 Under the acquisition deal, TMA created a new division called The GTNF Trust which operates and manages the GTNF Conference, Tobacco Reporter Magazine and Vapor Voice Magazine.56
When the SpecComm International acquisition was announced, TMA also announced staff leadership changes.56
Conferences and Meetings
Image 1: The sponsors of ATNF event7
TMA hosts annual meetings, conferences and webinars which are sponsored by transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) and attended by tobacco industry representatives often held in Virginia, USA (see Image 1).89 Meetings have been attended by representatives of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the PMI-financed Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (renamed Global Action to End Smoking in 2024).8
In January 2025, TMA annual meeting and conference was rebranded as the American Tobacco & Nicotine Forum (ATNF) to focus on “the future of the tobacco and nicotine industries” within the USA. The organizers describe it as a space for industry regulators and public health representatives to engage in discussions similar to its global sister conference GTNF.109.For information about the conference speakers and panellists, see the ATNF website.
Tobacco Tactics Resources