Health campaigners have criticised the British American Tobacco ( BAT ) buyout of US firm Reynolds , which was approved by shareholders of both companies on Wednesday . For shareholders at Reynolds headquarters in Winston-Salem, the focus was on the end of an era for the American company, despite recent (and historic) criticism of its business. The deal , which will establish the world ’s largest tobacco firm , came on the same day that the World Health Organization released a report into the actions of tobacco companies which are fighting anti - smoking laws across the world . BAT was one of the companies implicated in a recent Guardian investigation into attempts by tobacco companies to undermine smoking regulation in eight African countries .
Health campaigners have criticised the British American Tobacco ( BAT ) buyout of US firm Reynolds , which was approved by shareholders of both companies on Wednesday . The deal , which will establish the world ’s largest tobacco firm , came on the same day that the World Health Organization released a report into the actions of tobacco companies which are fighting anti - smoking laws across the world . BAT was one of the companies implicated in a recent Guardian investigation into attempts by tobacco companies to undermine smoking regulation in eight African countries .