Since the World Health Organization clamped down on tobacco advertising, corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are among the few remaining outlets that tobacco companies have to promote themselves publicly. British American Tobacco Malaysia (BATM), for example, has won the favor of the Malaysian government and people by helping tobacco growers, making donations to cultural institutions, funding scholarships, developing youth smoking prevention programs, and reporting on its activities. A recent scholarly review of BATM's CSR efforts concludes, however, that "a socially responsible tobacco corporation is an oxymoron and must be identified as such."

Self regulation