Government in Hungary May Require Blank Cigarette Packaging
The Hungarian government is drafting a bill that would require tobacco manufacturers to sell their products in plain packages, without logos or other brand identifiers, according to an announcement that the government published on its website, MTI reported Friday.
Under the bill, the exterior of the products would look the same, and manufacturers would not be able to promote their products on the packaging, according to MTI, the state news service. The bill also reportedly proposes restricting the selling of flavored tobacco, and it would mean that menthol flavored cigarettes would disappear from the market as of May 20, 2020.
The part of the bill regulating packaging could take effect on May 20, and would grant a year of grace period, to give cigarette companies time to change the look of their cigarette boxes. Today Marlboro is most recognizable cigarettes brand and it is hard to imagine it in a plain pack.
Cabinet Chief János Lázár said at his regular press conference Thursday that the bill would also regulate the application of “health protection warnings” on the packages, which warn customers of the harmful effects of smoking.
Under the bill, the exterior of the products would look the same, and manufacturers would not be able to promote their products on the packaging, according to MTI, the state news service. The bill also reportedly proposes restricting the selling of flavored tobacco, and it would mean that menthol flavored cigarettes would disappear from the market as of May 20, 2020.
The part of the bill regulating packaging could take effect on May 20, and would grant a year of grace period, to give cigarette companies time to change the look of their cigarette boxes. Today Marlboro is most recognizable cigarettes brand and it is hard to imagine it in a plain pack.
Cabinet Chief János Lázár said at his regular press conference Thursday that the bill would also regulate the application of “health protection warnings” on the packages, which warn customers of the harmful effects of smoking.
Quit Smoking Program for Pregnant Women in Missouri
At Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital — surrounded by counties where as many as one in three pregnant women smoke — when a new pregnant woman tells her doctor she smokes cigarettes, she gets a visit from respiratory therapist Carrie Staab.
Staab comes armed with pamphlets and gives her spiel about the dangers to the fetus. She refers patients to the state quitline and websites that provide counseling and support over the phone or online.
“We would hand them resources, and it would end there,” Staab said. Some would quit, while some would try and fail. Others were too daunted to even try. No one followed up after the women had their babies.
Now Staab is armed with a new tool: up to 12 months of free diapers. “That gets them in and gets them interested to listen,” she said.
The southeast Missouri hospital is one of six sites across the state chosen to participate in Baby & Me: Tobacco Free, a program that supports pregnant women’s commitment to quit smoking by promising a much-coveted commodity for new moms — diapers — if they kick the habit during and after their pregnancy.
The program is gaining traction nationwide after a 2011 study showed its success in helping women quit during pregnancy, as well as staying smoke-free for months after. Twelve states have Baby & Me programs, and a dozen states have programs in the works, said program founder and director Laurie Adams, a cessation educator in New York.
It also meets another need in Missouri, which the Post-Dispatch reported on a year ago: a diaper crisis among poor families that not only causes obvious health problems, but also leads to depression in mothers and poor developmental outcomes in children.
Staab comes armed with pamphlets and gives her spiel about the dangers to the fetus. She refers patients to the state quitline and websites that provide counseling and support over the phone or online.
“We would hand them resources, and it would end there,” Staab said. Some would quit, while some would try and fail. Others were too daunted to even try. No one followed up after the women had their babies.
Now Staab is armed with a new tool: up to 12 months of free diapers. “That gets them in and gets them interested to listen,” she said.
The southeast Missouri hospital is one of six sites across the state chosen to participate in Baby & Me: Tobacco Free, a program that supports pregnant women’s commitment to quit smoking by promising a much-coveted commodity for new moms — diapers — if they kick the habit during and after their pregnancy.
The program is gaining traction nationwide after a 2011 study showed its success in helping women quit during pregnancy, as well as staying smoke-free for months after. Twelve states have Baby & Me programs, and a dozen states have programs in the works, said program founder and director Laurie Adams, a cessation educator in New York.
It also meets another need in Missouri, which the Post-Dispatch reported on a year ago: a diaper crisis among poor families that not only causes obvious health problems, but also leads to depression in mothers and poor developmental outcomes in children.
Philip Morris Pakistan Limited
Philip Morris Pakistan Limited (PMPKL) is an affiliate of Philip Morris International Inc. The company was formally known as Lakson Tobacco Company, which got incorporated in 1969 as a public limited company. Though the name changed in 2011 to Philip Morris Pakistan Limited, Philip Morris Inc (PMI) became its majority shareholder back in 2007. It is among the two multinational tobacco companies, the other being Pakistan Tobacco Company.
Looking to buy cheap Marlboro online? http://www.cigarettestime.com/marlboro
The tobacco company is involved in manufacturing and selling of cigarettes for the domestic market. It currently operates three cigarette factories with primary and secondary facilities and one tobacco leaf threshing plant, all located in various parts of the country. It also runs an extensive tobacco leaf agronomy program in the tobacco growing areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The company is also involved in CSR where it is engaged in undertaking various initiatives in the education, environmental sustainability and disaster-relief sectors to give back to the community it operates in. The company is registered at Karachi Stock Exchange and Lahore Stock Exchanges. Currently, the company offers ten brands of cigarettes. Of the main ones, it markets and sells both international brands like Marlboro and Red & White, and locally owned brands like Morven Gold, Diplomat, and K2.
CY12: The Pakistani tobacco industry has been struggling due to illicit cigarette trade but it has been particularly tough on Philip Morris.
CY11 was especially not a good year for the company. The struggle for the company continued in CY12 as well and the year became another challenging step for Philip Morris. The company struggled for profits during the period. Philip Morris worsened its losses by about 28 percent year-on-year to Rs 583 million in CY12.
The net turnover of the company saw a lift of 11 percent year-on-year. This situation was attributed to higher sales of 262 million cigarettes and the price hike in June 2012. The improvement during the major chunk of the year came from the company's ongoing trade incentive programs and some volumetric consolidation during the period under the discussion.
Compared to last year, the gross margins improved considerably during the period under review. This was by more than 600 basis points. However, the net margins remained under duress for the tobacco multinational. The rising marketing and distribution expenses and other expenses further stressed out the profit position. However, during the period, the tobacco company was able to scale down the loss in comparison with the similar period last year though higher selling prices and trade.
Looking to buy cheap Marlboro online? http://www.cigarettestime.com/marlboro
The tobacco company is involved in manufacturing and selling of cigarettes for the domestic market. It currently operates three cigarette factories with primary and secondary facilities and one tobacco leaf threshing plant, all located in various parts of the country. It also runs an extensive tobacco leaf agronomy program in the tobacco growing areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The company is also involved in CSR where it is engaged in undertaking various initiatives in the education, environmental sustainability and disaster-relief sectors to give back to the community it operates in. The company is registered at Karachi Stock Exchange and Lahore Stock Exchanges. Currently, the company offers ten brands of cigarettes. Of the main ones, it markets and sells both international brands like Marlboro and Red & White, and locally owned brands like Morven Gold, Diplomat, and K2.
CY12: The Pakistani tobacco industry has been struggling due to illicit cigarette trade but it has been particularly tough on Philip Morris.
CY11 was especially not a good year for the company. The struggle for the company continued in CY12 as well and the year became another challenging step for Philip Morris. The company struggled for profits during the period. Philip Morris worsened its losses by about 28 percent year-on-year to Rs 583 million in CY12.
The net turnover of the company saw a lift of 11 percent year-on-year. This situation was attributed to higher sales of 262 million cigarettes and the price hike in June 2012. The improvement during the major chunk of the year came from the company's ongoing trade incentive programs and some volumetric consolidation during the period under the discussion.
Compared to last year, the gross margins improved considerably during the period under review. This was by more than 600 basis points. However, the net margins remained under duress for the tobacco multinational. The rising marketing and distribution expenses and other expenses further stressed out the profit position. However, during the period, the tobacco company was able to scale down the loss in comparison with the similar period last year though higher selling prices and trade.
Teens Push Mpls. City Council for Flavored Tobacco Ban
The Minneapolis City Council is considering an ordinance that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco in convenience stores, grocery stores and drug stores.
Anti-smoking advocates say the products, with flavors such as bubblegum and chocolate, are aimed at hooking teens on tobacco.
But teens are actually the ones behind the push to ban it.
"Some teens think just because there's flavor, it lessens the risk of the tobacco," saysDamari Jordan, a 15-year-old student at Cyber Village Academy.
Jordan is a member of the Minneapolis Youth Congress, a collection of high school students formed to advocate for real changes in their community.
They, along with Breathe Free North - an anti-smoking youth group based in north Minneapolis - provided city council members with data they collected from peers.
Through surveys, they found flavored tobacco and cigarillos are often the first tobacco products teens try.
The proposed ordinance would remove all the flavored products from convenience stores in Minneapolis so they could only be sold at adult-only tobacco stores. And it would raise the minimum price of cigars and cigarillos to $2.60 to make them less affordable for kids.
"Finding a dollar around your house, it's easy. It's finding change. But $5 is harder, and not a lot of kids can afford it," said Jessica Sanchez, a 16-year-old student at Southwest High School and member of Minneapolis Youth Congress.
City Council Member Cam Gordon thinks the ordinance will pass later this summer.
"We were very impressed that the testimony they gave," Gordon said.
That's because the kids did their homework -- taking surveys, checking out convenience stores. They were hoping they could make a difference.
"But I didn't know it was going to be something as big as this," Jordan said.
"I didn't think it was going to happen so quickly," said Kendra Roedel, a 16-year-old student at South High School.
They surprised even themselves -- that adults are so willing to take suggestions from kids.
"We can work together and we can get stuff done," Jordan said. "Fast."
At Monday's public hearing, the council committee moved to delay a vote on the ordinance until it can be modified. Questions were raised about whether menthol cigarettes and flavored pipe tobacco would be excluded from the ban.
Flavored tobacco would still be available at adult-only tobacco stores
Anti-smoking advocates say the products, with flavors such as bubblegum and chocolate, are aimed at hooking teens on tobacco.
But teens are actually the ones behind the push to ban it.
"Some teens think just because there's flavor, it lessens the risk of the tobacco," saysDamari Jordan, a 15-year-old student at Cyber Village Academy.
Jordan is a member of the Minneapolis Youth Congress, a collection of high school students formed to advocate for real changes in their community.
They, along with Breathe Free North - an anti-smoking youth group based in north Minneapolis - provided city council members with data they collected from peers.
Through surveys, they found flavored tobacco and cigarillos are often the first tobacco products teens try.
The proposed ordinance would remove all the flavored products from convenience stores in Minneapolis so they could only be sold at adult-only tobacco stores. And it would raise the minimum price of cigars and cigarillos to $2.60 to make them less affordable for kids.
"Finding a dollar around your house, it's easy. It's finding change. But $5 is harder, and not a lot of kids can afford it," said Jessica Sanchez, a 16-year-old student at Southwest High School and member of Minneapolis Youth Congress.
City Council Member Cam Gordon thinks the ordinance will pass later this summer.
"We were very impressed that the testimony they gave," Gordon said.
That's because the kids did their homework -- taking surveys, checking out convenience stores. They were hoping they could make a difference.
"But I didn't know it was going to be something as big as this," Jordan said.
"I didn't think it was going to happen so quickly," said Kendra Roedel, a 16-year-old student at South High School.
They surprised even themselves -- that adults are so willing to take suggestions from kids.
"We can work together and we can get stuff done," Jordan said. "Fast."
At Monday's public hearing, the council committee moved to delay a vote on the ordinance until it can be modified. Questions were raised about whether menthol cigarettes and flavored pipe tobacco would be excluded from the ban.
Flavored tobacco would still be available at adult-only tobacco stores
Cigarettes still sold near hundreds of schools in Beijing
About 16 percent of high school students in Beijing smoke cigarettes, and they have access to cigarettes near schools, according to a survey released by Beijing's health authority on Tuesday.
The survey, conducted by the Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control (CDC) from April to May, gathered information from 1,654 primary and high schools on their smoking-ban policy, sales of cigarettes near schools and smokers in schools.
The survey found that 10 percent of the schools have not banned smoking.
Beijing's new smoking ban, which took effect on Monday, prohibits smoking in indoor public places and open-air spaces in schools and kindergartens.
The survey found that 53 percent of vocational high school students smoke cigarettes, and 4.3 percent of female high school students smoke.
Around 9 percent of faculty members in primary and high schools smoke in school, with 34 percent of male faculty members and 0.2 percent of female faculty members as smokers.
Beijing's new ban prohibits cigarette sales within 100 meters of schools, but the survey found that cigarette vendors are not far from Beijing schools.
Of the 1,654 schools surveyed, 588 have stores selling cigarettes within 100 meters or 36 percent. Some schools have at least 11 stores nearby selling cigarettes.
An inspection of 874 tobacco shops outside schools found that 73 percent of them have failed to post a "no tobacco products for juveniles" sign and 80 percent sell cigarettes to students.
The Beijing CDC said that the sale of cigarettes near schools significantly influences youth smoking, and it called on schools and relevant government agencies to do something about the school vicinity.
The Beijing CDC also issued a rule for smoke-free schools in Beijing Tuesday, which requires schools to assign part-time supervisors and set up no-smoking signs to remind parents to tell their children not to smoke.
Beijing has 4.19 million smokers or 23 percent of the city's population and people know
where to buy cheap cigarettes online.
China is the world's largest cigarette producer and consumer. The number of smokers exceeds 300 million, with at least 740 million non-smokers regularly exposed to secondhand smoke, including 180 million children, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The survey, conducted by the Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control (CDC) from April to May, gathered information from 1,654 primary and high schools on their smoking-ban policy, sales of cigarettes near schools and smokers in schools.
The survey found that 10 percent of the schools have not banned smoking.
Beijing's new smoking ban, which took effect on Monday, prohibits smoking in indoor public places and open-air spaces in schools and kindergartens.
The survey found that 53 percent of vocational high school students smoke cigarettes, and 4.3 percent of female high school students smoke.
Around 9 percent of faculty members in primary and high schools smoke in school, with 34 percent of male faculty members and 0.2 percent of female faculty members as smokers.
Beijing's new ban prohibits cigarette sales within 100 meters of schools, but the survey found that cigarette vendors are not far from Beijing schools.
Of the 1,654 schools surveyed, 588 have stores selling cigarettes within 100 meters or 36 percent. Some schools have at least 11 stores nearby selling cigarettes.
An inspection of 874 tobacco shops outside schools found that 73 percent of them have failed to post a "no tobacco products for juveniles" sign and 80 percent sell cigarettes to students.
The Beijing CDC said that the sale of cigarettes near schools significantly influences youth smoking, and it called on schools and relevant government agencies to do something about the school vicinity.
The Beijing CDC also issued a rule for smoke-free schools in Beijing Tuesday, which requires schools to assign part-time supervisors and set up no-smoking signs to remind parents to tell their children not to smoke.
Beijing has 4.19 million smokers or 23 percent of the city's population and people know
where to buy cheap cigarettes online.
China is the world's largest cigarette producer and consumer. The number of smokers exceeds 300 million, with at least 740 million non-smokers regularly exposed to secondhand smoke, including 180 million children, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Tobacco Companies Get Partial Victory over Claims on Smoking Effects
America’s largest tobacco companies must inform consumers that cigarettes were designed to increase addiction, but not that they lied to the public about the dangers of smoking, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday.
The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is a partial win for cigarette makers in the long-running legal fight that began in the Clinton administration in 1999. In this latest round, the companies objected to running court-ordered advertisements that would have branded themselves as liars.
The ads would have begun with a preamble statement that the companies “deliberately deceived the American public.” The ads stem from a 2006 court ruling ordering the companies to admit they had lied for decades about the dangers of smoking.
The companies called that statement overbroad and misleading. But government lawyers argued that the language was meant to provide context for the public.
The appeals court ruled that the language must focus on preventing future violations, not past misconduct. Writing for the three-judge panel, Judge David Tatel said the preamble language in the ads about past deception went beyond the remedies allowed under federal racketeering laws.
But Tatel said other language in the ads that stated the companies intentionally designed cigarettes with enough nicotine “to create and sustain addiction” was within the bounds of the law. Tatel also approved ads that said the companies “intentionally designed cigarettes to make them more addictive.”
The companies in the case include Richmond, Virginia-based Altria Group Inc., owner of the biggest U.S. tobacco company, Philip Morris USA; No. 2 cigarette maker, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., owned by Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Reynolds American Inc.; and No. 3 cigarette maker Lorillard Inc., based in Greensboro, North Carolina and the maker of cheap Kent Convertibles cigarettes http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/buy/kent/kent-convertibles
In 1999, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit that alleged the tobacco companies violated racketeering laws by conspiring to deceive the public about the health consequences and addictiveness of smoking cigarettes.
In 2006, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ordered the companies to take out ads addressing the negative health effects of smoking, nicotine manipulation, the health impact of secondhand smoke and the truth about “light” and “low-tar” brands. The ads would appear in newspapers, on TV, websites and cigarette pack inserts.
While the appeals court struck down the preamble to the ads, it left the remaining content largely intact.
The case now goes back to the district court for further proceedings.
The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is a partial win for cigarette makers in the long-running legal fight that began in the Clinton administration in 1999. In this latest round, the companies objected to running court-ordered advertisements that would have branded themselves as liars.
The ads would have begun with a preamble statement that the companies “deliberately deceived the American public.” The ads stem from a 2006 court ruling ordering the companies to admit they had lied for decades about the dangers of smoking.
The companies called that statement overbroad and misleading. But government lawyers argued that the language was meant to provide context for the public.
The appeals court ruled that the language must focus on preventing future violations, not past misconduct. Writing for the three-judge panel, Judge David Tatel said the preamble language in the ads about past deception went beyond the remedies allowed under federal racketeering laws.
But Tatel said other language in the ads that stated the companies intentionally designed cigarettes with enough nicotine “to create and sustain addiction” was within the bounds of the law. Tatel also approved ads that said the companies “intentionally designed cigarettes to make them more addictive.”
The companies in the case include Richmond, Virginia-based Altria Group Inc., owner of the biggest U.S. tobacco company, Philip Morris USA; No. 2 cigarette maker, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., owned by Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Reynolds American Inc.; and No. 3 cigarette maker Lorillard Inc., based in Greensboro, North Carolina and the maker of cheap Kent Convertibles cigarettes http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/buy/kent/kent-convertibles
In 1999, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit that alleged the tobacco companies violated racketeering laws by conspiring to deceive the public about the health consequences and addictiveness of smoking cigarettes.
In 2006, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ordered the companies to take out ads addressing the negative health effects of smoking, nicotine manipulation, the health impact of secondhand smoke and the truth about “light” and “low-tar” brands. The ads would appear in newspapers, on TV, websites and cigarette pack inserts.
While the appeals court struck down the preamble to the ads, it left the remaining content largely intact.
The case now goes back to the district court for further proceedings.
Athletes or officials, stop lighting it!
_
National Institute of Sports (NSI) chief executive officer Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz has called for a concerted effort to curb the smoking habit among the athletes and officials who know cheapest place to buy cigarettes
And he feels that any fine or punishment for the offence committed should be borne by those caught in the act.
“Any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) structure that we come up with to combat this menace has to be seen as a serious deterrent. Otherwise, we’re not going to stop it. And I believe the time has come for some concrete action to be taken,” said Dr Ramlan after learning that the Malaysian contingents to last year’s Commonwealth Games and Asian Games were fined about RM150,000 for smoking and causing damage to property.
“I don’t think it is right for the OCM (Olympic Council of Malaysia) or sports associations to pay the fines imposed on those who were caught for smoking.
“It’s not as if the athletes were not warned about the dangers and also the pollution it causes to the training and competition areas. If the athletes want to break the rules, then they must pay for it. It’s simple as that, ” added Dr Ramlan.
He said he was surprised by the heavy fines imposed by the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Asian Games in Incheon.
“I was not aware of these fines. But I have to agree that this is serious and we cannot afford to ignore the effects it is having on our athletes and also the image of the country.
“You also cannot cause damage to others or property for whatever reasons,” he added.
Dr Ramlan said they would raise the smoking issue when the Singapore SEA Games-bound athletes attend the national training camp in Putrajaya from May 22-24.
He added that the Malaysian contingent should not only aim for zero tolerance towards doping, but also smoking. .
And he feels that any fine or punishment for the offence committed should be borne by those caught in the act.
“Any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) structure that we come up with to combat this menace has to be seen as a serious deterrent. Otherwise, we’re not going to stop it. And I believe the time has come for some concrete action to be taken,” said Dr Ramlan after learning that the Malaysian contingents to last year’s Commonwealth Games and Asian Games were fined about RM150,000 for smoking and causing damage to property.
“I don’t think it is right for the OCM (Olympic Council of Malaysia) or sports associations to pay the fines imposed on those who were caught for smoking.
“It’s not as if the athletes were not warned about the dangers and also the pollution it causes to the training and competition areas. If the athletes want to break the rules, then they must pay for it. It’s simple as that, ” added Dr Ramlan.
He said he was surprised by the heavy fines imposed by the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Asian Games in Incheon.
“I was not aware of these fines. But I have to agree that this is serious and we cannot afford to ignore the effects it is having on our athletes and also the image of the country.
“You also cannot cause damage to others or property for whatever reasons,” he added.
Dr Ramlan said they would raise the smoking issue when the Singapore SEA Games-bound athletes attend the national training camp in Putrajaya from May 22-24.
He added that the Malaysian contingent should not only aim for zero tolerance towards doping, but also smoking. .
_
Beijing Encourages Public to Report on Indoor Smoking
Residents in Beijing can report on indoor smoking in public venues after the smoking ban takes effect in June, a government official said on Sunday.
The Beijing municipal legislature passed a bill in November last year, banning smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces, and on public transportation.
Liu Zejun, director with Beijing Patriotic Health Campaign Committee, said tip-offs can be conducted via phone or by uploading pictures on popular messaging app WeChat.
"We will check places frequently reported and punish venue managers if smokers are found there," Liu said.
Law enforcement officers will patrol Beijing's roads starting in June to help implement the bill.
Doubts about the feasibility of the regulation have been climbing, as smokers are still seen puffing away in restaurants, schools and other public spaces in the capital city, despite previous smoking bans.
China has over 300 million smokers, with more than one million people dying as a result of tobacco-related illness a year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The country signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2003, which went into effect in 2006. According to the FCTC, China should have banned smoking in indoor public areas completely by 2011.
It is well known fact that Chinese people prefer classic tobacco tastes just like Ritm Classic http://www.cigarettestime.com/ritm
The Beijing municipal legislature passed a bill in November last year, banning smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces, and on public transportation.
Liu Zejun, director with Beijing Patriotic Health Campaign Committee, said tip-offs can be conducted via phone or by uploading pictures on popular messaging app WeChat.
"We will check places frequently reported and punish venue managers if smokers are found there," Liu said.
Law enforcement officers will patrol Beijing's roads starting in June to help implement the bill.
Doubts about the feasibility of the regulation have been climbing, as smokers are still seen puffing away in restaurants, schools and other public spaces in the capital city, despite previous smoking bans.
China has over 300 million smokers, with more than one million people dying as a result of tobacco-related illness a year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The country signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2003, which went into effect in 2006. According to the FCTC, China should have banned smoking in indoor public areas completely by 2011.
It is well known fact that Chinese people prefer classic tobacco tastes just like Ritm Classic http://www.cigarettestime.com/ritm
Tobacco Control in Austria
Important elements still missing from the legislation are: technical specifications for smoking rooms, such as a clear definition of their use for smoking only, clarification that the smoking ban applies to all rooms of hospitality venues (including kitchen, corridors, etc.), a ban on smoking and tobacco advertising in all shops and rooms accessible to minors, and a smoking ban in hospitals, on children’s playgrounds and in private cars carrying children. Most popular cigarette brand in Austria is Bond http://cigarette-deals.com/bond-cheap-cigarettes
The EU Tobacco Product Directive still needs to be included in the draft Austrian legislation and necessitates that the law enters into force in May 2016. The present plan to postpone this date until May 2018 is irresponsible and demonstrates the weakness of the government against the chamber of commerce.
The worst omission of the new Austrian draft is the lack of improvement in implementation and enforcement of the law. The present system of reporting violations by customers has failed, especially in small communities with only one inn where filing a complaint would be too personally risky. For example, some people who reported local innkeepers were pictured on a “wanted poster” at the entrance of the inn and were then forbidden to reenter.
Officials who were sent to venues for inspections only after customer complaint, could downplay the offence or postpone the decision by up to 28 months. During this time no other complaint about the same venue would be investigated.
It appears that this ineffective enforcement system will be continued. The draft law only names work inspection and food inspection as additional possibilities for control, but only during routine visits done for other purposes, and in the case of serious offences. Additionally, the draft law states that these controls must not incur extra costs. It is doubtful that rare and announced controls by such inspectors will improve the already poor compliance. Improving compliance for the better may require police assistance, as they could make unannounced controls during busy periods, such as at night in discotheques and other venues where young people meet.
The EU Tobacco Product Directive still needs to be included in the draft Austrian legislation and necessitates that the law enters into force in May 2016. The present plan to postpone this date until May 2018 is irresponsible and demonstrates the weakness of the government against the chamber of commerce.
The worst omission of the new Austrian draft is the lack of improvement in implementation and enforcement of the law. The present system of reporting violations by customers has failed, especially in small communities with only one inn where filing a complaint would be too personally risky. For example, some people who reported local innkeepers were pictured on a “wanted poster” at the entrance of the inn and were then forbidden to reenter.
Officials who were sent to venues for inspections only after customer complaint, could downplay the offence or postpone the decision by up to 28 months. During this time no other complaint about the same venue would be investigated.
It appears that this ineffective enforcement system will be continued. The draft law only names work inspection and food inspection as additional possibilities for control, but only during routine visits done for other purposes, and in the case of serious offences. Additionally, the draft law states that these controls must not incur extra costs. It is doubtful that rare and announced controls by such inspectors will improve the already poor compliance. Improving compliance for the better may require police assistance, as they could make unannounced controls during busy periods, such as at night in discotheques and other venues where young people meet.
Over 20 Winter Park Restaurants Ban Smoking on Outdoor Patios
Barnie's Coffee Kitchen is one of more than 20 food businesses in Winter Park that no longer allow smoking discount cigarettes in outdoor patios.
"A big part of the dining and coffee drinking experience is the way it smells," said Addison Ames, marketing director for Barnie's. "The aromas of fresh food and coffee are fantastic, so we don't want anything that gets in the way of that for our guests."
The voluntary initiative, called "Breathe Free Winter Park," is supported by Florida Hospital and other health leaders, like Lynn Penyak, health programs manager for the American Lung Association of the Southeast, in Orlando.
"There is a critical need for people to be able eat and walk around without having that literally hanging over their head," said Penyak.
Smoking is now completely banned inside and outside these restaurants in Winter Park:
Antonio's – Maitland
Barnie's Coffee Kitchen
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
The Canopy
The Cheesecake Factory
Cocina 214
The Coop
Firebirds – Orlando
Four Rivers Smokehouse
Jeremiah's Italian Ice
Jimmy Hula's
Mellow Mushroom
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt – Winter Park Corners
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt – Winter Park Village
Nelore Brazilian Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse – Winter Park
Panera Bread – Aloma Avenue
Panera Bread – Park Avenue
Toasted
The Ravenous Pig
Starbucks – Aloma Avenue
Starbucks – Park Avenue
Starbucks – Orlando Avenue
Whole Foods – Winter Park
Winter Park Fish Co.
Will's Pub – Orlando
The Woods Bar – Orlando
"A big part of the dining and coffee drinking experience is the way it smells," said Addison Ames, marketing director for Barnie's. "The aromas of fresh food and coffee are fantastic, so we don't want anything that gets in the way of that for our guests."
The voluntary initiative, called "Breathe Free Winter Park," is supported by Florida Hospital and other health leaders, like Lynn Penyak, health programs manager for the American Lung Association of the Southeast, in Orlando.
"There is a critical need for people to be able eat and walk around without having that literally hanging over their head," said Penyak.
Smoking is now completely banned inside and outside these restaurants in Winter Park:
Antonio's – Maitland
Barnie's Coffee Kitchen
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
The Canopy
The Cheesecake Factory
Cocina 214
The Coop
Firebirds – Orlando
Four Rivers Smokehouse
Jeremiah's Italian Ice
Jimmy Hula's
Mellow Mushroom
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt – Winter Park Corners
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt – Winter Park Village
Nelore Brazilian Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse – Winter Park
Panera Bread – Aloma Avenue
Panera Bread – Park Avenue
Toasted
The Ravenous Pig
Starbucks – Aloma Avenue
Starbucks – Park Avenue
Starbucks – Orlando Avenue
Whole Foods – Winter Park
Winter Park Fish Co.
Will's Pub – Orlando
The Woods Bar – Orlando
Students Want Homewood Campus to be Smoke-Free
According to Ferguson, in addition to the aboveground M and Q Levels, the four lower levels of the library that are underground and windowless picked up significant levels of air nicotine. Contrary to what Ferguson had expected, D Level, the level farthest below ground, had higher levels of air nicotine than the other underground levels.
“Since there’s no safe level of secondhand smoke, we recommend the University to make Homewood a smoke-free campus,” Ferguson said. “Despite the enforcement of an indoor nonsmoking policy, the ability to smoke directly outside of buildings causes smoke to seep into the buildings through entryways, windows and ventilation systems.”
Ferguson finds it strange that the medical campus is smoke-free while Homewood is not.
“When you’re trying to make a campus smoke-free, it’s almost easier when the campus has distinct boundaries,” Ferguson said. “The medical campus has public roads going through it; not all the buildings immediately around the medical campus are owned by Hopkins… You would think that the Homewood campus would be easier to make a smoke-free campus.”
Yun said she is unsure of a specific reason why Homewood is not already smoke-free and students continue to purchase L&M cigarettes online.
Ferguson believes that e-cigarettes should be included in any kind of smoke-free policy the University may implement.
“If you have people who are smoking but then use e-cigarette cessation devices, it’s good,” Ferguson said. “But what we’re concerned about is nonsmokers or people who don’t smoke a lot transitioning to e-cigarettes and smoking more. When you do smoke an e-cigarette, you do aerosolize that nicotine in it, and it does settle everywhere… So the best approach, really, for everyone’s health is just to do a tobacco-free campus, which is cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, everything. And that way, you’re not stigmatizing a particular group.”
GW and American include e-cigarettes in their smoke-free and tobacco-free policies, respectively. Of the 1,543 smoke-free campuses referenced by the ANRF, 633 do not allow e-cigarettes.
According to Schubert, the committee will assess whether or not e-cigarettes should be part of a smoke-free policy if the University chooses to implement one.
Yun explained the committee’s policy priorities.
“Since there’s no safe level of secondhand smoke, we recommend the University to make Homewood a smoke-free campus,” Ferguson said. “Despite the enforcement of an indoor nonsmoking policy, the ability to smoke directly outside of buildings causes smoke to seep into the buildings through entryways, windows and ventilation systems.”
Ferguson finds it strange that the medical campus is smoke-free while Homewood is not.
“When you’re trying to make a campus smoke-free, it’s almost easier when the campus has distinct boundaries,” Ferguson said. “The medical campus has public roads going through it; not all the buildings immediately around the medical campus are owned by Hopkins… You would think that the Homewood campus would be easier to make a smoke-free campus.”
Yun said she is unsure of a specific reason why Homewood is not already smoke-free and students continue to purchase L&M cigarettes online.
Ferguson believes that e-cigarettes should be included in any kind of smoke-free policy the University may implement.
“If you have people who are smoking but then use e-cigarette cessation devices, it’s good,” Ferguson said. “But what we’re concerned about is nonsmokers or people who don’t smoke a lot transitioning to e-cigarettes and smoking more. When you do smoke an e-cigarette, you do aerosolize that nicotine in it, and it does settle everywhere… So the best approach, really, for everyone’s health is just to do a tobacco-free campus, which is cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, everything. And that way, you’re not stigmatizing a particular group.”
GW and American include e-cigarettes in their smoke-free and tobacco-free policies, respectively. Of the 1,543 smoke-free campuses referenced by the ANRF, 633 do not allow e-cigarettes.
According to Schubert, the committee will assess whether or not e-cigarettes should be part of a smoke-free policy if the University chooses to implement one.
Yun explained the committee’s policy priorities.
Social Media Campaign Launched For ‘Smoke Free Fayetteville’
It’s been a few years, but it appears as though another debate on whether to ban smoking in bars and nightclubs could soon be raging again in Fayetteville.
A survey polling Fayetteville residents about the issue began circulating online earlier this year, followed recently by new social media accounts for a group called Smoke Free Fayetteville on Facebook and Twitter.
According to the newly-created Facebook page, the group is “a coalition of community organizations and advocates that strive to make all workplaces in Fayetteville, Arkansas smoke-free.”
Matt Henry, of the American Heart Association, is listed as a contact person on the page, but said he nor the American Heart Association is necessarily leading the charge for Smoke Free Fayetteville.
“The American Heart Association wants to see comprehensive smoke free ordinances in all of our cities, including Fayetteville,” Henry said in a statement. “Everyone has the right to breath clean air indoors, and we’re going to support SmokeFree Fayetteville in any way possible to make that a reality for the citizens of Fayetteville.”
Volunteers with the organization were at last weekend’s Heart Walk, held Saturday, April 11 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, handing out flyers and asking attendees how they feel about smoking in bars.
The issue was last discussed in Fayetteville in 2011, when Ward 1 Alderwoman Adella Gray sponsored a proposal to ban smoking in all bars and nightclubs as a way to protect bar employees and patrons from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
After months of debate on the issue, the measure failed by a single vote, with five council members in favor the ban, and three against (six votes were needed to enact the ordinance).
Both Gray and Alderman Matthew Petty were in support of the measure, while Mark Kinion and Justin Tennant voted against the proposal. Aldermen John La Tour, Alan Long, Sarah Marsh, and Martin Schoppmeyer were not on the City Council when the issue was last discussed.
Gray said she has considered bringing the issue back to the Council, but was not sure when that might happen.
“I remain committed to seeing Fayetteville become a comprehensive smoke-free city,” Gray said. “This is an issue I’m constantly discussing with my constituents. I have no timeline right now for bringing this before the Council again.”
Smoker Jack uses Chesterfield Bronze online for several years and says that tried to quit but it was so hard that his attempt failed.
A survey polling Fayetteville residents about the issue began circulating online earlier this year, followed recently by new social media accounts for a group called Smoke Free Fayetteville on Facebook and Twitter.
According to the newly-created Facebook page, the group is “a coalition of community organizations and advocates that strive to make all workplaces in Fayetteville, Arkansas smoke-free.”
Matt Henry, of the American Heart Association, is listed as a contact person on the page, but said he nor the American Heart Association is necessarily leading the charge for Smoke Free Fayetteville.
“The American Heart Association wants to see comprehensive smoke free ordinances in all of our cities, including Fayetteville,” Henry said in a statement. “Everyone has the right to breath clean air indoors, and we’re going to support SmokeFree Fayetteville in any way possible to make that a reality for the citizens of Fayetteville.”
Volunteers with the organization were at last weekend’s Heart Walk, held Saturday, April 11 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, handing out flyers and asking attendees how they feel about smoking in bars.
The issue was last discussed in Fayetteville in 2011, when Ward 1 Alderwoman Adella Gray sponsored a proposal to ban smoking in all bars and nightclubs as a way to protect bar employees and patrons from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
After months of debate on the issue, the measure failed by a single vote, with five council members in favor the ban, and three against (six votes were needed to enact the ordinance).
Both Gray and Alderman Matthew Petty were in support of the measure, while Mark Kinion and Justin Tennant voted against the proposal. Aldermen John La Tour, Alan Long, Sarah Marsh, and Martin Schoppmeyer were not on the City Council when the issue was last discussed.
Gray said she has considered bringing the issue back to the Council, but was not sure when that might happen.
“I remain committed to seeing Fayetteville become a comprehensive smoke-free city,” Gray said. “This is an issue I’m constantly discussing with my constituents. I have no timeline right now for bringing this before the Council again.”
Smoker Jack uses Chesterfield Bronze online for several years and says that tried to quit but it was so hard that his attempt failed.
Anti-Smoking Law Discussed in Albany County
In 2012, the Rockland County village of Haverstraw swiftly abandoned a law — billed as first in the nation — banning tobacco displays in all retail stores after it was sued by the tobacco industry, which contended it violated free speech. In 2013, New York City backed away from a similar proposal.
For those reasons, local anti-tobacco advocates have shied away from display bans in favor of measures they know to be on sturdier legal ground, said Judy Rightmyer, program director of the Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition. Rightmyer's group backed Nichols' ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies and also supports local restrictions on sales around schools. Nichols said he's drafting just such a law.
"I think the major difficulty with this will be the legal challenge that's inevitable — and will the county want to take on that legal challenge. It's going to be costly," Rightmyer said of McCoy's proposal. "From what we know, it probably might withstand a challenge, but it would be a long legal battle." McCoy suggested he may be open to eventually extending the ban to all retailers, saying "you have to start somewhere."
On Friday, representatives of the three major local supermarket chains said they are already voluntarily complying with the standard imposed by the law. Price Chopper has shielded tobacco products behind opaque displays since 2007, said David Golub, a senior vice-president at the Schenectady-based chain.
"We wanted to take a leading role in doing the right thing," Golub said. "We had a big drop in sales and we lost all our advertising income from Style cigarettes http://www.cigarettesplace.net/style-cigarettes." ShopRite did the same when it re-entered the market in 2011 — in part because of the store's proximity to Niskayuna High School, said Tom Urtz, vice president of human resources and community affairs.
Cohoes Assemblyman John T. McDonald III and Halfmoon Sen. Kathy Marchione are sponsoring a bill that would ban tobacco displays in pharmacies statewide.
"This is not banning or forbidding tobacco sales, it's shielding them so they don't have an impact on children," said McDonald, who owns Marra's Pharmacy in Cohoes. "You can't have cigarette products displayed prominently next to somebody while you're trying to give them a flu shot."
Connolly said McCoy's proposal strikes a fair balance between safeguarding public health and not unfairly shackling businesses.
"It may not be exactly what (the advocates) wanted, but for God's sakes, isn't it a free society?" Connolly said. "Cigarettes are bad; they're harmful, but they're legal."
For those reasons, local anti-tobacco advocates have shied away from display bans in favor of measures they know to be on sturdier legal ground, said Judy Rightmyer, program director of the Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition. Rightmyer's group backed Nichols' ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies and also supports local restrictions on sales around schools. Nichols said he's drafting just such a law.
"I think the major difficulty with this will be the legal challenge that's inevitable — and will the county want to take on that legal challenge. It's going to be costly," Rightmyer said of McCoy's proposal. "From what we know, it probably might withstand a challenge, but it would be a long legal battle." McCoy suggested he may be open to eventually extending the ban to all retailers, saying "you have to start somewhere."
On Friday, representatives of the three major local supermarket chains said they are already voluntarily complying with the standard imposed by the law. Price Chopper has shielded tobacco products behind opaque displays since 2007, said David Golub, a senior vice-president at the Schenectady-based chain.
"We wanted to take a leading role in doing the right thing," Golub said. "We had a big drop in sales and we lost all our advertising income from Style cigarettes http://www.cigarettesplace.net/style-cigarettes." ShopRite did the same when it re-entered the market in 2011 — in part because of the store's proximity to Niskayuna High School, said Tom Urtz, vice president of human resources and community affairs.
Cohoes Assemblyman John T. McDonald III and Halfmoon Sen. Kathy Marchione are sponsoring a bill that would ban tobacco displays in pharmacies statewide.
"This is not banning or forbidding tobacco sales, it's shielding them so they don't have an impact on children," said McDonald, who owns Marra's Pharmacy in Cohoes. "You can't have cigarette products displayed prominently next to somebody while you're trying to give them a flu shot."
Connolly said McCoy's proposal strikes a fair balance between safeguarding public health and not unfairly shackling businesses.
"It may not be exactly what (the advocates) wanted, but for God's sakes, isn't it a free society?" Connolly said. "Cigarettes are bad; they're harmful, but they're legal."
Smoking Rates Declined in the USA
More than 50 years after the first US surgeon general’s report on its dangers, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the US. And almost three out of four of those in the country who still smoke say they want to quit, so they know the consequences. The good news is that because so many did quit, smoking – at least in the US – has been in decline. However, still many people continue to buy online cigarettes.
Robert Proctor, professor of the history of science at Stanford University, said cigarette smoking continued to grow throughout the 1960s and 1970s, reaching a peak of about 630 billion cigarettes, or more than 31 billion packs, smoked annually in the United States before the start of its decline in 1982. The 1964 surgeon general’s report set off one of the most powerful public health efforts ever, dramatically cutting the number of smokers.
But tobacco products still pose significant risks to health, and while the number of smokers in the United States has significantly declined, for every American smoker who has quit, the global rate of smoking has increased, said Allan Brandt, a professor at Harvard Medical School. Within months of the 1964 report, the Federal Trade Commission ordered cigarette companies to put warning labels on packaging, and in 1969, cigarette advertising was banned from television and radio.
Since then, according to the surgeon general’s office, adult smoking rates have been cut in half. Those who continue to smoke may subject themselves to at least 11 kinds of cancer, numerous other diseases and a lower quality of life. Since 1964, more than 20 million Americans have died as a result of smoking. Most have been active smokers, but 2.5 million were non-smokers who died from diseases caused by secondhand smoke, according to federal statistics.
Although a smaller percentage of Americans smoke now, those who do have a greater risk of developing lung cancer than did smokers 50 years ago. That’s because, according to the surgeon general’s office, changes in the composition of cigarettes have increased the risk of adenocarcinoma, the most common kind of lung cancer. Ventilated filters also have allowed for more vigorous inhalation that draws toxins more deeply into the lung tissue.
Robert Proctor, professor of the history of science at Stanford University, said cigarette smoking continued to grow throughout the 1960s and 1970s, reaching a peak of about 630 billion cigarettes, or more than 31 billion packs, smoked annually in the United States before the start of its decline in 1982. The 1964 surgeon general’s report set off one of the most powerful public health efforts ever, dramatically cutting the number of smokers.
But tobacco products still pose significant risks to health, and while the number of smokers in the United States has significantly declined, for every American smoker who has quit, the global rate of smoking has increased, said Allan Brandt, a professor at Harvard Medical School. Within months of the 1964 report, the Federal Trade Commission ordered cigarette companies to put warning labels on packaging, and in 1969, cigarette advertising was banned from television and radio.
Since then, according to the surgeon general’s office, adult smoking rates have been cut in half. Those who continue to smoke may subject themselves to at least 11 kinds of cancer, numerous other diseases and a lower quality of life. Since 1964, more than 20 million Americans have died as a result of smoking. Most have been active smokers, but 2.5 million were non-smokers who died from diseases caused by secondhand smoke, according to federal statistics.
Although a smaller percentage of Americans smoke now, those who do have a greater risk of developing lung cancer than did smokers 50 years ago. That’s because, according to the surgeon general’s office, changes in the composition of cigarettes have increased the risk of adenocarcinoma, the most common kind of lung cancer. Ventilated filters also have allowed for more vigorous inhalation that draws toxins more deeply into the lung tissue.
I-Mei may gradually stop selling tobacco in April
_
I-Mei Food Co., one of Taiwan's largest food producers, said late Wednesday night that the company may gradually stop selling tobacco starting this April, although yesterday afternoon the company said the plan was not ready.
I-Mei said the decision is not definite yet, there are discussions within the company on whether it will stop selling tobacco in its chain stores but that no decisions have been made so far, said a company spokesperson.
A report on the front page of the United Evening News' Wednesday edition said I-Mei will stop selling tobacco products from April 2 at its 88 chain stores around the country.
“This is a premature thought,” said I-Mei General Manager Kao Chih-ming, adding that the company will not make an announcement until a decision has been made. Later at 8 p.m. last night, I-Mei said it has decided to stop selling tobacco.
Acknowledging that discussions are being held on the issue, Kao said his company is making an effort to improve its business image.
I-Mei's new plan has already sparked heated debate in the retail market.
Taiwan's four major convenience store operators are apparently holding a wait-and-see attitude toward the idea of not selling tobacco products in their chain stores, as 7-Eleven, the country's largest convenience story chain, said it was still trying to understand the matter.
FamilyMart said the company has not discussed the issue, while Hi-Life affirmed that it has no plans for the moment to stop tobacco distribution. Meanwhile, OK Mart has also made clear that it will not stop selling cigarettes.
OK Mart explained that its stores have a policy of not promoting tobacco products, although they stock and sell such goods.
Major hypermarket operators Carrefour, RT-Mart and Amart, as well as supermarket chain Pxmart, have all said they will keep their tobacco sales policies unchanged.
Costco, meanwhile, said that it will stop selling tobacco in Taiwan once its existing stocks are sold out.
Smokers do not get upset saying they will enter the Internet to buy cigarettes online legal.
I-Mei said the decision is not definite yet, there are discussions within the company on whether it will stop selling tobacco in its chain stores but that no decisions have been made so far, said a company spokesperson.
A report on the front page of the United Evening News' Wednesday edition said I-Mei will stop selling tobacco products from April 2 at its 88 chain stores around the country.
“This is a premature thought,” said I-Mei General Manager Kao Chih-ming, adding that the company will not make an announcement until a decision has been made. Later at 8 p.m. last night, I-Mei said it has decided to stop selling tobacco.
Acknowledging that discussions are being held on the issue, Kao said his company is making an effort to improve its business image.
I-Mei's new plan has already sparked heated debate in the retail market.
Taiwan's four major convenience store operators are apparently holding a wait-and-see attitude toward the idea of not selling tobacco products in their chain stores, as 7-Eleven, the country's largest convenience story chain, said it was still trying to understand the matter.
FamilyMart said the company has not discussed the issue, while Hi-Life affirmed that it has no plans for the moment to stop tobacco distribution. Meanwhile, OK Mart has also made clear that it will not stop selling cigarettes.
OK Mart explained that its stores have a policy of not promoting tobacco products, although they stock and sell such goods.
Major hypermarket operators Carrefour, RT-Mart and Amart, as well as supermarket chain Pxmart, have all said they will keep their tobacco sales policies unchanged.
Costco, meanwhile, said that it will stop selling tobacco in Taiwan once its existing stocks are sold out.
Smokers do not get upset saying they will enter the Internet to buy cigarettes online legal.
MP in Cigarette Packaging Warning
_
The Chinese will be "rubbing their hands in glee" at the increased potential for illicit tobacco prompted by the proposed introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes in England, a Tory MP has warned. Sir Gerald Howarth also said the rise in counterfeit products would cost the Treasury £3 billion a year and lead to the sale of sub-standard tobacco.
The Aldershot MP made the remarks ahead of a vote on plain packaging in parliament tomorrow following an unusual announcement of the Government's commitment to drive the measure forward during a late-night Commons sitting in January. Sir Gerald criticised as "absurd" the fact there would be no final debate on the issue before MPs have their say.
He told Sky News' Murnaghan: "There was no opportunity for other members of Parliament to discuss it (in the adjournment debate when it was announced).
"It is is going to be dealt with in a committee tomorrow afternoon. That will basically be it.
"We will probably have the opportunity of just simply signing a piece of paper which says we are in favour or opposed to it. That's no way to conduct public policy."
He also rejected the policy itself, saying he was a conviction politician and did not believe in the nanny state, although he did confirm being briefed by the tobacco industry as well as pro-plain packaging groups. Sir Gerald continued: "If children and adults cannot read on packaging today, on the cigarette packs behind the counter, 'smoking kills', if they can't read that, then there is something wrong with the education system.
"Of course we all want to see a reduction in tobacco, but there are going to be consequences for this.
"One of the consequences will be the increase in counterfeit will not only cost the Treasury in excess of £3 billion a year as it does, but it will lead to sub-standard tobacco.
"It will cost the public purse. And if the IRA are going to benefit to the tune of £22 million a year by setting up their illicit factories, like they have illicit factories in China - where the Chinese are rubbing their hands in glee at the opportunity of more illicit tobacco - for my constituents ... this is rubbish."
Shadow public health minister Luciana Berger said Labour would have liked a debate on the floor of the Commons chamber. But - unlike Sir Gerald - she insisted the measure would help prevent members of the next generation from starting smoking flavoured cigarettes.
The Aldershot MP made the remarks ahead of a vote on plain packaging in parliament tomorrow following an unusual announcement of the Government's commitment to drive the measure forward during a late-night Commons sitting in January. Sir Gerald criticised as "absurd" the fact there would be no final debate on the issue before MPs have their say.
He told Sky News' Murnaghan: "There was no opportunity for other members of Parliament to discuss it (in the adjournment debate when it was announced).
"It is is going to be dealt with in a committee tomorrow afternoon. That will basically be it.
"We will probably have the opportunity of just simply signing a piece of paper which says we are in favour or opposed to it. That's no way to conduct public policy."
He also rejected the policy itself, saying he was a conviction politician and did not believe in the nanny state, although he did confirm being briefed by the tobacco industry as well as pro-plain packaging groups. Sir Gerald continued: "If children and adults cannot read on packaging today, on the cigarette packs behind the counter, 'smoking kills', if they can't read that, then there is something wrong with the education system.
"Of course we all want to see a reduction in tobacco, but there are going to be consequences for this.
"One of the consequences will be the increase in counterfeit will not only cost the Treasury in excess of £3 billion a year as it does, but it will lead to sub-standard tobacco.
"It will cost the public purse. And if the IRA are going to benefit to the tune of £22 million a year by setting up their illicit factories, like they have illicit factories in China - where the Chinese are rubbing their hands in glee at the opportunity of more illicit tobacco - for my constituents ... this is rubbish."
Shadow public health minister Luciana Berger said Labour would have liked a debate on the floor of the Commons chamber. But - unlike Sir Gerald - she insisted the measure would help prevent members of the next generation from starting smoking flavoured cigarettes.
Smoking Ban at Work and Multi-Unit Dwellings
Tobacco continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in Oklahoma and kills more Oklahomans than alcohol, auto accidents, AIDS, suicides, murders and illegal drugs combined.
According to the 2014 State of the State’s Health Report, Oklahomans spent approximately $1.16 billion per year on smoking-related health costs.
Although we have come a long way in the area of tobacco control, there is still room for improvement. Two ways that Payne County can lead the way in shifting the norms regarding tobacco use is in the area of worksites and multi-unit properties.
If you are an owner or manager of a local business, adopting, implementing and enforcing a policy designating all indoor and outdoor worksite property and off-site events tobacco-free is a positive step in the right direction. The more local businesses in Payne County that advocate for the health of their employees and constituents, the more likely we are to see the rates of tobacco use dropping. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the primary purpose of smoke-free laws and policies is to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke. The CDC asserts that studies show the implementation of smoke-free laws and policies can increase cessation, reduce smoking prevalence among workers and the general population and may also reduce smoking initiation among youth.
Multi-unit housing is another area that a smoke-free or tobacco free policy is advantageous to residents, owners and landlords. There is an incredible cost savings with the adoption and implementation of a smoke-free multiunit policy. It costs an estimated $500 to $8,000 additional dollars to rehab a smoking unit. According to Oklahoma State Department of Health, approximately 17 percent of residential fire deaths are smoking-related. A smoke-free multiunit policy also increases the marketing appeal of the building. In a 2011 survey, 67 percent of apartment dwellers preferred nonsmoking units. In the same survey, over 25 percent of smokers preferred nonsmoking units. A smoke-free multiunit policy decreases secondhand smoke exposure to other residents and therefore improves the health of many. A smoke-free policy is legal at both the state and federal levels.
According to the 2014 State of the State’s Health Report, an estimated $160.3 million was spent by the tobacco industry to market tobacco products in Oklahoma. The tobacco industry is spending an extraordinary amount of money and effort to keep their products appealing and attractive to young people, which leads to the continued high prevalence of tobacco rates. Adopting a tobacco free worksite or multiunit policy is a sure way to combat the tobacco industry’s influence and take a stand for health at the local level. Contact me if you are interested in a policy or signage for your worksite or multiunit property.
Where can i buy cigarettes online for cheap ?Well, check out the online cigarette store provided!
According to the 2014 State of the State’s Health Report, Oklahomans spent approximately $1.16 billion per year on smoking-related health costs.
Although we have come a long way in the area of tobacco control, there is still room for improvement. Two ways that Payne County can lead the way in shifting the norms regarding tobacco use is in the area of worksites and multi-unit properties.
If you are an owner or manager of a local business, adopting, implementing and enforcing a policy designating all indoor and outdoor worksite property and off-site events tobacco-free is a positive step in the right direction. The more local businesses in Payne County that advocate for the health of their employees and constituents, the more likely we are to see the rates of tobacco use dropping. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the primary purpose of smoke-free laws and policies is to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke. The CDC asserts that studies show the implementation of smoke-free laws and policies can increase cessation, reduce smoking prevalence among workers and the general population and may also reduce smoking initiation among youth.
Multi-unit housing is another area that a smoke-free or tobacco free policy is advantageous to residents, owners and landlords. There is an incredible cost savings with the adoption and implementation of a smoke-free multiunit policy. It costs an estimated $500 to $8,000 additional dollars to rehab a smoking unit. According to Oklahoma State Department of Health, approximately 17 percent of residential fire deaths are smoking-related. A smoke-free multiunit policy also increases the marketing appeal of the building. In a 2011 survey, 67 percent of apartment dwellers preferred nonsmoking units. In the same survey, over 25 percent of smokers preferred nonsmoking units. A smoke-free multiunit policy decreases secondhand smoke exposure to other residents and therefore improves the health of many. A smoke-free policy is legal at both the state and federal levels.
According to the 2014 State of the State’s Health Report, an estimated $160.3 million was spent by the tobacco industry to market tobacco products in Oklahoma. The tobacco industry is spending an extraordinary amount of money and effort to keep their products appealing and attractive to young people, which leads to the continued high prevalence of tobacco rates. Adopting a tobacco free worksite or multiunit policy is a sure way to combat the tobacco industry’s influence and take a stand for health at the local level. Contact me if you are interested in a policy or signage for your worksite or multiunit property.
Where can i buy cigarettes online for cheap ?Well, check out the online cigarette store provided!
What Flying Was Like Before the Smoke Cleared
_
IF you think the air travel experience generally stinks now, consider what it was like before smoking was banned on domestic flights 25 years ago. Tracy Sear, a flight attendant with US Airways, was looking over some Facebook posts from colleagues recalling those bad old days when a third or more of passengers on any flight puffed away, and cabins were foul with smoke. When I spoke with her the other day, she read one of those posts to me: “Suitcases, uniforms, hair — all stunk from cigarette smoke. And it’s astounding that we didn’t have more cabin fires.”
It’s probably difficult for anyone who isn’t middle-aged or older to comprehend, but people could smoke cigarettes on airplanes until Feb. 25, 1990. That’s when the federal government, after years of pressure from a union, the Association of Flight Attendants, finally banned smoking on all but a handful of domestic flights over six hours in duration. Ten years later, smoking was prohibited on flights between the United States and foreign destinations. Today, virtually every commercial flight in the world is smoke-free.
Ms. Sear’s first flying job was as a flight attendant from 1968 to 1979 with Pacific Southwest Airlines, which merged into a predecessor of US Airways in the late 1980s. PSA, as it was known, marketed itself as the “World’s Friendliest Airline” and outfitted its stewardesses (as they were then called) in miniskirts and go-go boots during the late 1960s.
“Then we transitioned from wool skirts to polyester hot pants, which added a whole new dimension to the smoking issue,” she said, explaining: “Passengers would have their elbows on the armrest and then plop their hand out into the aisle with a lighted cigarette in it. So we would have to try to dodge it. In a wool dress, it was less of an issue because you could brush off the ash, but when PSA went to polyester hot pants you’d often get a cigarette burn hole on your pantyhose, and you were lucky not to get a more severe burn on your leg.”
It was a routine chore to get the cigarette smell out of uniforms during hotel layovers, at crew crash pads or at home. “A lot of flight attendants, particularly if their roommates didn’t smoke, had to change in the garage or hang their uniforms on the balcony to air them out,” Ms. Sear said, who knows best website to buy cigarettes.
Smells and first-degree burns aside, there were, of course, serious health hazards from intense exposure to secondhand smoke. Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, started as a flight attendant in 1996 when smoking was still permitted on many international flights.
Even as a passenger, “I remember getting off the airplane and feeling like I had to scrape off layers and layers of ick, with eyes stinging, throat hurting and all of the other symptoms of exposure to secondhand smoke,” she recalled.
.
It’s probably difficult for anyone who isn’t middle-aged or older to comprehend, but people could smoke cigarettes on airplanes until Feb. 25, 1990. That’s when the federal government, after years of pressure from a union, the Association of Flight Attendants, finally banned smoking on all but a handful of domestic flights over six hours in duration. Ten years later, smoking was prohibited on flights between the United States and foreign destinations. Today, virtually every commercial flight in the world is smoke-free.
Ms. Sear’s first flying job was as a flight attendant from 1968 to 1979 with Pacific Southwest Airlines, which merged into a predecessor of US Airways in the late 1980s. PSA, as it was known, marketed itself as the “World’s Friendliest Airline” and outfitted its stewardesses (as they were then called) in miniskirts and go-go boots during the late 1960s.
“Then we transitioned from wool skirts to polyester hot pants, which added a whole new dimension to the smoking issue,” she said, explaining: “Passengers would have their elbows on the armrest and then plop their hand out into the aisle with a lighted cigarette in it. So we would have to try to dodge it. In a wool dress, it was less of an issue because you could brush off the ash, but when PSA went to polyester hot pants you’d often get a cigarette burn hole on your pantyhose, and you were lucky not to get a more severe burn on your leg.”
It was a routine chore to get the cigarette smell out of uniforms during hotel layovers, at crew crash pads or at home. “A lot of flight attendants, particularly if their roommates didn’t smoke, had to change in the garage or hang their uniforms on the balcony to air them out,” Ms. Sear said, who knows best website to buy cigarettes.
Smells and first-degree burns aside, there were, of course, serious health hazards from intense exposure to secondhand smoke. Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, started as a flight attendant in 1996 when smoking was still permitted on many international flights.
Even as a passenger, “I remember getting off the airplane and feeling like I had to scrape off layers and layers of ick, with eyes stinging, throat hurting and all of the other symptoms of exposure to secondhand smoke,” she recalled.
.
Crealy Great Adventure Park announces smoking ban at park
DEVON’S Crealy Great Adventure Park has announced a new no-smoking policy for the park for 2015.
The decision follows feedback from a number of guests to move towards a more family friendly and healthy environment for all to enjoy.
Designated smoking areas have been created to ensure that passive smoking for guests of all ages is reduced and eliminated where possible. E-cigarettes will also be included in the no-smoking policy at the park.
Chris Down, managing director and family owner of Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park, said: “We’ve listened carefully to the feedback we have received from our guests and we hope that our smoking guests will support us in our decision and embrace our wishes and adhere to our new policy.”
Smoke-free signs will be installed at the park and team members have been given training and resources to inform people about the new code of practice.
These news uotraged smokers as they condier the move discriminating. Wilson who is buying cigarettes online from http://www.cigarettestime.com/ says he will no longer visit this park.
The decision follows feedback from a number of guests to move towards a more family friendly and healthy environment for all to enjoy.
Designated smoking areas have been created to ensure that passive smoking for guests of all ages is reduced and eliminated where possible. E-cigarettes will also be included in the no-smoking policy at the park.
Chris Down, managing director and family owner of Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park, said: “We’ve listened carefully to the feedback we have received from our guests and we hope that our smoking guests will support us in our decision and embrace our wishes and adhere to our new policy.”
Smoke-free signs will be installed at the park and team members have been given training and resources to inform people about the new code of practice.
These news uotraged smokers as they condier the move discriminating. Wilson who is buying cigarettes online from http://www.cigarettestime.com/ says he will no longer visit this park.
MP calls on constituents to have say on cigarette packs
PEOPLE are being encouraged to have their say on proposed changes to cigarette packaging.
Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage is asking residents in the town to get in touch and share their views on the government’s plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging.
The government is set to hold a free vote on the issue of plain cigarette packaging before the next election.
Ms Dinenage, pictured, said: ‘I always want to hear from my constituents about upcoming parliamentary business.
‘This is so I can best represent their views in the House of Commons.
‘This is a controversial issue, with good arguments on both sides.
‘I would urge anyone with a strong viewpoint on this to fill in my online form.’
Supporters of the policy to change to plain packaging argue that it will help to cut the numbers of people smoking and reduce smoking related illness.
But opponents believe that it could encourage the trade in fake cigarettes, costing billions of pounds in tax revenue while failing to reduce smoking rates.
Smoker Jeremy says the law will not make him refuse from smoking and he will buy dunhill cigarettes online
Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage is asking residents in the town to get in touch and share their views on the government’s plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging.
The government is set to hold a free vote on the issue of plain cigarette packaging before the next election.
Ms Dinenage, pictured, said: ‘I always want to hear from my constituents about upcoming parliamentary business.
‘This is so I can best represent their views in the House of Commons.
‘This is a controversial issue, with good arguments on both sides.
‘I would urge anyone with a strong viewpoint on this to fill in my online form.’
Supporters of the policy to change to plain packaging argue that it will help to cut the numbers of people smoking and reduce smoking related illness.
But opponents believe that it could encourage the trade in fake cigarettes, costing billions of pounds in tax revenue while failing to reduce smoking rates.
Smoker Jeremy says the law will not make him refuse from smoking and he will buy dunhill cigarettes online
New technology detects unwanted smoke of all kinds and in all places
A partnership between a Tuck student and a Dartmouth professor — with a little help from Dartmouth’s recently-launched incubator center for entrepreneurs — is poised to take off this spring with new technology that would detect smoking discount cigarettes http://www.buycigarettes.eu/marshal-brand where it is not wanted.
Lebanon-based FreshAir Sensor is just months away from releasing its patent-pending AirGuard technology that identifies airborne chemicals present in cigarette and marijuana smoke.
The company was founded by Dartmouth chemistry professor Joseph BelBruno, FreshAir’s chief technical officer, and recent Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College graduate Jack O’Toole, FreshAir’s chief executive officer.
Helping the business startup has been the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network Innovation Center and New Venture Incubator, also known as DEN for short, which launched last fall.
DEN, which is a regional resource for the community, has helped O’Toole and BelBruno network with other CEOs and garner advice from business attorneys and marketing experts, they said.DEN has been an invaluable resource, BelBruno said.
O’Toole first learned of BelBruno’s invention during a pitch night at the business school when BelBruno presented his invention to a room of 250 people.
BelBruno had started taking classes at the business school to learn more about starting a business based on his idea.
“I’m a scientist, and I’ve read and known of several startups not only started by scientists, but run by scientists, and I don’t think it’s in our skill set,” BelBruno said.
O’Toole said he immediately saw the potential in the technology BelBruno was developing.
Lebanon-based FreshAir Sensor is just months away from releasing its patent-pending AirGuard technology that identifies airborne chemicals present in cigarette and marijuana smoke.
The company was founded by Dartmouth chemistry professor Joseph BelBruno, FreshAir’s chief technical officer, and recent Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College graduate Jack O’Toole, FreshAir’s chief executive officer.
Helping the business startup has been the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network Innovation Center and New Venture Incubator, also known as DEN for short, which launched last fall.
DEN, which is a regional resource for the community, has helped O’Toole and BelBruno network with other CEOs and garner advice from business attorneys and marketing experts, they said.DEN has been an invaluable resource, BelBruno said.
O’Toole first learned of BelBruno’s invention during a pitch night at the business school when BelBruno presented his invention to a room of 250 people.
BelBruno had started taking classes at the business school to learn more about starting a business based on his idea.
“I’m a scientist, and I’ve read and known of several startups not only started by scientists, but run by scientists, and I don’t think it’s in our skill set,” BelBruno said.
O’Toole said he immediately saw the potential in the technology BelBruno was developing.
Sark tobacco sale age limit rises to 18
_
The legal age for buying tobacco in Sark has been raised to 18 under new rules that also require retailers to be licensed.
Previously there has been no register for retailers and those aged 16 and over were able to buy cheapest cigarettes.
Retailers breaking the law risk a £5,000 fine or one month in prison.
Conseiller Diane Baker, the Medical Committee chairwoman, said the new rules made controls clearer for everyone.
She said: "We're all fully aware of the dangers and we don't want to see the youngsters even starting to smoke."
In regards to introducing plain packaging for cigarettes Mrs Baker said it was likely the committee would suggest following Guernsey's lead on any moves.
Sark law defines tobacco products as tobacco or products containing tobacco, smoking mixtures intended as a substitute for tobacco and cigarette paper.
The law comes into force on 1 February, although there is a two-month delay in enforcing the licensing element to allow existing retailers to obtain licences.
Previously there has been no register for retailers and those aged 16 and over were able to buy cheapest cigarettes.
Retailers breaking the law risk a £5,000 fine or one month in prison.
Conseiller Diane Baker, the Medical Committee chairwoman, said the new rules made controls clearer for everyone.
She said: "We're all fully aware of the dangers and we don't want to see the youngsters even starting to smoke."
In regards to introducing plain packaging for cigarettes Mrs Baker said it was likely the committee would suggest following Guernsey's lead on any moves.
Sark law defines tobacco products as tobacco or products containing tobacco, smoking mixtures intended as a substitute for tobacco and cigarette paper.
The law comes into force on 1 February, although there is a two-month delay in enforcing the licensing element to allow existing retailers to obtain licences.
Cigarette Packaging
t is a rare lawyer who has never acted for a client that everyone hates. We learn that there are two sides to most stories. We know too that an ‘open and shut’ case is often anything but. Leave prejudgement at the door, then, to consider proposals currently under consideration which affect an unpopular industry, and which many consider hardly worth discussing: plain packaging for tobacco products. The story has a sting in its tail.
Section 92 of the Children and Families Act 2014 grants powers to the secretary of state to introduce regulations to standardise the packaging of tobacco products. A public consultation took place over the summer and the government is currently weighing up the submissions to it. Standardised packaging would mean tobacco is sold only in drab brown packets. It means that Camels and Marlboros will look the same and there will be no famous camel and no well-known logos.
Some of the brands affected are the largest in the world. Marlboro, for example, has never left the top-10 list of most recognised global brands. These top-end brands still sell at a large premium – just look at the price differentials next time you are at the check-out. No wonder, then, that the tobacco companies are protesting. The proposals, they say, are nothing more than a vindictive asset-strip.
Proponents of the legislation argue that it will help to reduce tobacco consumption. At the front-end, dull brown packets will make it less attractive to take up smoking, while at the back-end they will loosen ties to a ‘favourite’ brand and so help
people to quit. A public health review in 2014 found that standardised packaging would lead to a ‘modest but important’ reduction, over time, in the uptake and prevalence of smoking.
Section 92 of the Children and Families Act 2014 grants powers to the secretary of state to introduce regulations to standardise the packaging of tobacco products. A public consultation took place over the summer and the government is currently weighing up the submissions to it. Standardised packaging would mean tobacco is sold only in drab brown packets. It means that Camels and Marlboros will look the same and there will be no famous camel and no well-known logos.
Some of the brands affected are the largest in the world. Marlboro, for example, has never left the top-10 list of most recognised global brands. These top-end brands still sell at a large premium – just look at the price differentials next time you are at the check-out. No wonder, then, that the tobacco companies are protesting. The proposals, they say, are nothing more than a vindictive asset-strip.
Proponents of the legislation argue that it will help to reduce tobacco consumption. At the front-end, dull brown packets will make it less attractive to take up smoking, while at the back-end they will loosen ties to a ‘favourite’ brand and so help
people to quit. A public health review in 2014 found that standardised packaging would lead to a ‘modest but important’ reduction, over time, in the uptake and prevalence of smoking.
Ireland: No More Smoking at Homes
When the visit is unscheduled or an emergency then a "verbal request should be made for a smoke-free room."
It acknowledges that it may be only possible in that situation to reduce rather than eliminate the risk and "each situation must be addressed on a case-by-case basis." It also points out there may be some "complex, crisis or emergency setting" where the staff entering a domestic setting decide to continue with the visit even though the client is smoking cigarettes http://cigarette-deals.com/.
They may be "acutely distressed or a terminally ill." The worker is advised to complete an incident report form in such circumstances.
It said that "at all times employees need to assess whether an environment is safe to provide a service and inform their line manager."
The HSE is using posters and leaflets in clinics, hospitals and surgeries to notify people of the no smoking in the home rules.
Asked to comment on the measure, Eamon Timmins of Age Action Ireland said: "Age Action understands and accepts that the HSE is complying with legislation to protect the health of their staff.
"However, in some cases it may be providing essential home help services to vulnerable people who are also smokers.
"It is important that this policy is applied sensitively, working with older people who are smokers so that their smoking does not harm their home helps.
"By explaining the need for the policy and working with the older person to find a solution, we hope that the needs of both the older person and the home help can be met," he added.
Clients who fail to agree are to be sent a letter by a HSE manager asking for their co-operation and pointing out people are entitled under Irish law to work in a smoke-free environment.
The letter also includes information on supports available to those who want to quit the habit.
It acknowledges that it may be only possible in that situation to reduce rather than eliminate the risk and "each situation must be addressed on a case-by-case basis." It also points out there may be some "complex, crisis or emergency setting" where the staff entering a domestic setting decide to continue with the visit even though the client is smoking cigarettes http://cigarette-deals.com/.
They may be "acutely distressed or a terminally ill." The worker is advised to complete an incident report form in such circumstances.
It said that "at all times employees need to assess whether an environment is safe to provide a service and inform their line manager."
The HSE is using posters and leaflets in clinics, hospitals and surgeries to notify people of the no smoking in the home rules.
Asked to comment on the measure, Eamon Timmins of Age Action Ireland said: "Age Action understands and accepts that the HSE is complying with legislation to protect the health of their staff.
"However, in some cases it may be providing essential home help services to vulnerable people who are also smokers.
"It is important that this policy is applied sensitively, working with older people who are smokers so that their smoking does not harm their home helps.
"By explaining the need for the policy and working with the older person to find a solution, we hope that the needs of both the older person and the home help can be met," he added.
Clients who fail to agree are to be sent a letter by a HSE manager asking for their co-operation and pointing out people are entitled under Irish law to work in a smoke-free environment.
The letter also includes information on supports available to those who want to quit the habit.
China abolishes tobacco price controls
China has abolished price controls on tobacco leaf, the last agricultural product to have limits, the country's top economic planner said as authorities seek to give the market a greater economic role. But tobacco leaf prices are only a small factor in the cost of cigarettes -- a state monopoly in China -- so the move is unlikely to have a significant effect on smokers.
China is the world's biggest cigarette market and government efforts to curb smoking have only had limited impact. Tobacco was among 24 commodities and services whose cost controls were removed, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said at the weekend, with others including railway bulk cargo, parcels, passenger transport and explosives for civilian use.
The move comes more than a year after Communist Party leaders pledged to give the market a "decisive" role in resource allocation at a key meeting known as the Third Plenum. China's economy stagnated under decades of state control, but reforms brought in starting under Deng Xiaoping have seen it enjoy an unprecedented boom.
State-owned China Tobacco Company retains its monopoly on cigarette production but the tobacco price will be determined according to "industrial supply and demand and company costs and profits", the NDRC said in a statement. China produces about 2.5 million tonnes of tobacco a year, the state-run China Daily quoted NDRC official Wang Shengmin as saying on Monday.
"Leaf tobacco only accounts for a very small portion of China's agricultural market, and the relaxation won't cause much fluctuation of cigarette prices, as the cost of tobacco leaves usually accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of the final product," he said.
Beijing city authorities have passed anti-smoking legislation set to take effect in June as the government seeks to curb the habit among the country's 300 million smokers. But experts point to the state monopoly on cigarettes, which accounts for nearly a tenth of national government revenue, as one of the biggest obstacles to anti-smoking efforts.
Tobacco kills more than a million people each year in China, where some brands can be purchased for as little as three yuan ($0.49). Chinese and foreign experts say the number of smoking deaths could triple by 2030.
China is the world's biggest cigarette market and government efforts to curb smoking have only had limited impact. Tobacco was among 24 commodities and services whose cost controls were removed, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said at the weekend, with others including railway bulk cargo, parcels, passenger transport and explosives for civilian use.
The move comes more than a year after Communist Party leaders pledged to give the market a "decisive" role in resource allocation at a key meeting known as the Third Plenum. China's economy stagnated under decades of state control, but reforms brought in starting under Deng Xiaoping have seen it enjoy an unprecedented boom.
State-owned China Tobacco Company retains its monopoly on cigarette production but the tobacco price will be determined according to "industrial supply and demand and company costs and profits", the NDRC said in a statement. China produces about 2.5 million tonnes of tobacco a year, the state-run China Daily quoted NDRC official Wang Shengmin as saying on Monday.
"Leaf tobacco only accounts for a very small portion of China's agricultural market, and the relaxation won't cause much fluctuation of cigarette prices, as the cost of tobacco leaves usually accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of the final product," he said.
Beijing city authorities have passed anti-smoking legislation set to take effect in June as the government seeks to curb the habit among the country's 300 million smokers. But experts point to the state monopoly on cigarettes, which accounts for nearly a tenth of national government revenue, as one of the biggest obstacles to anti-smoking efforts.
Tobacco kills more than a million people each year in China, where some brands can be purchased for as little as three yuan ($0.49). Chinese and foreign experts say the number of smoking deaths could triple by 2030.
Cigarettes Price Increase in South Korea
The percentage of Korean men who smoke was 44 percent in 2013, among the highest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the nation also has among the lowest cigarette prices in the OECD.
But opposition politicians and critics have accused the government of attempting to plug holes in its tax revenues by squeezing ordinary citizens while maintaining tax cuts for the wealthy. Faced with the drastic price increase, some smokers have hoarded cigarette packs ahead of the tax implementation.
Some convenient stores in the popular district limit the number of cigarette packs per person. A worker at a CU convenience store near Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, said that the store has set a limit of no more than three packs per person.
“A customer is not allowed to buy more than three tobacco items,” said a clerk at the store on Thursday.
“Ever since the announcement was made, we’ve seen drastic increases in sales,” the clerk added. “But the government only regulates retailers if we store too many cigarettes. So, we needed to impose our own rules by placing the cap on the number of cigarettes one can buy.”
The employee said that most other stores are also limiting purchases of packs. In September, cigarette sales at the nation’s three biggest convenience store chains increased by more than 30 percent after a series of news reports on the coming tobacco price increases aired on TV.
In response to the increasing incidents of hoarding, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in September that it will fine retailers up to 50 million won if they buy cigarettes in bulk.
While some serious smokers have tried to hoard cigarettes, others have tried to stay away from smoking, as the government intended. Online retailer G-Market said that as of Dec. 22, sales of electronic cigarettes had surged 70 percent compared to the same period last year.
Since the new tax was announced in September, sales of e-cigarettes have constantly risen. “Entering the new year, people are buying more electronic cigarettes,” said a representative of G-Market. “Still, this year’s sales are really remarkable. The drastic increase in sales is caused by the government’s price increase on tobacco.”
But opposition politicians and critics have accused the government of attempting to plug holes in its tax revenues by squeezing ordinary citizens while maintaining tax cuts for the wealthy. Faced with the drastic price increase, some smokers have hoarded cigarette packs ahead of the tax implementation.
Some convenient stores in the popular district limit the number of cigarette packs per person. A worker at a CU convenience store near Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, said that the store has set a limit of no more than three packs per person.
“A customer is not allowed to buy more than three tobacco items,” said a clerk at the store on Thursday.
“Ever since the announcement was made, we’ve seen drastic increases in sales,” the clerk added. “But the government only regulates retailers if we store too many cigarettes. So, we needed to impose our own rules by placing the cap on the number of cigarettes one can buy.”
The employee said that most other stores are also limiting purchases of packs. In September, cigarette sales at the nation’s three biggest convenience store chains increased by more than 30 percent after a series of news reports on the coming tobacco price increases aired on TV.
In response to the increasing incidents of hoarding, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in September that it will fine retailers up to 50 million won if they buy cigarettes in bulk.
While some serious smokers have tried to hoard cigarettes, others have tried to stay away from smoking, as the government intended. Online retailer G-Market said that as of Dec. 22, sales of electronic cigarettes had surged 70 percent compared to the same period last year.
Since the new tax was announced in September, sales of e-cigarettes have constantly risen. “Entering the new year, people are buying more electronic cigarettes,” said a representative of G-Market. “Still, this year’s sales are really remarkable. The drastic increase in sales is caused by the government’s price increase on tobacco.”
Oklahoma residents support smokefree nightclubs
A new survey of Oklahomans has found that 78.5 percent of the survey's respondents prefer smokefree bars and nightclubs.
Surveys were collected at 22 community events in 2014 to assess awareness of the health hazards posed by exposure to secondhand smoke and to gauge demand for smokefree bars and nightclubs in Oklahoma.
The survey sample 1,937 Oklahomans emphasized Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the two largest metropolitan areas in the state.
The survey also found that 86.4 percent of those surveyed, including 75.4 percent of smokers, would continue to go to their favorite bar or club if it went smokefree. Ninety percent of respondents recognized that secondhand smoke is a serious health risk.
The survey was conducted for Free The Night, a statewide campaign to encourage nightspots to adopt smokefree policies.
Jef, 25, is a regular user of Bond cigarettes http://cigarette-deals.com/bond-cheap-cigarettes says he desagrees with such an idea, because often visits nightclubs and smokes there.
Surveys were collected at 22 community events in 2014 to assess awareness of the health hazards posed by exposure to secondhand smoke and to gauge demand for smokefree bars and nightclubs in Oklahoma.
The survey sample 1,937 Oklahomans emphasized Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the two largest metropolitan areas in the state.
The survey also found that 86.4 percent of those surveyed, including 75.4 percent of smokers, would continue to go to their favorite bar or club if it went smokefree. Ninety percent of respondents recognized that secondhand smoke is a serious health risk.
The survey was conducted for Free The Night, a statewide campaign to encourage nightspots to adopt smokefree policies.
Jef, 25, is a regular user of Bond cigarettes http://cigarette-deals.com/bond-cheap-cigarettes says he desagrees with such an idea, because often visits nightclubs and smokes there.
An Opinion on Smoking
Decades ago, the tobacco industry was laying the groundwork for some of today’s successful political strategies. For every study that came out proving that smoking was killing people, nicotine peddlers trolled up another shill in a white lab coat who’d be willing to concoct fictitious controversy, claim the evidence was inconclusive or point to old-timers who had smoked all of their lives and were fit as a fiddle. The present strategy is to frame smoking as a matter of personal freedom — freedom to become addicted to an expensive, poisonous product that wouldn’t pass safety standards if it were invented today and would get its makers sued into bankruptcy if it did.
Today, most people understand that smoking is a menace to the nation’s health. Cigarette smoking is the No. 1 cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Smoking has been banned indoors in 28 states, and more than 80 percent of Americans are protected by limits on smoking in public places. Smoking destroys human organs and causes nearly nine of every 10 lung cancer deaths. It also causes heart and blood vessel disease, including heart attacks and strokes, and a variety of degenerative diseases, not only in smokers but in unborn children and kids who are exposed to secondhand smoke. (It might even reduce intelligence, judging by the fools who flip burning cigarette butts out of car windows.)
As for freedom, smoking-related diseases claim 480,000 American lives prematurely each year. That affects not only the dead, but their families and loved ones who depend on them. Smoking costs the nation $289 billion in lost workplace productivity and direct health care expenditures, driving up the cost of health insurance for everyone. And the tobacco industry counts on hooking new smokers when they’re young, sometimes too young to smoke legally. Among adults who have ever smoked, 70 percent started smoking regularly at age 18 or younger. It also hooks many users who can least afford cigarettes or the health problems they bring.
Smokers talk about their personal freedoms and they do not want to quit. Max, 42, smokes L&M cigarettes for 20 years and does not want to quit.
Today, most people understand that smoking is a menace to the nation’s health. Cigarette smoking is the No. 1 cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Smoking has been banned indoors in 28 states, and more than 80 percent of Americans are protected by limits on smoking in public places. Smoking destroys human organs and causes nearly nine of every 10 lung cancer deaths. It also causes heart and blood vessel disease, including heart attacks and strokes, and a variety of degenerative diseases, not only in smokers but in unborn children and kids who are exposed to secondhand smoke. (It might even reduce intelligence, judging by the fools who flip burning cigarette butts out of car windows.)
As for freedom, smoking-related diseases claim 480,000 American lives prematurely each year. That affects not only the dead, but their families and loved ones who depend on them. Smoking costs the nation $289 billion in lost workplace productivity and direct health care expenditures, driving up the cost of health insurance for everyone. And the tobacco industry counts on hooking new smokers when they’re young, sometimes too young to smoke legally. Among adults who have ever smoked, 70 percent started smoking regularly at age 18 or younger. It also hooks many users who can least afford cigarettes or the health problems they bring.
Smokers talk about their personal freedoms and they do not want to quit. Max, 42, smokes L&M cigarettes for 20 years and does not want to quit.
Smokers Do Not Want to Quit Their Habit
A pack of cigarettes now sells for about $6 in California, according to The Awl, a current events website in New York that tracks cigarette prices in all 50 states. That compares to a low of $5.25 in Missouri and a high of nearly $13 in New York. Therefore it is better to buy cigarettes online from http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/where an average pack of cigarettes costa $2.
Tobacco tax supporters say state budget figures show that California’s taxpayers spend an estimated $13.29billion annually through Medi-Cal to treat tobacco-related diseases ranging from heart disease to lung cancer.
Today, the question of who becomes a lifelong smoker correlates tightly with a person’s level of education.
In 2011, only 7.5percent of college graduates smoked, Warner said. That’s a decrease of 78percent since 1966, shortly after the U.S. surgeon general warned Americans that cigarettes can kill.
Over the years, California has pressed its population to quit smoking mainly through taxes that make cigarettes more expensive and by spending part of the tax revenue on public interest campaigns. Bit by bit, lawmakers also have reduced the footprint where smokers can light up by banning cigarettes from workplaces, bars, restaurants, playgrounds, schools and health facilities.
But critics, including the American Lung Association, note that California lawmakers have declined to raise taxes on cigarettes since 1999, when a 37-cent-a-pack tax was increased to 87cents. And not all of that cigarette tax revenue directly funds no-smoking programs. Ten percent is diverted to the state’s general fund, the lung association said.
Smoking cessation advocates say more needs to be done to battle the health hazards of cigarettes. Lately, advocates have broken up into two camps: those who want out-and-out radical abolition of cigarettes through prohibition, and those who seek a middle ground through what’s now called tobacco harm reduction.
The latter group includes Warner, who concedes it took him four tries before he was able to shake off the nicotine fix. These advocates acknowledge that nicotine is highly addictive and that some users may not be able, or may not want, to stop using tobacco products. They tend to promote alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and other forms of noncombustible tobacco.
According to Warner, lighting up a cigarette and inhaling its estimated 7,000 chemicals, including arsenic, hydrogen cyanide and polonium-210 (used in the widely publicized poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in recent years) accounts for the vast health damage done by tobacco use.
“If you light up anything, any plant leaf, and inhale, you are letting substances reach your lungs that have no business being there,” he said.
In his article, Warner calls attention to Sweden’s dramatic success in reducing lung cancer death rates. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing for approval a Swedish tobacco product called snus (pronounced snooze).
Decades ago, Swedish Match, a cigarette manufacturer in Sweden, stopped producing cigarettes and developed the smokeless tobacco product that users tuck inside their cheek. Snus is a tiny tea-bag-like product filled with moist, refrigerated, unadulterated tobacco.
Refrigeration prevents the tobacco from fermenting, a process American tobacco growers use to dry the leaves that produces a flavorful cigarette but one laced with a natural carcinogen that is not present in the moist, refrigerated tobacco.
Tobacco tax supporters say state budget figures show that California’s taxpayers spend an estimated $13.29billion annually through Medi-Cal to treat tobacco-related diseases ranging from heart disease to lung cancer.
Today, the question of who becomes a lifelong smoker correlates tightly with a person’s level of education.
In 2011, only 7.5percent of college graduates smoked, Warner said. That’s a decrease of 78percent since 1966, shortly after the U.S. surgeon general warned Americans that cigarettes can kill.
Over the years, California has pressed its population to quit smoking mainly through taxes that make cigarettes more expensive and by spending part of the tax revenue on public interest campaigns. Bit by bit, lawmakers also have reduced the footprint where smokers can light up by banning cigarettes from workplaces, bars, restaurants, playgrounds, schools and health facilities.
But critics, including the American Lung Association, note that California lawmakers have declined to raise taxes on cigarettes since 1999, when a 37-cent-a-pack tax was increased to 87cents. And not all of that cigarette tax revenue directly funds no-smoking programs. Ten percent is diverted to the state’s general fund, the lung association said.
Smoking cessation advocates say more needs to be done to battle the health hazards of cigarettes. Lately, advocates have broken up into two camps: those who want out-and-out radical abolition of cigarettes through prohibition, and those who seek a middle ground through what’s now called tobacco harm reduction.
The latter group includes Warner, who concedes it took him four tries before he was able to shake off the nicotine fix. These advocates acknowledge that nicotine is highly addictive and that some users may not be able, or may not want, to stop using tobacco products. They tend to promote alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and other forms of noncombustible tobacco.
According to Warner, lighting up a cigarette and inhaling its estimated 7,000 chemicals, including arsenic, hydrogen cyanide and polonium-210 (used in the widely publicized poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in recent years) accounts for the vast health damage done by tobacco use.
“If you light up anything, any plant leaf, and inhale, you are letting substances reach your lungs that have no business being there,” he said.
In his article, Warner calls attention to Sweden’s dramatic success in reducing lung cancer death rates. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing for approval a Swedish tobacco product called snus (pronounced snooze).
Decades ago, Swedish Match, a cigarette manufacturer in Sweden, stopped producing cigarettes and developed the smokeless tobacco product that users tuck inside their cheek. Snus is a tiny tea-bag-like product filled with moist, refrigerated, unadulterated tobacco.
Refrigeration prevents the tobacco from fermenting, a process American tobacco growers use to dry the leaves that produces a flavorful cigarette but one laced with a natural carcinogen that is not present in the moist, refrigerated tobacco.
Ghana: Ban of public smoking to begin
_
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has affirmed that the ban on public smoking is still in force and would be enforced soon.
The Authority says it intend to organise intensive training programme on the Public Health Act 2002, Act 851 (6), for the security agencies, judiciary and other key institutions to position them well for the rigid enforcement of the ban. Statistics shows that people in Ghana prefer cheap cigarettes like Continent http://www.cigarettesplace.net/continent
Mr Daniel Nti, a Regulatory Officer, at the Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of the Authority said this at the closing session of a 10-day training course for members of the Regional branch of the Ghana Progressive Hotels Association in Sunyani.
It was organised by the Association in collaboration with Oasis Management Limited, a consultancy firm, and sponsored by the sponsored by the Skill Development Fund of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).
The course was aimed at empowering the participants on safety rules in the hospitality industry, and also help them to strictly adhere to standards in their work.
Mr Nti explained that since the passage of the Public Health Act, the Authority with support from other partners had engaged in continuous education on especially part six of the Act to sensitise the public.
He emphasised that though education on the ban is still on-going some people continue to smoke in public places warning that any person who are caught would be prosecuted.
Mr Nti said offenders are liable to a fine of not more than 750 penalty units or not more than three years imprisonment or both.
He said according to the law it is an offence to sell tobacco product to persons below 18 years.
Mr Nti said FDA would soon embark on an exercise to inspect whether traders and retailers in tobacco business are adhering to laid down guidelines.
Traders or retailers who breach any provision in the Act in the course of their business would also be arrested and prosecuted, he said.
Mr Charles Adu-Gyamfi, First National Vice President, of Ghana Progressive Hotels Association, expressed the need to for such courses to be organised periodically for members of the Association to enable them strictly adhere to best cooking practices.
Mr Paul Bismark Gyasi, Regional Chairman of the Association commended the COTVET for the support and entreated participants to take advantage of the training to upgrade themselves. GNA
The Authority says it intend to organise intensive training programme on the Public Health Act 2002, Act 851 (6), for the security agencies, judiciary and other key institutions to position them well for the rigid enforcement of the ban. Statistics shows that people in Ghana prefer cheap cigarettes like Continent http://www.cigarettesplace.net/continent
Mr Daniel Nti, a Regulatory Officer, at the Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of the Authority said this at the closing session of a 10-day training course for members of the Regional branch of the Ghana Progressive Hotels Association in Sunyani.
It was organised by the Association in collaboration with Oasis Management Limited, a consultancy firm, and sponsored by the sponsored by the Skill Development Fund of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).
The course was aimed at empowering the participants on safety rules in the hospitality industry, and also help them to strictly adhere to standards in their work.
Mr Nti explained that since the passage of the Public Health Act, the Authority with support from other partners had engaged in continuous education on especially part six of the Act to sensitise the public.
He emphasised that though education on the ban is still on-going some people continue to smoke in public places warning that any person who are caught would be prosecuted.
Mr Nti said offenders are liable to a fine of not more than 750 penalty units or not more than three years imprisonment or both.
He said according to the law it is an offence to sell tobacco product to persons below 18 years.
Mr Nti said FDA would soon embark on an exercise to inspect whether traders and retailers in tobacco business are adhering to laid down guidelines.
Traders or retailers who breach any provision in the Act in the course of their business would also be arrested and prosecuted, he said.
Mr Charles Adu-Gyamfi, First National Vice President, of Ghana Progressive Hotels Association, expressed the need to for such courses to be organised periodically for members of the Association to enable them strictly adhere to best cooking practices.
Mr Paul Bismark Gyasi, Regional Chairman of the Association commended the COTVET for the support and entreated participants to take advantage of the training to upgrade themselves. GNA
Smoking ban on bar patios won’t harm businesses
Ontario will ban smoking on all restaurant and bar patios as well as at playgrounds and publicly owned sports fields starting Jan. 1, 2015, the Liberal government announced Friday.
Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla said regulations will also be amended to ban the sale of tobacco on college and university campuses.
The changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act will replace a patchwork of municipal regulations governing smoking on restaurant and bar patios, and will not hurt their businesses, she added.
“When we first introduced a ban on smoking cheapest cigarettes online inside restaurants and bars, there was a lot of concern raised that it would throw restaurants and bars out of business, but the evidence shows that did not happen,” said Damerla.
Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla said regulations will also be amended to ban the sale of tobacco on college and university campuses.
The changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act will replace a patchwork of municipal regulations governing smoking on restaurant and bar patios, and will not hurt their businesses, she added.
“When we first introduced a ban on smoking cheapest cigarettes online inside restaurants and bars, there was a lot of concern raised that it would throw restaurants and bars out of business, but the evidence shows that did not happen,” said Damerla.
Momentum slowly builds for raising age limit for buying tobacco to 21
A push to raise the age limit for buying cigarettes from 18 to 21 – or higher – is slowly building momentum nationwide, particularly in communities serving as college towns.
Initiatives have been launched, if not passed, in more than 40 communities, mostly in Massachusetts, but also in New York City, California, Hawaii, Illinois and Missouri.
The New Jersey state Senate has passed a sales ban until age 21, but the House won’t take it up until 2015. The age restriction there already is 19.
There is no effort toward introducing an age-restriction bill in the N.C. General Assembly, according to two local legislators serving on financial and health-care committees. Mayor Allen Joines and Forsyth County Commissioner Dave Plyler said they have not heard of any ground-swelling toward raising the legal age.
Advocates say the primary goal is further limiting youths’ exposure to cigarettes, and possibly all tobacco products, in hopes of delaying or preventing the start of any form of use. Many studies, most prominently a 2012 U.S. Surgeon General report, show that about 90 percent of Americans who smoke began before age 18.
“Supporters point to data from the office of the Surgeon General that shows it takes less exposure to nicotine for teenagers/young adults to become addicted,” said Stephen Pope, managing partner of Spotlight Ideas in London.
A similar strategy proved successfully in 1984 when Congress raised the age restrictions on buying alcohol to 21 – making it for some individuals the final rite of passage into adulthood.
Initiatives have been launched, if not passed, in more than 40 communities, mostly in Massachusetts, but also in New York City, California, Hawaii, Illinois and Missouri.
The New Jersey state Senate has passed a sales ban until age 21, but the House won’t take it up until 2015. The age restriction there already is 19.
There is no effort toward introducing an age-restriction bill in the N.C. General Assembly, according to two local legislators serving on financial and health-care committees. Mayor Allen Joines and Forsyth County Commissioner Dave Plyler said they have not heard of any ground-swelling toward raising the legal age.
Advocates say the primary goal is further limiting youths’ exposure to cigarettes, and possibly all tobacco products, in hopes of delaying or preventing the start of any form of use. Many studies, most prominently a 2012 U.S. Surgeon General report, show that about 90 percent of Americans who smoke began before age 18.
“Supporters point to data from the office of the Surgeon General that shows it takes less exposure to nicotine for teenagers/young adults to become addicted,” said Stephen Pope, managing partner of Spotlight Ideas in London.
A similar strategy proved successfully in 1984 when Congress raised the age restrictions on buying alcohol to 21 – making it for some individuals the final rite of passage into adulthood.
Rice County landlords to ponder smoke-free policy
Promoting health and safety while reducing property expenses. Those are just some of the benefits that building managers and landlords will hear during a smoke-free workshop next month.
According to Minnesota Smoke Free Housing, nearly 50 percent of Minnesota renters say that secondhand smoke gets into their apartment from somewhere other than their own. Of those, 37 percent said it bothers them enough to think about moving.
As a participating agency in the Four Corners Partnership, which focuses on reducing the harm of tobacco, Rice County Public Health will hold a free “lunch and learn” workshop to highlight how a smoke-free policy can be beneficial. Those who smoke choose Marlboros http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/buy/marlboro
The workshop will include a guest speaker from the Live Smoke Free Program and an attorney from William Mitchell College of Law. Both will be giving presentations.
“Our guest presenters have many years of experience working with property managers and owners across Minnesota to successfully implement smoke-free policies for apartments, townhomes and other properties,” said Tracy Ackman-Shaw, health educator for Rice County Public Health, in a press release.
The event is open to the public; however property managers and owners of multi-unit buildings are especially encouraged to attend.
“This will be a great opportunity for area landlords to learn about the benefits of smoke-free policies and get their questions answered by the experts,” Ackman-Shaw said.
Kara Skahen, program director with the Live Smoke Free Program, said when they first began in 2007, there were roughly 50 buildings that were smoke-free. Now, she said they know of roughly 1,400 apartment complexes statewide that are smoke-free. However, only eight of those are in Rice County, according to the Live Smoke Free Program website.
According to Minnesota Smoke Free Housing, nearly 50 percent of Minnesota renters say that secondhand smoke gets into their apartment from somewhere other than their own. Of those, 37 percent said it bothers them enough to think about moving.
As a participating agency in the Four Corners Partnership, which focuses on reducing the harm of tobacco, Rice County Public Health will hold a free “lunch and learn” workshop to highlight how a smoke-free policy can be beneficial. Those who smoke choose Marlboros http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/buy/marlboro
The workshop will include a guest speaker from the Live Smoke Free Program and an attorney from William Mitchell College of Law. Both will be giving presentations.
“Our guest presenters have many years of experience working with property managers and owners across Minnesota to successfully implement smoke-free policies for apartments, townhomes and other properties,” said Tracy Ackman-Shaw, health educator for Rice County Public Health, in a press release.
The event is open to the public; however property managers and owners of multi-unit buildings are especially encouraged to attend.
“This will be a great opportunity for area landlords to learn about the benefits of smoke-free policies and get their questions answered by the experts,” Ackman-Shaw said.
Kara Skahen, program director with the Live Smoke Free Program, said when they first began in 2007, there were roughly 50 buildings that were smoke-free. Now, she said they know of roughly 1,400 apartment complexes statewide that are smoke-free. However, only eight of those are in Rice County, according to the Live Smoke Free Program website.
Church St. smoking ban one step closer to law
A plan for banning smoking on Burlington's Church Street is one step closer to reality.
The City Council Ordinance Committee sent the 24-hour ban back to the full City Council on Wednesday night by a 2-1 vote, according to committee Chairman Chip Mason, D-Ward 5.
The City Council has already considered the smoking ban once, in June, after hearing support from the Church Street Marketplace Commission, the Vermont secretary of health and the Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community.
Karen Paul, D-Ward 6, said she expects the full City Council to take up the issue again in November.
As currently proposed, the ordinance would ban smoking on the pedestrian area of Church Street, including outdoor seating, but not including private property. A first violation would carry a $50 fine; subsequent offenses would be fined $100.
It is more preferrrable for smokers to choose cheapest cigarettes just like Temp is http://www.cigarettestrade.com/buy/temp
The City Council Ordinance Committee sent the 24-hour ban back to the full City Council on Wednesday night by a 2-1 vote, according to committee Chairman Chip Mason, D-Ward 5.
The City Council has already considered the smoking ban once, in June, after hearing support from the Church Street Marketplace Commission, the Vermont secretary of health and the Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community.
Karen Paul, D-Ward 6, said she expects the full City Council to take up the issue again in November.
As currently proposed, the ordinance would ban smoking on the pedestrian area of Church Street, including outdoor seating, but not including private property. A first violation would carry a $50 fine; subsequent offenses would be fined $100.
It is more preferrrable for smokers to choose cheapest cigarettes just like Temp is http://www.cigarettestrade.com/buy/temp
Activate Allen County Comcerns About Secondhand Smoke
We all know by now that living with a smoker can be seriously bad for your health. But living next door to a smoker can be equally dangerous.
If you live in multi-unit housing — that means apartment complexes, duplexes or any other place that more than one family resides — there’s a good chance you are being exposed to secondhand smoke, even if you can’t see it.
Think of it this way: if someone is frying bacon in the next apartment, you can most likely smell it in yours. The same holds true for cigarette smoke. The toxic fumes make their way through cracks in doorways, heating ducts and through pipes in walls.
If you think secondhand smoke is no big deal, think again. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogenic. That is a classification reserved for substances known to cause cancer in humans, and there is no such thing as a safe level of exposure to Group A toxins. It was found that youth chooses to smoke menthols such as Kiss.
Children living in an apartment building where smoking is allowed have high levels of cotinine in their blood, even when nobody in their unit smokes. Cotinine is a measure of nicotine level in your blood.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause immediate adverse effects including eye and throat irritations, coughing, chest discomfort and difficulty breathing. Long-term, it can be a significant factor in illness and disease including lung cancer, heart disease, COPD, asthma, strokes, emphysema, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and impotence.
Activate Allen County is working with tenants and owners of multi-unit housing complexes to make the transition to a smoke-free environment. For owners and landlords, there are advantages to going smoke-free, including cost savings on unit cleaning and a unique opportunity to market to a rapidly growing base of renters seeking smoke-free housing. For tenants, the advantages are even greater, including a longer, healthier life for you and your family.
If you live in multi-unit housing — that means apartment complexes, duplexes or any other place that more than one family resides — there’s a good chance you are being exposed to secondhand smoke, even if you can’t see it.
Think of it this way: if someone is frying bacon in the next apartment, you can most likely smell it in yours. The same holds true for cigarette smoke. The toxic fumes make their way through cracks in doorways, heating ducts and through pipes in walls.
If you think secondhand smoke is no big deal, think again. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogenic. That is a classification reserved for substances known to cause cancer in humans, and there is no such thing as a safe level of exposure to Group A toxins. It was found that youth chooses to smoke menthols such as Kiss.
Children living in an apartment building where smoking is allowed have high levels of cotinine in their blood, even when nobody in their unit smokes. Cotinine is a measure of nicotine level in your blood.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause immediate adverse effects including eye and throat irritations, coughing, chest discomfort and difficulty breathing. Long-term, it can be a significant factor in illness and disease including lung cancer, heart disease, COPD, asthma, strokes, emphysema, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and impotence.
Activate Allen County is working with tenants and owners of multi-unit housing complexes to make the transition to a smoke-free environment. For owners and landlords, there are advantages to going smoke-free, including cost savings on unit cleaning and a unique opportunity to market to a rapidly growing base of renters seeking smoke-free housing. For tenants, the advantages are even greater, including a longer, healthier life for you and your family.
Youth smoking rates drop after display bans
Youth smoking rates have fallen and young people are less likely to identify cigarette brands following a ban on retailers displaying tobacco products, new research shows. Most recognizable brand is Marlboro http://www.cigarettesplace.net/marlboro-cigarettes
In the first study to look at the medium-term effects of point-of-sale display bans, researchers found that smoking rates for people aged 12 to 24 dropped from 15 per cent to 11 per cent in the two years after the laws were implemented in NSW and Queensland.
The research, by the Cancer Institute NSW and published on Tuesday in the Journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, suggests the display ban has changed attitudes about smoking among the group most susceptible to taking it up.
Cancer Institute NSW chief executive Professor David Currow said point-of-sale displays had been a way to advertise cigarettes and target young people.
"These displays were targeted at making it attractive to think about smoking. There's no doubt that youth, in seeing displays, were more likely to think about smoking, were more likely to undertake impulse buying and we've seen those things decrease in this research," Professor Currow said.
The study of more than 6000 young people, who were interviewed before, during and after the introduction of the laws in 2010 and 2011, found brand awareness had also dropped, with 59 per cent able to name at least one cigarette brand two years after the ban, compared with 65 per cent before. Research has long shown an association between brands and young people taking up smoking.
In the first study to look at the medium-term effects of point-of-sale display bans, researchers found that smoking rates for people aged 12 to 24 dropped from 15 per cent to 11 per cent in the two years after the laws were implemented in NSW and Queensland.
The research, by the Cancer Institute NSW and published on Tuesday in the Journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, suggests the display ban has changed attitudes about smoking among the group most susceptible to taking it up.
Cancer Institute NSW chief executive Professor David Currow said point-of-sale displays had been a way to advertise cigarettes and target young people.
"These displays were targeted at making it attractive to think about smoking. There's no doubt that youth, in seeing displays, were more likely to think about smoking, were more likely to undertake impulse buying and we've seen those things decrease in this research," Professor Currow said.
The study of more than 6000 young people, who were interviewed before, during and after the introduction of the laws in 2010 and 2011, found brand awareness had also dropped, with 59 per cent able to name at least one cigarette brand two years after the ban, compared with 65 per cent before. Research has long shown an association between brands and young people taking up smoking.
It's time to ban smoking on campus
On Wednesday, Oct. 1, the University of Georgia will start enforcing a campus-wide tobacco ban, joining a growing trend in higher education. In 2010, fewer than 450 colleges prohibited cigarettes, a number that has since grown to nearly 1,500. While questions remain about the use of smokeless tobacco and simulated tobacco smoking, such as e-cigarettes, universities are justified in banning cigarette smoking on campus grounds. Pitt should, too. Students may affors themselves discount cigarettes, so they buy them online http://www.cigarettestime.com/
Students should have the right to smoke and use tobacco as they wish, so long as such use occurs on their own property. However, because of Pitt’s urban environment, many non-students pass through University property on a daily basis, which can complicate the matter. Even so, the University has the right to establish policy for its own property, especially when such policy concerns public health.
Numerous studies have shown that even secondhand smoke is a detriment to one’s health. It is hard to imagine an individual living in 2014 who isn’t aware of this. According to the American Cancer Society, “tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds. More than 250 of these chemicals are known to be harmful, and at least 69 are known to cause cancer.”
Tobacco smoke, no matter how much or little someone inhales, is harmful to one’s health. Students should not be involuntarily exposed to such a well-known health hazard. If the University fails to act on the dangers of smoking tobacco, that’s a failure in taking the health of its students seriously.
Regardless of one’s stance on cigarettes, the matter of banning smoking is still justified through property rights. If the University does not own a piece of property, then it does not have the right to control tobacco use on that land.
To appease both smokers and nonsmokers, the University could compromise with a ban that allows a few specific exceptions. For instance, it could designate smoking areas away from popular walking paths, such as alcoves outside the Cathedral of Learning by the Stephen Foster Memorial Theatre or the Litchfield Towers Patio behind Tower A. Those who wish to smoke could have a contained and confined area to do so, while those wishing to avoid the smoke could do so as well.
Finally, the University would have to consistently enforce the ban. If campus authorities caught someone smoking, he or she would need to receive a monetary fine set by Univeristy administration. The University could pump revenue generated from these fines into health-oriented programs.
Students should have the right to smoke and use tobacco as they wish, so long as such use occurs on their own property. However, because of Pitt’s urban environment, many non-students pass through University property on a daily basis, which can complicate the matter. Even so, the University has the right to establish policy for its own property, especially when such policy concerns public health.
Numerous studies have shown that even secondhand smoke is a detriment to one’s health. It is hard to imagine an individual living in 2014 who isn’t aware of this. According to the American Cancer Society, “tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds. More than 250 of these chemicals are known to be harmful, and at least 69 are known to cause cancer.”
Tobacco smoke, no matter how much or little someone inhales, is harmful to one’s health. Students should not be involuntarily exposed to such a well-known health hazard. If the University fails to act on the dangers of smoking tobacco, that’s a failure in taking the health of its students seriously.
Regardless of one’s stance on cigarettes, the matter of banning smoking is still justified through property rights. If the University does not own a piece of property, then it does not have the right to control tobacco use on that land.
To appease both smokers and nonsmokers, the University could compromise with a ban that allows a few specific exceptions. For instance, it could designate smoking areas away from popular walking paths, such as alcoves outside the Cathedral of Learning by the Stephen Foster Memorial Theatre or the Litchfield Towers Patio behind Tower A. Those who wish to smoke could have a contained and confined area to do so, while those wishing to avoid the smoke could do so as well.
Finally, the University would have to consistently enforce the ban. If campus authorities caught someone smoking, he or she would need to receive a monetary fine set by Univeristy administration. The University could pump revenue generated from these fines into health-oriented programs.
Haverhill residents encouraged to quit smoking this Stoptober
An annual campaign encouraging people to stop smoking will arrive in Haverhill next week. Stoptober will visit the town centre on September 30 in a bid to improve smokers' health and save their money. Stop smoking advisers will be on hand between 10am until 4pm.
According to Live Well Suffolk, those smoking an average of 20 cigarettes a day could save more than £650 by the New Year if they stay smoke free. More than £2,500 could be saved if they manage to stop smoking for a full year. Steven Lee-Foster, director of Live Well Suffolk, is urging people to take on the challenge – and join smokers across West Suffolk.
He said: "If you've tried and failed to stop smoking in the past – no matter how many times – then get in touch with us.
"Often the mistake people make is going it alone. With practical help and advice from our trained stop smoking advisors, you're four times more likely to quit for good."
By the end of one month, smokers could have saved more than £200, Mr Foster added, which is a "great incentive" to take part. Live Well Suffolk wants to encourage 1,000 smokers to kick the habit. Most smokers choose Marlboros http://cigarette-deals.com/marlboro-cheap-cigarettes
Those who manage to not smoke for the duration of the challenge are five times more likely to stay smoke free for good. The Stoptober campaign will also visit Haverhill town centre on October 27 from 9.30am until 4.30pm. The national campaign, which runs from October 1 until October 28, is in its third year.
According to Live Well Suffolk, those smoking an average of 20 cigarettes a day could save more than £650 by the New Year if they stay smoke free. More than £2,500 could be saved if they manage to stop smoking for a full year. Steven Lee-Foster, director of Live Well Suffolk, is urging people to take on the challenge – and join smokers across West Suffolk.
He said: "If you've tried and failed to stop smoking in the past – no matter how many times – then get in touch with us.
"Often the mistake people make is going it alone. With practical help and advice from our trained stop smoking advisors, you're four times more likely to quit for good."
By the end of one month, smokers could have saved more than £200, Mr Foster added, which is a "great incentive" to take part. Live Well Suffolk wants to encourage 1,000 smokers to kick the habit. Most smokers choose Marlboros http://cigarette-deals.com/marlboro-cheap-cigarettes
Those who manage to not smoke for the duration of the challenge are five times more likely to stay smoke free for good. The Stoptober campaign will also visit Haverhill town centre on October 27 from 9.30am until 4.30pm. The national campaign, which runs from October 1 until October 28, is in its third year.
Worcester seeks to toughen tobacco ordinance
The city administration is recommending amendments to the city's tobacco control ordinance to make it harder for tobacco companies to market their products to children and to lessen the impact of secondhand smoke in city-owned buildings.
City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said the amendments will advance the Community Health Improvement Plan, which has a goal of making Worcester the healthiest city in New England.
He emphasized that the city is not looking to burden local businesses or infringe on anyone's personal freedom. Instead, the manager said, the recommendations call for "common sense improvements" to the city's tobacco control ordinance to bring Worcester up to the standards set by many other communities in the state.
Mr. Augustus said 100 municipalities already have tougher penalties than Worcester for vendors who sell tobacco to minors. He added that more than 30 municipalities already prohibit smoking in public parks and beaches, and more than 72 prohibit the use of e-smoking devices in smoke-free workplaces.
"Worcester should not fall behind on such a vital public health issue," Mr. Augustus wrote in a report that goes before the City Council Tuessday night. "Tobacco companies are constantly revising their strategies to target young people, and we must do the same to protect them.
"While the primary goal of secondhand-smoke laws is to protect nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke, evidence suggests secondhand smoke policies also lower smoking rates among youth," he added.
The city's tobacco control ordinance was adopted in 2011, although part of it was challenged and struck down by a federal court.
Smokers from Worchester say that it si more convenient for them to buy cigarettes online http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/
City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said the amendments will advance the Community Health Improvement Plan, which has a goal of making Worcester the healthiest city in New England.
He emphasized that the city is not looking to burden local businesses or infringe on anyone's personal freedom. Instead, the manager said, the recommendations call for "common sense improvements" to the city's tobacco control ordinance to bring Worcester up to the standards set by many other communities in the state.
Mr. Augustus said 100 municipalities already have tougher penalties than Worcester for vendors who sell tobacco to minors. He added that more than 30 municipalities already prohibit smoking in public parks and beaches, and more than 72 prohibit the use of e-smoking devices in smoke-free workplaces.
"Worcester should not fall behind on such a vital public health issue," Mr. Augustus wrote in a report that goes before the City Council Tuessday night. "Tobacco companies are constantly revising their strategies to target young people, and we must do the same to protect them.
"While the primary goal of secondhand-smoke laws is to protect nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke, evidence suggests secondhand smoke policies also lower smoking rates among youth," he added.
The city's tobacco control ordinance was adopted in 2011, although part of it was challenged and struck down by a federal court.
Smokers from Worchester say that it si more convenient for them to buy cigarettes online http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/
No-smoking order aids Ky. taxpayers
Gov. Steve Beshear's order expanding state government's ban on the use of tobacco products to include the grounds of executive branch offices and buildings will save taxpayers money.
Workers who can no longer step outside to feed their addictions will try to quit.
The University of Kentucky recorded a fourfold increase in quit-smoking attempts among students and employees after banning tobacco use campus-wide.
Beshear said that health care costs for the 22,000 self-reported smokers in state government's health insurance plan are about 20 percent higher than for those who report not using tobacco.
A peer-reviewed 2013 study in the journal Tobacco Control estimates the annual cost to employers per smoking employee is $5,816 in health care spending, lower productivity, absences due to illness and time lost to smoke breaks.
So, Beshear's executive order, which takes effect Nov. 20, makes a lot of economic sense for state government and the taxpayers who foot the bill.
It also should remind us that two-thirds of Kentuckians still lack the most basic protections from secondhand smoke in the indoor spaces where they work, do business and spend their money.
Gov. Ernie Fletcher in 2006 protected most state workers by banning smoking inside executive branch offices and indoor common areas.
That essential level of protection is still denied in places where the majority of Kentuckians live and that have failed to enact local smoking bans.
Tobacco companies will not give up and will continue to sell and promote their cheapest ciagrettes.
Workers who can no longer step outside to feed their addictions will try to quit.
The University of Kentucky recorded a fourfold increase in quit-smoking attempts among students and employees after banning tobacco use campus-wide.
Beshear said that health care costs for the 22,000 self-reported smokers in state government's health insurance plan are about 20 percent higher than for those who report not using tobacco.
A peer-reviewed 2013 study in the journal Tobacco Control estimates the annual cost to employers per smoking employee is $5,816 in health care spending, lower productivity, absences due to illness and time lost to smoke breaks.
So, Beshear's executive order, which takes effect Nov. 20, makes a lot of economic sense for state government and the taxpayers who foot the bill.
It also should remind us that two-thirds of Kentuckians still lack the most basic protections from secondhand smoke in the indoor spaces where they work, do business and spend their money.
Gov. Ernie Fletcher in 2006 protected most state workers by banning smoking inside executive branch offices and indoor common areas.
That essential level of protection is still denied in places where the majority of Kentuckians live and that have failed to enact local smoking bans.
Tobacco companies will not give up and will continue to sell and promote their cheapest ciagrettes.
'Don't tar us with the same brush as tobacco industry'
WHILE the industry body claims the majority of electronic cigarette firms are independently owned, tobacco firms are increasingly pushing their way into the market.
Many major tobacco companies are buying up independent e-cigarette brands, while some are developing their own electronic products, prompted by fears that they will miss out on profits if the technology really takes off internationally.
Just two months ago, tobacco giant Philip Morris International - which produces Marlboro cigarettes - took over Nicolites, while Japan Tobacco also bought out one of the UK's most recognisable e-cigarette brands, E-lites. British American Tobacco (BAT) has created its own electronic product, Vype, which sits alongside Reynolds American's Vuse and Imperial Tobacco's Puritane.
However, the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association (ECITA) claims their reputation is suffering because of "historic distrust".
Tom Pruen, ECITA's chief scientific officer, said: "The vast majority of the industry is not anything to do with the tobacco industry. They're fairly late entering into our market. They've identified that there's a threat to tobacco sales. Obviously, there's a historic distrust of the tobacco industry and now we are being tarred with the industry's brush."
A number of firms moving into the electronic market have been accused of "wooing" politicians. BAT has close ties to Tory MP and former chancellor Ken Clarke who was paid more than £1 million in his 10 years working for the firm. The politician received free trips while he was a senior minister and was invited to the British Grand Prix by Formula 1 sponsor Philip Morris International while it was fighting plans to ban tobacco advertising in the sport.
Japan Tobacco gave 12 Conservative MPs Chelsea Flower Show tickets costing up to £1132 each. The politicians opposed a successful ban on smoking in family cars. Independent firm Pillbox38, which makes Totally Wicked e-cigarettes, donated £25,000 to Ukip in May last year. Party leader Nigel Farage then appeared in a video promoting "remarkable" e-cigarettes.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of health charity ASH Scotland, added there were concerns over the growing involvement of tobacco companies in the market owing to their "history of prioritising profits over people".
If you want to buy cheap cigarettes, access http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/
Many major tobacco companies are buying up independent e-cigarette brands, while some are developing their own electronic products, prompted by fears that they will miss out on profits if the technology really takes off internationally.
Just two months ago, tobacco giant Philip Morris International - which produces Marlboro cigarettes - took over Nicolites, while Japan Tobacco also bought out one of the UK's most recognisable e-cigarette brands, E-lites. British American Tobacco (BAT) has created its own electronic product, Vype, which sits alongside Reynolds American's Vuse and Imperial Tobacco's Puritane.
However, the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association (ECITA) claims their reputation is suffering because of "historic distrust".
Tom Pruen, ECITA's chief scientific officer, said: "The vast majority of the industry is not anything to do with the tobacco industry. They're fairly late entering into our market. They've identified that there's a threat to tobacco sales. Obviously, there's a historic distrust of the tobacco industry and now we are being tarred with the industry's brush."
A number of firms moving into the electronic market have been accused of "wooing" politicians. BAT has close ties to Tory MP and former chancellor Ken Clarke who was paid more than £1 million in his 10 years working for the firm. The politician received free trips while he was a senior minister and was invited to the British Grand Prix by Formula 1 sponsor Philip Morris International while it was fighting plans to ban tobacco advertising in the sport.
Japan Tobacco gave 12 Conservative MPs Chelsea Flower Show tickets costing up to £1132 each. The politicians opposed a successful ban on smoking in family cars. Independent firm Pillbox38, which makes Totally Wicked e-cigarettes, donated £25,000 to Ukip in May last year. Party leader Nigel Farage then appeared in a video promoting "remarkable" e-cigarettes.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive of health charity ASH Scotland, added there were concerns over the growing involvement of tobacco companies in the market owing to their "history of prioritising profits over people".
If you want to buy cheap cigarettes, access http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/
No Smoking on Olympic Games in Japan
If smoking ban is introduced as a consequence of the Games, it could form a major legacy of Tokyo 2020, in a similar way that Rio 2016 was, initially at least, aiming to use the Games to change attitudes regarding pollution. There is also a history of tobacco restrictions being in place at an Olympic Games, with the International Olympic Committee adopting its first smoke-free policy at Games-venues during Calgary 1988.
While London, the location for the last Summer Games, had already banned smoking in bars and restaurants in 2007, in this year's Winter Olympic host city of Sochi, fines were introduced for smoking in locations, including restaurants. Yet any effort to introduce restrictions in Tokyo may be met with resistance from Japan Tobacco Inc (JTI), a company which was a Government-run monopoly until 1985 and whose largest shareholder remains the Japanese Finance Ministry.
Revenues from tobacco taxes are forecast by the ministry to amount to ¥922 billion (£5.3 billion/$8.9 billion/€6.7 billion) in the financial year ending in March.
A statement on the JTI website, unrelated to the specific Tokyo 2020 debate, explains that "while JTI supports regulation of smoking in many public places", they "do not believe that laws prohibiting smoking in all workplaces and places open to the public are the solution".
Yet the move would likely gain much public support, with a survey in May finding that 63 per cent of indoor workers support the implementation of a national smoke-free ban before 2020. On August 1, McDonald's banned smoking in every one of its 3,135 outlets in Japan, while Starbucks has maintained a smoking ban, as it does elsewhere in the world, in all its outlets in Japan ever since the first one opened in 1996.
Shigefumi Matsuzawa, who as Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture introduced a historic smoke-free public places ordinance in 2009, believes a law preventing passive smoking is vital "in order to make the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics a success".
Japanese people choose to smoke Winston cigarettes produced by Japan Tobacco International http://www.cigarettesplace.net/winston-cigarettes
While London, the location for the last Summer Games, had already banned smoking in bars and restaurants in 2007, in this year's Winter Olympic host city of Sochi, fines were introduced for smoking in locations, including restaurants. Yet any effort to introduce restrictions in Tokyo may be met with resistance from Japan Tobacco Inc (JTI), a company which was a Government-run monopoly until 1985 and whose largest shareholder remains the Japanese Finance Ministry.
Revenues from tobacco taxes are forecast by the ministry to amount to ¥922 billion (£5.3 billion/$8.9 billion/€6.7 billion) in the financial year ending in March.
A statement on the JTI website, unrelated to the specific Tokyo 2020 debate, explains that "while JTI supports regulation of smoking in many public places", they "do not believe that laws prohibiting smoking in all workplaces and places open to the public are the solution".
Yet the move would likely gain much public support, with a survey in May finding that 63 per cent of indoor workers support the implementation of a national smoke-free ban before 2020. On August 1, McDonald's banned smoking in every one of its 3,135 outlets in Japan, while Starbucks has maintained a smoking ban, as it does elsewhere in the world, in all its outlets in Japan ever since the first one opened in 1996.
Shigefumi Matsuzawa, who as Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture introduced a historic smoke-free public places ordinance in 2009, believes a law preventing passive smoking is vital "in order to make the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics a success".
Japanese people choose to smoke Winston cigarettes produced by Japan Tobacco International http://www.cigarettesplace.net/winston-cigarettes
Tokyo to mull blanket smoking ban at restaurants
Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe suggested Sunday that the metropolitan government will consider a blanket smoking ban at restaurants in the capital before it hosts the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Japan is the only advanced nation where smoking is permitted at restaurants. We’d like to pass an ordinance [for a smoking ban] with the cooperation of the metropolitan assembly,” Masuzoe said on a television program.
He told reporters later that he wants to impose a smoking ban on all public facilities and restaurants in Tokyo, adding that the metropolitan government will discuss how much a ban can be enforced by law.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has in principle banned smoking in public facilities.
Masuzoe hopes to step up measures to prevent secondhand smoking and separate smoking areas in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, sources said.
Just like most smokers worldwide, Tokyo smokers choose Marlboro cigarettes http://www.cigarettestime.com/marlboro
“Japan is the only advanced nation where smoking is permitted at restaurants. We’d like to pass an ordinance [for a smoking ban] with the cooperation of the metropolitan assembly,” Masuzoe said on a television program.
He told reporters later that he wants to impose a smoking ban on all public facilities and restaurants in Tokyo, adding that the metropolitan government will discuss how much a ban can be enforced by law.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has in principle banned smoking in public facilities.
Masuzoe hopes to step up measures to prevent secondhand smoking and separate smoking areas in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, sources said.
Just like most smokers worldwide, Tokyo smokers choose Marlboro cigarettes http://www.cigarettestime.com/marlboro
Frisco City Council to Ban Smoking in Parks
“It’s hard to imagine now, the days when smoking was allowed in restaurants. There was a lot of pushback when those ordinances were pushed through,” he said. “Out at the parks we have noticed it becoming an increasing problem, with people smoking. It does create a nuisance that the city has to deal with and clean up.”
When this debate initially began, in January, it centered on the use of and access to e-cigarettes by minors. Council member Will Sowell made the point that smoking is a legal activity and that it would be ludicrous to tell a resident they can’t possess something that is legal. On the other hand, he said that smoking does have a negative effect on the surrounding environment.
“I don’t want to sit in the stands next to someone that is smoking,” he said. “I would be very okay with an ordinance that restricted smoking activities within 100 feet of a playground or sports field or seating area, but if I’m at a park and having a picnic with my kids and want to smoke, then that should be my right to do so if I’m not in a crowd of people.”
Sowell said that he is in support of what is trying to be accomplished, but doesn’t want to be too big brother-ish about it.
Council member Scott Johnson made the motion to vote on option number one that was proposed, which limited smoking of any kind in public parks. Allen seconded the motion and with the amendment to the city ordinance on smoking passing smoking of any kind, including e-cigarettes, is now against the law in Frisco.
Scientists exagerrate the effects of smoking. Alcohol is more harmful. Choose to smoke only quality cigarettes from http://cigarette-deals.com/
When this debate initially began, in January, it centered on the use of and access to e-cigarettes by minors. Council member Will Sowell made the point that smoking is a legal activity and that it would be ludicrous to tell a resident they can’t possess something that is legal. On the other hand, he said that smoking does have a negative effect on the surrounding environment.
“I don’t want to sit in the stands next to someone that is smoking,” he said. “I would be very okay with an ordinance that restricted smoking activities within 100 feet of a playground or sports field or seating area, but if I’m at a park and having a picnic with my kids and want to smoke, then that should be my right to do so if I’m not in a crowd of people.”
Sowell said that he is in support of what is trying to be accomplished, but doesn’t want to be too big brother-ish about it.
Council member Scott Johnson made the motion to vote on option number one that was proposed, which limited smoking of any kind in public parks. Allen seconded the motion and with the amendment to the city ordinance on smoking passing smoking of any kind, including e-cigarettes, is now against the law in Frisco.
Scientists exagerrate the effects of smoking. Alcohol is more harmful. Choose to smoke only quality cigarettes from http://cigarette-deals.com/
Albany council to vote on expanded city smoking ban
Want to light a stogie to celebrate your daughter being crowned Tulip Queen? You might have to do it on the sidewalk next year.
Tulip Festival and Alive at Five concerts could soon be completely smoke-free as city lawmakers prepare to vote Monday to extend Albany's smoking ban at playgrounds and ball fields to all areas in city parks.
The ordinance would rap smokers with a $50 fine for using any tobacco products on city parkland, including Washington Park and the riverfront Corning Preserve, which are home to some of the city's largest events.
If the measure passes — and it appears to have enough support — Albany would join the likes of Schenectady and Niskayuna, which also have outright prohibitions. Syracuse adopted one in June.
"People should have the right to make individual choices, but the thing with cigarette smoking is that your personal choice affects somebody else," said 1st Ward Councilwoman Dorcey Applyrs, the ordinance's lead sponsor.
Applyrs, who recently completed her Ph.D. in public health, said the reason for the ban is twofold: To protect the public from the dangers of secondhand smoke, which she said remains a threat even outside, as well as to combat cigarette litter in parks, which can be toxic to small children and animals.
The measure cleared the council's law committee by a 4-1 vote, with only 12th Ward Councilman Michael O'Brien dissenting.
In 2012, the council approved a limited ban on smoking in areas of parks where children gather, such as playgrounds, athletic fields and pools. A ban on smoking in CDTA bus shelters followed last month.
"I applaud the intent for sure," O'Brien, a smoker, said of the all-parks ban. "My issue is that it's unnecessarily broad."
O'Brien offered an amendment that would have designated areas where smokers could light up — not unlike the beer garden set up three years ago at Tulip Fest, which draws thousands of visitors to Washington Park each May. Those areas, he said, would be isolated enough to mitigate the risks from secondhand smoke.
"I just think it's going to be really hard to enforce, particularly at public events," O'Brien said. "How many people smoke at Alive at Five? A lot."
http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/ is an online cigarettes shop which provides excellent service and best prices on tobacco products despite smoking bans.
Tulip Festival and Alive at Five concerts could soon be completely smoke-free as city lawmakers prepare to vote Monday to extend Albany's smoking ban at playgrounds and ball fields to all areas in city parks.
The ordinance would rap smokers with a $50 fine for using any tobacco products on city parkland, including Washington Park and the riverfront Corning Preserve, which are home to some of the city's largest events.
If the measure passes — and it appears to have enough support — Albany would join the likes of Schenectady and Niskayuna, which also have outright prohibitions. Syracuse adopted one in June.
"People should have the right to make individual choices, but the thing with cigarette smoking is that your personal choice affects somebody else," said 1st Ward Councilwoman Dorcey Applyrs, the ordinance's lead sponsor.
Applyrs, who recently completed her Ph.D. in public health, said the reason for the ban is twofold: To protect the public from the dangers of secondhand smoke, which she said remains a threat even outside, as well as to combat cigarette litter in parks, which can be toxic to small children and animals.
The measure cleared the council's law committee by a 4-1 vote, with only 12th Ward Councilman Michael O'Brien dissenting.
In 2012, the council approved a limited ban on smoking in areas of parks where children gather, such as playgrounds, athletic fields and pools. A ban on smoking in CDTA bus shelters followed last month.
"I applaud the intent for sure," O'Brien, a smoker, said of the all-parks ban. "My issue is that it's unnecessarily broad."
O'Brien offered an amendment that would have designated areas where smokers could light up — not unlike the beer garden set up three years ago at Tulip Fest, which draws thousands of visitors to Washington Park each May. Those areas, he said, would be isolated enough to mitigate the risks from secondhand smoke.
"I just think it's going to be really hard to enforce, particularly at public events," O'Brien said. "How many people smoke at Alive at Five? A lot."
http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/ is an online cigarettes shop which provides excellent service and best prices on tobacco products despite smoking bans.
Alaska Students Want Smoke-Free Campus
Hu founded a campus club that grew right out of the class, called the Asian and Pacific Islander Community Wellness Club. Inspired to serve the larger community, club members helped interview respondents for the Asian and Pacific Islander health survey.
But their survey, developed in the honors class, had only one question on smoking. So where did the energy for a smoke-free campaign come from? Enter then-freshman Valeria Delgado.
She came to Alaska from Mexico in the fourth grade, speaking only Spanish but excelling in math, specifically long division, just as her Anchorage classmates were tackling it. She describes Russian Jack Elementary and Clark Middle School, and eventually East High, as diverse environments where she felt right at home.
When Delgado landed at UAA, she wanted to get involved. A friend invited her to the wellness club, a group that had begun pressing their advisor, Gabe Garcia, on what they could do to make UAA a healthier place for students. Garcia’s academic research is on smoking behavior, dating back to his doctorate from UCLA. Given that 99 percent of smokers start by the age of 26, he suggested they consider working for a smoke-free campus. That idea fell on willing ears.
Delgado’s mother was once a smoker, and her sister has asthma. A 2012 survey of UAA students showed more than 40 percent of tobacco users supported a smoke-free campus. Delgado and pre-med student Yesenia Camarena got busy. They collected 400 student signatures in favor of a smoke-free campus and brought their petition to the UA Board of Regents. There, it stopped.
“They told us a petition with 400 signatures wasn’t representative enough,” Delgado said. So they pushed for the election last spring.
There were dissenters, especially around a policy interfering with personal choice. The award-winning Seawolf Debaters argued pro and con in a February public event. KRUA’s campus radio news team and the student newspaper presented competing commentaries. Dueling Facebook pages gave vent to strong feelings on both sides. A last-minute poster campaign suggested smokers were being treated as if they had leprosy. And then the April pro-vote settled the issue for students.
Garcia, the public health researcher who’s studied smoking behavior most of his professional life, is particularly gratified. “It’s important to start in your own neighborhood. If you can’t change your neighborhood, how will you change the world?”
Smokers say that they wil not give up smoking and just will start to buy online cigarettes.
But their survey, developed in the honors class, had only one question on smoking. So where did the energy for a smoke-free campaign come from? Enter then-freshman Valeria Delgado.
She came to Alaska from Mexico in the fourth grade, speaking only Spanish but excelling in math, specifically long division, just as her Anchorage classmates were tackling it. She describes Russian Jack Elementary and Clark Middle School, and eventually East High, as diverse environments where she felt right at home.
When Delgado landed at UAA, she wanted to get involved. A friend invited her to the wellness club, a group that had begun pressing their advisor, Gabe Garcia, on what they could do to make UAA a healthier place for students. Garcia’s academic research is on smoking behavior, dating back to his doctorate from UCLA. Given that 99 percent of smokers start by the age of 26, he suggested they consider working for a smoke-free campus. That idea fell on willing ears.
Delgado’s mother was once a smoker, and her sister has asthma. A 2012 survey of UAA students showed more than 40 percent of tobacco users supported a smoke-free campus. Delgado and pre-med student Yesenia Camarena got busy. They collected 400 student signatures in favor of a smoke-free campus and brought their petition to the UA Board of Regents. There, it stopped.
“They told us a petition with 400 signatures wasn’t representative enough,” Delgado said. So they pushed for the election last spring.
There were dissenters, especially around a policy interfering with personal choice. The award-winning Seawolf Debaters argued pro and con in a February public event. KRUA’s campus radio news team and the student newspaper presented competing commentaries. Dueling Facebook pages gave vent to strong feelings on both sides. A last-minute poster campaign suggested smokers were being treated as if they had leprosy. And then the April pro-vote settled the issue for students.
Garcia, the public health researcher who’s studied smoking behavior most of his professional life, is particularly gratified. “It’s important to start in your own neighborhood. If you can’t change your neighborhood, how will you change the world?”
Smokers say that they wil not give up smoking and just will start to buy online cigarettes.
Philippines Consider Introduction Graphic Health Warnings on Cigarettes Packs
The government expressed optimism today that it could reduce smoking in the country with the recent enactment of law providing graphic health warnings on tobacco products including famous Winston cigarettes.
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona said the Philippines is the latest developing country to follow other nations in requiring pictorial health warnings.
"We now join the group of Brazil, Singapore and Indonesia that have implemented similar laws on graphic health warnings. This development brings us closer to our dream of a cleaner air and a healthier people," he said.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's approved the Republic Act No. 10643 or An Act to Effectively Instill Health Consciousness through Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco Products last Friday.
Cigarette smoking is known to cause emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The law requires cigarette manufacturers to use half of a cigarette pack's display area for pictures showing the ill effects of smoking.
The graphic health warnings should appear on the lower portion of the front and back panels of the cigarette packs. The law also provides 12 different versions of the graphic health warnings, to be changed every two years.
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona said the Philippines is the latest developing country to follow other nations in requiring pictorial health warnings.
"We now join the group of Brazil, Singapore and Indonesia that have implemented similar laws on graphic health warnings. This development brings us closer to our dream of a cleaner air and a healthier people," he said.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's approved the Republic Act No. 10643 or An Act to Effectively Instill Health Consciousness through Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco Products last Friday.
Cigarette smoking is known to cause emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The law requires cigarette manufacturers to use half of a cigarette pack's display area for pictures showing the ill effects of smoking.
The graphic health warnings should appear on the lower portion of the front and back panels of the cigarette packs. The law also provides 12 different versions of the graphic health warnings, to be changed every two years.
Pacific considering cigarette plain packaging
The World Health Organisation says a number of countries across the Pacific are considering following in Australia's footsteps and introducing plain packaging of cigarettes. The WHO is set to join governments across the region in a major drive to make the Pacific tobacco free within 10 years.
The WHO Pacific coordinator of non-communicable diseases, Dr Temo Waqanivalu, says the project will be launched in Honiara in two weeks and plain packaging is among the tactics being considered. "The actual measure itself is something that's greatly supported and there are a few countries that are ahead of the game, (they) are actually talking of moving there now," Dr Waqanivalu told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat.
"They've done the graphic warnings on the packets so the next step after that is to actually move towards plain packaging."
Dr Waqanivalu says increasing the tax on cigarettes and cracking down on the tobacco black market are the keys to reduce smoking.
"If those two happen, well then especially the young smokers, the youth, they're the first ones who actually going to begin to quit," he said. "Economic ministers should really think seriously about assisting... part of that is facilitating increased taxation on tobacco cigarettes."
The WHO says Cook Islands has been a leader on reducing smoking, having significantly increased the price of cigarettes with plans for further rises. "Cook Islands is really exemplary of what we are trying to promote across the Pacific and they've done exceptionally well."
But Dr Waqanivalu says the tobacco industry is fighting back. "We know the tobacco industry is always at work," he said. "We see them influencing ministries of health." Dr Waqanivalu says the WHO's plans also involve setting up services to help people quit.
http://www.cigarettestime.com/ offers a large var
The WHO Pacific coordinator of non-communicable diseases, Dr Temo Waqanivalu, says the project will be launched in Honiara in two weeks and plain packaging is among the tactics being considered. "The actual measure itself is something that's greatly supported and there are a few countries that are ahead of the game, (they) are actually talking of moving there now," Dr Waqanivalu told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat.
"They've done the graphic warnings on the packets so the next step after that is to actually move towards plain packaging."
Dr Waqanivalu says increasing the tax on cigarettes and cracking down on the tobacco black market are the keys to reduce smoking.
"If those two happen, well then especially the young smokers, the youth, they're the first ones who actually going to begin to quit," he said. "Economic ministers should really think seriously about assisting... part of that is facilitating increased taxation on tobacco cigarettes."
The WHO says Cook Islands has been a leader on reducing smoking, having significantly increased the price of cigarettes with plans for further rises. "Cook Islands is really exemplary of what we are trying to promote across the Pacific and they've done exceptionally well."
But Dr Waqanivalu says the tobacco industry is fighting back. "We know the tobacco industry is always at work," he said. "We see them influencing ministries of health." Dr Waqanivalu says the WHO's plans also involve setting up services to help people quit.
http://www.cigarettestime.com/ offers a large var
ITC drops on buzz of hike in tax on cigarettes in Budget
Key benchmark indices weakened once again after trimming intraday losses in early afternoon trade as firm global crude oil prices and hike in railway freight rates stoked inflation worries. The government after trading hours on Friday, 20 June 2014, announced a steep 14.2% increase in railway passenger fare and 6.5% hike in railway freight rate to boost revenue of the railways to meet its annual expenditure. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 90.33 points or 0.36%, off close to 180 points from the day's high and up about 35 points from the day's low. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive.
Index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC dropped almost 5% on reports that Union health minister Harsh Vardhan has urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to raise tax on cigarettes in the upcoming final Union Budget for 2014-15 to deter people from smoking. Metal and mining stocks gained after a preliminary survey showed that manufacturing activity in China's factory sector expanded in June for the first time in six months.
At 12:20 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 90.33 points or 0.36% to 25,015.18. The index shed 124.70 points at the day's low of 24,980.81 in morning trade, its lowest level since 5 June 2014. The index jumped 91.99 points at the day's high of 25,197.50 in early trade. The CNX Nifty was down 36 points or 0.48% to 7,475.45. The index hit a low of 7,469.05 in intraday trade, its lowest level since 5 June 2014. The index hit a high of 7,534.80 in intraday trade.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,304 shares gained and 1,225 shares fell. A total of 110 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 46.22 points or 0.52% at 9,008.18. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 55.43 points or 0.57% at 9,816.65. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
Index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC dropped almost 5% on reports that Union health minister Harsh Vardhan has urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to raise tax on cigarettes in the upcoming final Union Budget for 2014-15 to deter people from smoking. The stock was off 4.63% at Rs 320.35. In a letter to the Finance Minister, Vardhan has sought an increase in tax on cigarettes of all lengths by Rs 2 to Rs 3.5 per stick, as per reports.
Today tax increase is a popular measure in many countries of the world which is thought to fight smoking. However, smokers continue to smoke because they buy cheap cigarettes in the online cigarettes shop.
Index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC dropped almost 5% on reports that Union health minister Harsh Vardhan has urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to raise tax on cigarettes in the upcoming final Union Budget for 2014-15 to deter people from smoking. Metal and mining stocks gained after a preliminary survey showed that manufacturing activity in China's factory sector expanded in June for the first time in six months.
At 12:20 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 90.33 points or 0.36% to 25,015.18. The index shed 124.70 points at the day's low of 24,980.81 in morning trade, its lowest level since 5 June 2014. The index jumped 91.99 points at the day's high of 25,197.50 in early trade. The CNX Nifty was down 36 points or 0.48% to 7,475.45. The index hit a low of 7,469.05 in intraday trade, its lowest level since 5 June 2014. The index hit a high of 7,534.80 in intraday trade.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,304 shares gained and 1,225 shares fell. A total of 110 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 46.22 points or 0.52% at 9,008.18. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 55.43 points or 0.57% at 9,816.65. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
Index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC dropped almost 5% on reports that Union health minister Harsh Vardhan has urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to raise tax on cigarettes in the upcoming final Union Budget for 2014-15 to deter people from smoking. The stock was off 4.63% at Rs 320.35. In a letter to the Finance Minister, Vardhan has sought an increase in tax on cigarettes of all lengths by Rs 2 to Rs 3.5 per stick, as per reports.
Today tax increase is a popular measure in many countries of the world which is thought to fight smoking. However, smokers continue to smoke because they buy cheap cigarettes in the online cigarettes shop.
Cigarette firms lobbying retailers over plain packaging
Big tobacco has begun lobbying retailers on the impact of plain cigarette packaging on revenues, using advertisements in the trade press as well as on-the-ground reps.
According to a leading policy adviser on the cigarette packaging law in Australia, the first country to introduce it, this is just one aspect of a wider industry campaign being ramped up to “undermine” the measure.
Prof Mike Daube, who chaired the Australian expert advisory group on the issue, said tactics used by companies in Australia were likely to be adopted here due to fears of a “domino” legislative impact across the EU. “You [Ireland] can brace yourself for a massive lobbying and PR campaign and for claims that civilisation as we know it will end when plain packaging is implemented.”
The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) said there had already been advertisements and approaches from reps advising of detrimental effects to income.
An advertising campaign in recent months – targeting publications such as Checkout, Shelf-Life and Retail News – has drawn attention to the threat of cigarettes.
However, CSNA chief executive Vincent Jennings said that, by scrapping branding, Irish smokers would simply move to “value” brands, and the industry would raise wholesale prices, in effect squeezing middlemen vendors who are powerless to raise retail prices.
“These are the real reasons why we should oppose plain packaging – because it will cause growth in the value market. It’s not doing anything to prevent [people] smoking,” Mr Jennings said.
http://cigarette-deals.com/ offers a large variety of cigarettes brands of highest quality!
According to a leading policy adviser on the cigarette packaging law in Australia, the first country to introduce it, this is just one aspect of a wider industry campaign being ramped up to “undermine” the measure.
Prof Mike Daube, who chaired the Australian expert advisory group on the issue, said tactics used by companies in Australia were likely to be adopted here due to fears of a “domino” legislative impact across the EU. “You [Ireland] can brace yourself for a massive lobbying and PR campaign and for claims that civilisation as we know it will end when plain packaging is implemented.”
The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) said there had already been advertisements and approaches from reps advising of detrimental effects to income.
An advertising campaign in recent months – targeting publications such as Checkout, Shelf-Life and Retail News – has drawn attention to the threat of cigarettes.
However, CSNA chief executive Vincent Jennings said that, by scrapping branding, Irish smokers would simply move to “value” brands, and the industry would raise wholesale prices, in effect squeezing middlemen vendors who are powerless to raise retail prices.
“These are the real reasons why we should oppose plain packaging – because it will cause growth in the value market. It’s not doing anything to prevent [people] smoking,” Mr Jennings said.
http://cigarette-deals.com/ offers a large variety of cigarettes brands of highest quality!
New Jersey to Increase Tobacco Buying Age
In case New Jersey adopts a new law, the minimum age to buy cigarettes will be 21. Bill sponsor Richard J. Codey (D-Essex and Morris) noted that retailers already must check the age of young-adult tobacco purchasers, adding “this doesn’t change anything.” But Risalvato countered that increasing the minimum age increased the risk to retailers. “That just brings more people into the mix that we have to screen and it just is a larger burden on us,” Risalvato said. “And if the true focus is to discourage people from smoking then why not have a penalty to someone who sneaks past us as well.”
NJ GASP attorney Cara Ann Murphy said requiring retailers to check the age “is just part of doing business with selling tobacco and having the ability and license to sell tobacco.” Sen. Robert W. Singer (R-Monmouth and Ocean) noted that adults younger than 21 are trusted with other major responsibilities, such as entering into contracts and serving in the military. Blumenfeld responded that every branch of the military has smoking-cessation programs.
Sen. Ronald L. Rice (D-Essex), a smoker, said he was concerned with the bill’s potential impact on “liberated adults,” and disturbed that members of the military like his nephew, who was called for a third tour in Afghanistan, would be denied cigarettes.
“I just think you are wrong for making that decision for folk, particularly those who may not ever get back home doing military services,” Rice said. “And if in fact they travel throughout the country doing their time in the service and they’re buying cigarettes elsewhere, and they come here and they can’t buy it, as an adult -- I have a problem with that.” He noted that young adults can buy real estate, have families and pay taxes, and questioned why they can’t be allowed to make decisions about their health. “To be quite frank, I’m getting tired about folk trying to tell adults what to do,” he said.
Eileen Kean, representing R.J. Reynolds parent Reynolds American, said the company would like to see the state join most other states in making tobacco purchasing and possession illegal for minors, but is neutral on the bill. Sen. Joseph F. Vitale (D-Middlesex) said he doesn’t support criminal penalties for residents who have become addicted to smoking, adding that he believes tobacco companies are disingenuous after having promoted the use of tobacco by youths in previous decades.
Codey admitted that some young people would continue to buy cigarettes illegally, but he noted that upping the drinking age from 18 to 21 deterred alcohol consumption among some young adults. “There’s a segment of our society that will obey the law, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “So the more we can discourage our youths from taking up this terrible habit of smoking, we will save their lives, we will improve the quality of their lives,” and reduce second-hand smoke. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee released the bill on June 5 by a 6-2 vote, with Rice and Singer voting "No."
NJ GASP attorney Cara Ann Murphy said requiring retailers to check the age “is just part of doing business with selling tobacco and having the ability and license to sell tobacco.” Sen. Robert W. Singer (R-Monmouth and Ocean) noted that adults younger than 21 are trusted with other major responsibilities, such as entering into contracts and serving in the military. Blumenfeld responded that every branch of the military has smoking-cessation programs.
Sen. Ronald L. Rice (D-Essex), a smoker, said he was concerned with the bill’s potential impact on “liberated adults,” and disturbed that members of the military like his nephew, who was called for a third tour in Afghanistan, would be denied cigarettes.
“I just think you are wrong for making that decision for folk, particularly those who may not ever get back home doing military services,” Rice said. “And if in fact they travel throughout the country doing their time in the service and they’re buying cigarettes elsewhere, and they come here and they can’t buy it, as an adult -- I have a problem with that.” He noted that young adults can buy real estate, have families and pay taxes, and questioned why they can’t be allowed to make decisions about their health. “To be quite frank, I’m getting tired about folk trying to tell adults what to do,” he said.
Eileen Kean, representing R.J. Reynolds parent Reynolds American, said the company would like to see the state join most other states in making tobacco purchasing and possession illegal for minors, but is neutral on the bill. Sen. Joseph F. Vitale (D-Middlesex) said he doesn’t support criminal penalties for residents who have become addicted to smoking, adding that he believes tobacco companies are disingenuous after having promoted the use of tobacco by youths in previous decades.
Codey admitted that some young people would continue to buy cigarettes illegally, but he noted that upping the drinking age from 18 to 21 deterred alcohol consumption among some young adults. “There’s a segment of our society that will obey the law, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “So the more we can discourage our youths from taking up this terrible habit of smoking, we will save their lives, we will improve the quality of their lives,” and reduce second-hand smoke. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee released the bill on June 5 by a 6-2 vote, with Rice and Singer voting "No."
Russia Implements Tobacco Control Law
Russia on June 1 finished implementing its comprehensive tobacco control law, extending a prohibition on smoking in public places to hospitality venues, including restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels. Newly-implemented provisions also ban point-of-sale displays of cigarettes and other tobacco products and end tobacco sales at kiosks that are common through the country. These are historic actions to reduce tobacco’s devastating toll and save lives in Russia, a country that has one of the highest smoking rates in the world and where tobacco kills nearly 400,000 people every year. Russia is the world’s second largest cigarette market.
The June 1 actions complete implementation of a comprehensive tobacco control law enacted in February 2013. The law requires 100 percent smoke-free public places, bans all tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorships, prohibits point-of-sale tobacco displays and limits where tobacco products can be sold. Previously implemented provisions of the law are already working to reduce smoking. Russian officials have reported that cigarette consumption fell by 12 percent – 16 billion cigarettes – in the first quarter of 2014 compared to a year ago, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Tobacco companies have also reported steep declines in sales in Russia. Philip Morris International says its sales fell by nearly 9 percent in the first quarter of 2014, while Imperial Tobacco also attributed falling sales to tougher regulation in Russia.
High-level Russian officials have pledged support for the law. “Cigarettes are too available. The less available this evil, the better,” said one top health official, according to the Interfax News Agency.
Tobacco is one of the main drivers of Russia’s “demographic crisis” of falling life expectancy and declining population. While the new law has made Russia a leader in tobacco control, challenges still remain, including implementing the new law in a country that stretches from Europe to the Pacific Ocean. Tobacco taxes in Russia are also among the lowest in the world, which make cigarettes more accessible to young people
Modern people prefer to order cigarettes online from http://www.cigarettesplace.net/
The June 1 actions complete implementation of a comprehensive tobacco control law enacted in February 2013. The law requires 100 percent smoke-free public places, bans all tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorships, prohibits point-of-sale tobacco displays and limits where tobacco products can be sold. Previously implemented provisions of the law are already working to reduce smoking. Russian officials have reported that cigarette consumption fell by 12 percent – 16 billion cigarettes – in the first quarter of 2014 compared to a year ago, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Tobacco companies have also reported steep declines in sales in Russia. Philip Morris International says its sales fell by nearly 9 percent in the first quarter of 2014, while Imperial Tobacco also attributed falling sales to tougher regulation in Russia.
High-level Russian officials have pledged support for the law. “Cigarettes are too available. The less available this evil, the better,” said one top health official, according to the Interfax News Agency.
Tobacco is one of the main drivers of Russia’s “demographic crisis” of falling life expectancy and declining population. While the new law has made Russia a leader in tobacco control, challenges still remain, including implementing the new law in a country that stretches from Europe to the Pacific Ocean. Tobacco taxes in Russia are also among the lowest in the world, which make cigarettes more accessible to young people
Modern people prefer to order cigarettes online from http://www.cigarettesplace.net/
Wealthier by Quitting Cigarettes?
BURNIE'S Grant Anderson was smoking a cigarette when he decided he didn't enjoy smoking anymore. "I thought, `Why am I smoking?' and decided to give it up," he said.
Mr Anderson, 37, said that his two young children Zoe, 4, and John, 2, also played a role in his decision to give up. Mr Anderson uses a phone application, My Quit Buddy, to help keep track of how long it has been since his last cigarette, the money he has saved and the amount of tar that hasn't entered his body since he gave up.
Mr Anderson has saved $1380 and avoided 13,976milligrams of tar over 133 days since he is not smoking his usual 10 cigarettes a day. Mr Anderson said giving up smoking had improved aspects of his life markedly.
"I felt a bit worse when I first started giving up, but now I've got more energy and I'm breathing better," he said.
"Not spending money on discount cigarettes has made paying bills off much easier."
Until 133 days ago, Mr Anderson was one of the 21.7per cent of Tasmanians who smoked cigarettes each day. Anti-smoking agencies hope World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and a new advertising campaign launched by Quit Tasmania will encourage Tasmanians to quit, and lower the rate of daily smokers towards the Australian daily smoker average of 16.3 per cent.
Cancer Council Tasmania chief executive Penny Egan said the high percentage of Tasmanian smokers was "simply unacceptable as a health risk".
"Tasmania has the highest rate of daily smokers in Australia, except for the Northern Territory," she said.
"Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia."
Mr Anderson, 37, said that his two young children Zoe, 4, and John, 2, also played a role in his decision to give up. Mr Anderson uses a phone application, My Quit Buddy, to help keep track of how long it has been since his last cigarette, the money he has saved and the amount of tar that hasn't entered his body since he gave up.
Mr Anderson has saved $1380 and avoided 13,976milligrams of tar over 133 days since he is not smoking his usual 10 cigarettes a day. Mr Anderson said giving up smoking had improved aspects of his life markedly.
"I felt a bit worse when I first started giving up, but now I've got more energy and I'm breathing better," he said.
"Not spending money on discount cigarettes has made paying bills off much easier."
Until 133 days ago, Mr Anderson was one of the 21.7per cent of Tasmanians who smoked cigarettes each day. Anti-smoking agencies hope World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and a new advertising campaign launched by Quit Tasmania will encourage Tasmanians to quit, and lower the rate of daily smokers towards the Australian daily smoker average of 16.3 per cent.
Cancer Council Tasmania chief executive Penny Egan said the high percentage of Tasmanian smokers was "simply unacceptable as a health risk".
"Tasmania has the highest rate of daily smokers in Australia, except for the Northern Territory," she said.
"Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia."
Calls to Bust Smokers in Public Areas
A SINGLE fine has been issued in the Hunter under anti-smoking laws the NSW government introduced in January last year – sparking calls for tougher enforcement.
Many residents are fed up with breathing second-hand smoke outside shopping centres, office buildings and other public places. There are calls for a crackdown and changes in community attitudes to ensure smoking is significantly reduced in these areas.
Coal Point resident Jim Sullivan, a former council environmental health officer, said the laws were not being enforced: ‘‘They’ve got to bump up the education program and the enforcement and not put this back on to councils.’’
Mr Sullivan said most people were ‘‘sick of breathing other people’s smoke cheap cigarettes’’. NSW Health inspectors are authorised to enforce bans and issue up to $550 penalties for those who fail to comply.
A Health Department spokeswoman said about 30 NSW Health inspectors worked ‘‘across the state’’. Mr Sullivan said health officers ‘‘have enough on their plate’’ and many weren’t employed to be ‘‘smoking policemen’’.
‘‘It’d be one of their lowest priorities,’’ he said.
He said the ‘‘best people to enforce it would be parking rangers’’.
‘‘They’re used to booking people – they’re tough bastards,’’ he said.
‘‘They’d book people as quick as lightning.’’
The NSW Health Department said the first priority in enforcing the laws had been ‘‘educating the community to provide the opportunity for smokers to adjust their behaviour’’.
‘‘This has included regular compliance monitoring at all public outdoor sites covered by the legislation and the issuing of cautionary notices to people seen to be in breach,’’ a spokeswoman said.
Monitoring done last year showed ‘‘a high level of compliance with the new rules on smoking in public places’’, she said.
Many residents are fed up with breathing second-hand smoke outside shopping centres, office buildings and other public places. There are calls for a crackdown and changes in community attitudes to ensure smoking is significantly reduced in these areas.
Coal Point resident Jim Sullivan, a former council environmental health officer, said the laws were not being enforced: ‘‘They’ve got to bump up the education program and the enforcement and not put this back on to councils.’’
Mr Sullivan said most people were ‘‘sick of breathing other people’s smoke cheap cigarettes’’. NSW Health inspectors are authorised to enforce bans and issue up to $550 penalties for those who fail to comply.
A Health Department spokeswoman said about 30 NSW Health inspectors worked ‘‘across the state’’. Mr Sullivan said health officers ‘‘have enough on their plate’’ and many weren’t employed to be ‘‘smoking policemen’’.
‘‘It’d be one of their lowest priorities,’’ he said.
He said the ‘‘best people to enforce it would be parking rangers’’.
‘‘They’re used to booking people – they’re tough bastards,’’ he said.
‘‘They’d book people as quick as lightning.’’
The NSW Health Department said the first priority in enforcing the laws had been ‘‘educating the community to provide the opportunity for smokers to adjust their behaviour’’.
‘‘This has included regular compliance monitoring at all public outdoor sites covered by the legislation and the issuing of cautionary notices to people seen to be in breach,’’ a spokeswoman said.
Monitoring done last year showed ‘‘a high level of compliance with the new rules on smoking in public places’’, she said.
Smart Lighter for Quitting
If you've ever chastised a friend for their gnarly smoking habit, you know that scolding does absolutely nothing. Making people feel bad about smoking just makes them want to smoke in secret. Well, here's an idea: What if it was your lighter making you feel bad about smoking cigarettes. You can't run away from your lighter right?
There's a new Kickstarter for a snazzy "smart" lighter called the Quitbit. Like the fitness tracking gadgets whose name it apes—no lawsuits, yet!—the Quitbit would supposedly help you monitor your quitting with information broadcast on a built-in display, keeping track of how much you smoke, how long it's been since your last one, etc. In theory, this information might move you along the path to quitting by helping you "understand" your smoking. Or it might just add a statistics buzz to the nicotine buzz you've already got going.
It's possible this is just a fancy way to lie to yourself about quitting. When and if the gadget gets funded and actually produced, its creators hope to sell the Quitbit for $150. That's pricey for something with no demonstrated success rate. Then again, it might work. For people who are desperate to quit smoking—and I've been there—any little bit that helps could be a good thing.
There's a new Kickstarter for a snazzy "smart" lighter called the Quitbit. Like the fitness tracking gadgets whose name it apes—no lawsuits, yet!—the Quitbit would supposedly help you monitor your quitting with information broadcast on a built-in display, keeping track of how much you smoke, how long it's been since your last one, etc. In theory, this information might move you along the path to quitting by helping you "understand" your smoking. Or it might just add a statistics buzz to the nicotine buzz you've already got going.
It's possible this is just a fancy way to lie to yourself about quitting. When and if the gadget gets funded and actually produced, its creators hope to sell the Quitbit for $150. That's pricey for something with no demonstrated success rate. Then again, it might work. For people who are desperate to quit smoking—and I've been there—any little bit that helps could be a good thing.
E-cigarettes Cause Respiratory Diseases
Electronic cigarette “vapors” are made of small particles containing chemicals that may cause or worsen acute respiratory diseases, including asthma and bronchitis, among youth, according to a new study by RTI International.
Researchers examined particles emitted by e-cigarettes, an alternative nicotine delivery device, to understand what a user inhales and how these particles may affect the teen user’s lungs. In a cellular model, the study found some e-cigarette emissions cause acute toxicity, or lung damage, similar to that caused by conventional tobacco smoke.
“The emerging trend of e-cigarette use is posing public health concerns and new issues for regulatory agencies,” said Jonathan Thornburg, Ph.D., senior research engineer and program manager at RTI and the project’s manager. “E-cigarettes produce a significant number of very small particles that impact a teen user’s airway viability. To understand what the user inhales, we collected data to characterize the small particles in the vapor and to determine the chemical and toxicological characteristics of e-cigarette emissions.”
The study found up to 40 percent of particles emitted by an e-cigarette can deposit in the deepest area of a youth’s lungs. The chemicals contained in these small particles may irritate airways or worsen pre-existing respiratory conditions.
To conduct the study, researchers developed an e-cigarette vapor collection and sampling system equipped with a custom apparatus to mimic the conditions found inside the human mouth and respiratory tract. The system is attached to an e-cigarette to uniformly generate and capture the vapor emissions. The system is flexible to be representative of realistic smoking patterns among adolescents and adults.
According to the researchers, the type and quality of e-cigarette liquids will affect the size, content and concentration of generated particles. The size and toxicity of particles are also impacted by different fragrances, preservatives and other additives.
Tobacco cigarettes are much better than e-cigarettes. Buy cheap cigarettes at http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/
Researchers examined particles emitted by e-cigarettes, an alternative nicotine delivery device, to understand what a user inhales and how these particles may affect the teen user’s lungs. In a cellular model, the study found some e-cigarette emissions cause acute toxicity, or lung damage, similar to that caused by conventional tobacco smoke.
“The emerging trend of e-cigarette use is posing public health concerns and new issues for regulatory agencies,” said Jonathan Thornburg, Ph.D., senior research engineer and program manager at RTI and the project’s manager. “E-cigarettes produce a significant number of very small particles that impact a teen user’s airway viability. To understand what the user inhales, we collected data to characterize the small particles in the vapor and to determine the chemical and toxicological characteristics of e-cigarette emissions.”
The study found up to 40 percent of particles emitted by an e-cigarette can deposit in the deepest area of a youth’s lungs. The chemicals contained in these small particles may irritate airways or worsen pre-existing respiratory conditions.
To conduct the study, researchers developed an e-cigarette vapor collection and sampling system equipped with a custom apparatus to mimic the conditions found inside the human mouth and respiratory tract. The system is attached to an e-cigarette to uniformly generate and capture the vapor emissions. The system is flexible to be representative of realistic smoking patterns among adolescents and adults.
According to the researchers, the type and quality of e-cigarette liquids will affect the size, content and concentration of generated particles. The size and toxicity of particles are also impacted by different fragrances, preservatives and other additives.
Tobacco cigarettes are much better than e-cigarettes. Buy cheap cigarettes at http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/
King County residents want to increase tobacco age
Looking to reduce tobacco use among youth, the King County Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Administrative Board has voted to approve a resolution calling for a change to the legal age of tobacco purchase in Washington State. The board is asking legislators to change state law to increase the legal age to buy tobacco online to age 21.
“We are very concerned about the health hazards to youth caused by the use of tobacco,” chair of the board Pat Godfrey said, “and some health problems may not show up for several years.”
The board is a volunteer organization comprised of King County residents with personal or professional knowledge and expertise in alcohol and drug abuse. They provide recommendations and input to King County on programs, services, policy and budget issues.
Tobacco continues to be one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in King County and the nation. Cigarette smoking alone causes an estimated 480,000 deaths in the United States every year, according to the latest U.S. Surgeon General’s report, with lung cancer being the leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women. Smoking causes other cancers as well, including throat, mouth, nasal cavity, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder and cervix.
Almost 90 percent of adult smokers began smoking by age 18 and about 75 percent of adult smokers became daily smokers before age 21.
“We think age 18 is too young,” Godfrey said, speaking on behalf of the board. “At least make it comparable to the legal purchase of alcohol and recreational marijuana, both of which are set at age 21."
“We are very concerned about the health hazards to youth caused by the use of tobacco,” chair of the board Pat Godfrey said, “and some health problems may not show up for several years.”
The board is a volunteer organization comprised of King County residents with personal or professional knowledge and expertise in alcohol and drug abuse. They provide recommendations and input to King County on programs, services, policy and budget issues.
Tobacco continues to be one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in King County and the nation. Cigarette smoking alone causes an estimated 480,000 deaths in the United States every year, according to the latest U.S. Surgeon General’s report, with lung cancer being the leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women. Smoking causes other cancers as well, including throat, mouth, nasal cavity, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder and cervix.
Almost 90 percent of adult smokers began smoking by age 18 and about 75 percent of adult smokers became daily smokers before age 21.
“We think age 18 is too young,” Godfrey said, speaking on behalf of the board. “At least make it comparable to the legal purchase of alcohol and recreational marijuana, both of which are set at age 21."
Wisconsin Residents Must Pay Taxes on Out-of-State Cigarettes
The Journal Times asked a Wisconsin Department of Revenue spokeswoman whether the agency considers buying cheap cigarettes in another state, to be brought back into Wisconsin for use, to be smuggling.
Assistant Deputy Secretary Jennifer Western responded as follows:
“In response to your question about smuggling, the term ‘smuggling’ with respect to cigarettes is not defined in statute.
“However under state law, a Wisconsin resident who travels across state lines to buy cigarettes for personal use is required to file to pay use tax on their purchase within 15 days.
“If they do not pay use tax, they are subject to a $25 penalty for each 200 cigarettes. (This can be found in Wisconsin Statute 139.33.)
“The Department of Revenue balances its enforcement resources based upon the circumstances of the action.”
Assistant Deputy Secretary Jennifer Western responded as follows:
“In response to your question about smuggling, the term ‘smuggling’ with respect to cigarettes is not defined in statute.
“However under state law, a Wisconsin resident who travels across state lines to buy cigarettes for personal use is required to file to pay use tax on their purchase within 15 days.
“If they do not pay use tax, they are subject to a $25 penalty for each 200 cigarettes. (This can be found in Wisconsin Statute 139.33.)
“The Department of Revenue balances its enforcement resources based upon the circumstances of the action.”
Alliance One and China Tobacco Finalize Joint Venture in Brazil
Alliance One International, Inc. (NYSE: AOI) today announced that its Brazilian subsidiary Alliance One Brasil Exportadora de Tabacos ("AOB") and China Tabaco Internacional do Brasil ("CTIB"), the Brazilian subsidiary of China Tobacco, completed the formation of a new joint venture company, China Brasil Tobacos Exportadora SA ("CBT") in Brazil on March 26, 2014.
CBT has operated as an independent subsidiary of AOB for the last two crops and currently contracts with 9,500 integrated growers. The joint venture's administrative, buying and processing functions operate in Alliance One´s facilities in Venancio Aires. The joint venture is owned 51% by CTIB and 49% by AOB.
Pieter Sikkel, Alliance One's Chief Executive Officer and President, commented, "We are honored that China Tobacco selected Alliance One for its first international joint venture in the tobacco leaf supply segment. China Tobacco is a highly valued partner, and we are pleased with our combined efforts to grow CBT over the last two crops and see a very bright future.
China's cigarette market is the largest in the world, and our joint venture has been established to provide high quality, sustainably grown Brazilian tobacco to its cigarette manufacturing groups. Our partnership aligns Alliance One's strategy of profitable growth with meeting customers' unique individual requirements through our sustainable model."
CBT has operated as an independent subsidiary of AOB for the last two crops and currently contracts with 9,500 integrated growers. The joint venture's administrative, buying and processing functions operate in Alliance One´s facilities in Venancio Aires. The joint venture is owned 51% by CTIB and 49% by AOB.
Pieter Sikkel, Alliance One's Chief Executive Officer and President, commented, "We are honored that China Tobacco selected Alliance One for its first international joint venture in the tobacco leaf supply segment. China Tobacco is a highly valued partner, and we are pleased with our combined efforts to grow CBT over the last two crops and see a very bright future.
China's cigarette market is the largest in the world, and our joint venture has been established to provide high quality, sustainably grown Brazilian tobacco to its cigarette manufacturing groups. Our partnership aligns Alliance One's strategy of profitable growth with meeting customers' unique individual requirements through our sustainable model."
Ban Sale of Cigarettes to 21th-Century-Born
The BMA should campaign to ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after the year 2000, public health doctors agreed. They called for action owing to the substantial harm to health caused by cigarettes and the difficulty in breaking an addiction to nicotine.
London research assistant in academic public health Tim Crocker-Buqué maintained: ‘Humanity has never developed anything more deadly than the cigarette. ‘The combination of its addictive power and devastating health effects combined with historical social norms and powerful advertising campaigns killed 100 million people in the 20th century.
‘The continuing epidemic is predicted to kill hundreds of millions more over the 21st century.’ Dr Crocker-Buqué told today’s BMA annual public health medicine conference in London that eight in 10 smokers started in their teenage years and that someone who started smoking at 15 was more than three times more likely to die from smoking-related cancer than someone who started in their 20s.
‘This is a highly addictive product that kills 50 per cent of the users and it is so patently over the balance of harm that we must now work to prevent the next generation from falling into the nicotine trap,’ he said. ‘I do not want our children smoking and nor should anybody else. If they haven’t already started, then let’s keep them smoke free for life.’
London SpR in public health Iain Kennedy questioned whether banning cigarettes for a certain population forever was sustainable policy, and asked why 13 to 14 year-olds were targeted in particular. He said: ‘It is a great sentiment but I think picking the year 2000 in particular and the picking this partial prohibition is a bit nonsensical.’ Yet Dr Crocker-Buqué countered that this was ‘progressive prohibition’.
BMA public health medicine committee co-chair Mark Temple added: ‘If we prevent access to a group that is growing older through time then gradually we will stop easy access to tobacco products.’ The conference also called on the BMA to mount a campaign for all local authority pension funds not to include investments relating to tobacco companies.
London specialty trainee 1 academic clinical fellow in public health Taavi Tillmann said more than £1bn of taxpayers’ money was invested in funds with tobacco connections by local authorities. He pointed out that public health specialists were required to minimise smoking to protect the health of their population but that those working on local authority contracts were automatically enrolled into local authority pension schemes
Dr Tillmann said: ‘This obviously creates a gross conflict of interest if ever there was one, whereby practitioners have to choose in a methodological fashion between maximising the health of their population on the one hand against maximising their income on retirement on the other hand.’
London research assistant in academic public health Tim Crocker-Buqué maintained: ‘Humanity has never developed anything more deadly than the cigarette. ‘The combination of its addictive power and devastating health effects combined with historical social norms and powerful advertising campaigns killed 100 million people in the 20th century.
‘The continuing epidemic is predicted to kill hundreds of millions more over the 21st century.’ Dr Crocker-Buqué told today’s BMA annual public health medicine conference in London that eight in 10 smokers started in their teenage years and that someone who started smoking at 15 was more than three times more likely to die from smoking-related cancer than someone who started in their 20s.
‘This is a highly addictive product that kills 50 per cent of the users and it is so patently over the balance of harm that we must now work to prevent the next generation from falling into the nicotine trap,’ he said. ‘I do not want our children smoking and nor should anybody else. If they haven’t already started, then let’s keep them smoke free for life.’
London SpR in public health Iain Kennedy questioned whether banning cigarettes for a certain population forever was sustainable policy, and asked why 13 to 14 year-olds were targeted in particular. He said: ‘It is a great sentiment but I think picking the year 2000 in particular and the picking this partial prohibition is a bit nonsensical.’ Yet Dr Crocker-Buqué countered that this was ‘progressive prohibition’.
BMA public health medicine committee co-chair Mark Temple added: ‘If we prevent access to a group that is growing older through time then gradually we will stop easy access to tobacco products.’ The conference also called on the BMA to mount a campaign for all local authority pension funds not to include investments relating to tobacco companies.
London specialty trainee 1 academic clinical fellow in public health Taavi Tillmann said more than £1bn of taxpayers’ money was invested in funds with tobacco connections by local authorities. He pointed out that public health specialists were required to minimise smoking to protect the health of their population but that those working on local authority contracts were automatically enrolled into local authority pension schemes
Dr Tillmann said: ‘This obviously creates a gross conflict of interest if ever there was one, whereby practitioners have to choose in a methodological fashion between maximising the health of their population on the one hand against maximising their income on retirement on the other hand.’
Will Hoosiers ever get it when it comes to smoking?
Last month the American Lung Association released its “State of Tobacco Control 2014” report, and specifically called out Indiana for its poor statistics related to tobacco use. Fifty years since the United States Surgeon General first declared smoking a public health hazard, Indiana lags behind most states in smoking cessation.
Here in Indiana, the American Lung Association estimates the annual economic cost due to smoking to be $4.8 billion. The report also points out that Indiana’s adult smoking rate is 24 percent, the high school-aged smoking rate is 18.1 percent and the middle school-aged smoking rate is 4.4 percent. According to the report, there were more than 15,500 deaths in Indiana attributed to smoking, smoking-attributed lung cancer and smoking-attributed respiratory disease in 2013.
THE REPORT GRADED Indiana on Tobacco Prevention (F), Smoke-free air (C), Cigarette Tax (D) and Cessation Coverage (F). “Indiana has the unfortunate distinction of failing to make progress in the fight against tobacco use in 2013, and protect citizens from tobacco-caused diseases like lung cancer, the leading cancer killer of both men and women in Indiana,” said Lindsay Grace, manager of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Indiana. “Meanwhile, ‘Big Tobacco’ continued to rob our health and wealth with clever new tactics to lure new youth smokers.”
The report further chastised Indiana for cutting state funding for its tobacco prevention and cessation program by 40 percent, but praised it for providing comprehensive coverage for all tobacco cessation medications and types of counseling to Medicaid enrollees.
While we agree that Indiana has been slow on the uptake regarding the discouragement of tobacco use, significant progress has been achieved in the past decade. Cities and counties took it upon themselves to legislate smoking bans in public restaurants. The state finally followed suit in July 2012, though exemptions still apply for casinos/gaming establishments and bars/taverns that do not employ persons younger than 18 and do not allow persons younger than 21 to enter.
BUT INDIANA ALSO spends just $7.7 million for state tobacco control programs when the Center for Disease Control recommends $78 million on such programs. We agree that Indiana needs to make a greater investment in tobacco/health education and smoking cessation initiatives. We also believe that individuals must take responsibility for themselves, especially families with small children in their homes and cars. It infuriates us any time we pull up next to a car and inside the adults are smoking and the children are belted in the backseat.
Talk to a pediatrician and they’re likely to tell you that many of their unhealthiest patients come from homes where the adults smoke in the house or car — otherwise preventable poor health situations. Those adults should be accountable for their actions. So, like the American Lung Association’s report, we urge both elected officials and regular citizens in Indiana to renew a commitment to “eliminate tobacco-caused death and disease.” Seems more than logical to us.
Here in Indiana, the American Lung Association estimates the annual economic cost due to smoking to be $4.8 billion. The report also points out that Indiana’s adult smoking rate is 24 percent, the high school-aged smoking rate is 18.1 percent and the middle school-aged smoking rate is 4.4 percent. According to the report, there were more than 15,500 deaths in Indiana attributed to smoking, smoking-attributed lung cancer and smoking-attributed respiratory disease in 2013.
THE REPORT GRADED Indiana on Tobacco Prevention (F), Smoke-free air (C), Cigarette Tax (D) and Cessation Coverage (F). “Indiana has the unfortunate distinction of failing to make progress in the fight against tobacco use in 2013, and protect citizens from tobacco-caused diseases like lung cancer, the leading cancer killer of both men and women in Indiana,” said Lindsay Grace, manager of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Indiana. “Meanwhile, ‘Big Tobacco’ continued to rob our health and wealth with clever new tactics to lure new youth smokers.”
The report further chastised Indiana for cutting state funding for its tobacco prevention and cessation program by 40 percent, but praised it for providing comprehensive coverage for all tobacco cessation medications and types of counseling to Medicaid enrollees.
While we agree that Indiana has been slow on the uptake regarding the discouragement of tobacco use, significant progress has been achieved in the past decade. Cities and counties took it upon themselves to legislate smoking bans in public restaurants. The state finally followed suit in July 2012, though exemptions still apply for casinos/gaming establishments and bars/taverns that do not employ persons younger than 18 and do not allow persons younger than 21 to enter.
BUT INDIANA ALSO spends just $7.7 million for state tobacco control programs when the Center for Disease Control recommends $78 million on such programs. We agree that Indiana needs to make a greater investment in tobacco/health education and smoking cessation initiatives. We also believe that individuals must take responsibility for themselves, especially families with small children in their homes and cars. It infuriates us any time we pull up next to a car and inside the adults are smoking and the children are belted in the backseat.
Talk to a pediatrician and they’re likely to tell you that many of their unhealthiest patients come from homes where the adults smoke in the house or car — otherwise preventable poor health situations. Those adults should be accountable for their actions. So, like the American Lung Association’s report, we urge both elected officials and regular citizens in Indiana to renew a commitment to “eliminate tobacco-caused death and disease.” Seems more than logical to us.
Why It Is Hard To Stop Smoking?
Alcohol and illegal drugs can render users unable to cope with ordinary life. It's a vicious circle for many users, who turned to alcohol or drugs because they had trouble coping and the substance promised to numb their pain. By contrast, even the heaviest smokers don't forsake their families and jobs to pursue a nicotine habit. Cigarettes may shorten one's life, as sociologist James Q. Wilson has said, but they don't debase it.
Treatment for nicotine addiction is pharmacological (nicotine gum, patches or nasal spray) or behavioral (learning techniques to overcome craving). Treatment for hard-core addiction to alcohol or illicit drugs, by contrast, generally involves repairing the psychological or spiritual deficits that underlie the addiction.
But why is it so hard to stop smoking? The answer is social as much as physiological. Cigarettes are easily and legally available, and the would-be quitter is constantly bombarded by visual cues -- from advertising billboards to smokers puffing on the sidewalk -- that trigger cravings. Moreover, the immediate deleterious consequences of smoking are minimal, the long-term health effects uncertain for any individual. True, the distress of withdrawal has weakened many a smoker's resolve to quit. But it's nothing like the agony of heroin or even alcohol withdrawal.
So while cigarettes are a major public health problem, they are not a social pathogen. Heavy smokers, unlike hard-core heroin, cocaine, marijuana and alcohol users, are able to attend to their responsibilities as employee, parent, spouse and citizen. Before we tar our politicians for not understanding the nature of addiction, let's get the facts straight ourselves.
Treatment for nicotine addiction is pharmacological (nicotine gum, patches or nasal spray) or behavioral (learning techniques to overcome craving). Treatment for hard-core addiction to alcohol or illicit drugs, by contrast, generally involves repairing the psychological or spiritual deficits that underlie the addiction.
But why is it so hard to stop smoking? The answer is social as much as physiological. Cigarettes are easily and legally available, and the would-be quitter is constantly bombarded by visual cues -- from advertising billboards to smokers puffing on the sidewalk -- that trigger cravings. Moreover, the immediate deleterious consequences of smoking are minimal, the long-term health effects uncertain for any individual. True, the distress of withdrawal has weakened many a smoker's resolve to quit. But it's nothing like the agony of heroin or even alcohol withdrawal.
So while cigarettes are a major public health problem, they are not a social pathogen. Heavy smokers, unlike hard-core heroin, cocaine, marijuana and alcohol users, are able to attend to their responsibilities as employee, parent, spouse and citizen. Before we tar our politicians for not understanding the nature of addiction, let's get the facts straight ourselves.
Smoking Ban in Cars Carrying Children
Senior Conservatives in the cabinet are split over how to vote in the Commons on Monday as a move to ban smoking in cars with children is expected to be passed with Labour support. David Cameron, citing the need to visit flood-affected areas, is likely to be absent from the House. The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, backs the ban, but his colleague, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling opposes it.
Divisions in Tory and Liberal Democrat ranks mean the measure will be supported by the Commons, ensuring it becomes law. Michael Gove, the education secretary, is supporting the ban, but the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, and the business secretary, Vince Cable, have said they oppose it on libertarian and practical grounds. Clegg has said he does not see how such a ban could be enforceable, the position adopted by Grayling as lord chancellor.
The communities secretary, Eric Pickles, is another sceptic. Last week he raised questions over what happens when a car is stopped with children and a smoker inside, and whether it is different from smoking at home. "We should make things criminal if we feel that they are enforceable," he said. No 10 insisted it was not seeking to enforce any line, even surreptitiously, as the government sometimes seeks to do on nominal free votes.
Health professionals have been lobbying MPs to support the ban ever since peers narrowly agreed to support a ban on smoking in any car with children younger than 18 in it. The amendment was inserted into the children and families bill. Health specialists have been co-ordinated by Dr Nicholas Hopkinson, from Imperial College London, who is chairman of the British Thoracic Society's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease specialist advisory group.
He said: "This letter issues a powerful statement from the medical professionals of this country - the people who, every day, are treating illnesses brought on by secondhand smoke in children - about the rights of children to breathe clean air that won't make them sick." Simon Clark, director of smokers' lobby group Forest, said: "Smoking in cars with children is inconsiderate but there is a line the state shouldn't cross when it comes to dictating how people behave in private places."
The shadow public health minister, Luciana Berger, said 300,000 GP appointments every year result from children suffering from the effects of secondhand smoke, including young people who have had to endure passive smoking in the back of a car. "Children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke as they have smaller lungs and faster breathing rates than adults," she said.
Divisions in Tory and Liberal Democrat ranks mean the measure will be supported by the Commons, ensuring it becomes law. Michael Gove, the education secretary, is supporting the ban, but the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, and the business secretary, Vince Cable, have said they oppose it on libertarian and practical grounds. Clegg has said he does not see how such a ban could be enforceable, the position adopted by Grayling as lord chancellor.
The communities secretary, Eric Pickles, is another sceptic. Last week he raised questions over what happens when a car is stopped with children and a smoker inside, and whether it is different from smoking at home. "We should make things criminal if we feel that they are enforceable," he said. No 10 insisted it was not seeking to enforce any line, even surreptitiously, as the government sometimes seeks to do on nominal free votes.
Health professionals have been lobbying MPs to support the ban ever since peers narrowly agreed to support a ban on smoking in any car with children younger than 18 in it. The amendment was inserted into the children and families bill. Health specialists have been co-ordinated by Dr Nicholas Hopkinson, from Imperial College London, who is chairman of the British Thoracic Society's chronic obstructive pulmonary disease specialist advisory group.
He said: "This letter issues a powerful statement from the medical professionals of this country - the people who, every day, are treating illnesses brought on by secondhand smoke in children - about the rights of children to breathe clean air that won't make them sick." Simon Clark, director of smokers' lobby group Forest, said: "Smoking in cars with children is inconsiderate but there is a line the state shouldn't cross when it comes to dictating how people behave in private places."
The shadow public health minister, Luciana Berger, said 300,000 GP appointments every year result from children suffering from the effects of secondhand smoke, including young people who have had to endure passive smoking in the back of a car. "Children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke as they have smaller lungs and faster breathing rates than adults," she said.
New FDA Anti-Smoking Campaign
Sliding a few bills across the counter at a 24-hour convenience store, the young girl makes her request: a pack of cigarettes. The sales clerk frowns and replies, “You need a little more, honey.” The teen pauses, then rips off part of the skin on her cheek and hands it over.
The graphic TV ad is part of a first-of-its-kind national anti-smoking campaign spearheaded by the Food and Drug Administration and targeted at young people ages 12 to 17. The effort, being publicly unveiled Tuesday, aims to show teens that the cost of smoking is not just financial.
FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, in an interview with a small group of reporters Monday, said the campaign is designed to speak to the estimated 10 million young people who are considering trying cigarettes or who may be experimenting with them already.
Starting on Feb. 11 and continuing for 12 months, the ads will air on radio stations, television outlets, such as MTV, and print outlets, such as Teen Vogue, that are popular with young people. They will also be featured in places teens congregate, from bus shelters to social-media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. FDA officials have even picked out a hashtag: #TheRealCost.
While the ads being unveiled this week are designed to appeal to a general audience of young people, subsequent efforts will focus on specific types of teenagers: rural youths, Native Americans, gay teens and those using smokeless tobacco. These initial ads cost $115 million; over the next five years, the campaign’s costs could grow to $600 million, paid for by the tobacco industry under a 2009 law.
Although much progress has been made in understanding the health effects of cigarettes since the first surgeon-general warning about smoking was issued in 1964, it remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Studies have shown that the vast majority of adults who smoke started doing so as children.
The graphic TV ad is part of a first-of-its-kind national anti-smoking campaign spearheaded by the Food and Drug Administration and targeted at young people ages 12 to 17. The effort, being publicly unveiled Tuesday, aims to show teens that the cost of smoking is not just financial.
FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, in an interview with a small group of reporters Monday, said the campaign is designed to speak to the estimated 10 million young people who are considering trying cigarettes or who may be experimenting with them already.
Starting on Feb. 11 and continuing for 12 months, the ads will air on radio stations, television outlets, such as MTV, and print outlets, such as Teen Vogue, that are popular with young people. They will also be featured in places teens congregate, from bus shelters to social-media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. FDA officials have even picked out a hashtag: #TheRealCost.
While the ads being unveiled this week are designed to appeal to a general audience of young people, subsequent efforts will focus on specific types of teenagers: rural youths, Native Americans, gay teens and those using smokeless tobacco. These initial ads cost $115 million; over the next five years, the campaign’s costs could grow to $600 million, paid for by the tobacco industry under a 2009 law.
Although much progress has been made in understanding the health effects of cigarettes since the first surgeon-general warning about smoking was issued in 1964, it remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Studies have shown that the vast majority of adults who smoke started doing so as children.
Helping Smokers Quit
“Even 50 years after the first surgeon general’s report on smoking and health, we’re still finding out new ways that tobacco kills and maims people,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently told me. “It’s astonishing how bad it is.”
Dr. Frieden and public health specialists everywhere are seeking better ways to help the 44 million Americans who still smoke to quit and to keep young people from getting hooked on cigarettes. “Fewer than 2 percent of doctors smoke. Why can’t we get to that rate in society as a whole?” he wondered.
One reason: Smoking rates are highest among the poor, poorly educated and people with mental illness, populations hard to reach with educational messages and quit-smoking aids.
But when I mentioned to Dr. Frieden, a former New York City health commissioner, that the city’s streets are filled with young adult smokers who appear to be well educated and well dressed, he said television seems to have had an outsize influence.
Focus groups of white girls in New York private schools have suggested a “Sex in the City” effect, he said: Girls think smoking makes them look sexy. In the last two years, middle-aged men, too, have begun smoking in increasing numbers after a half-century decline. Dr. Frieden cited “Mad Men,” the popular TV series featuring admen in the early 1960s, when well over half of American men smoked.
Dr. Frieden said that an antismoking effort begun in 2008 by the World Health Organization “can make a huge difference in curbing smoking, and we should fully implement what we know works.” The program is called Mpower:
■ M stands for monitoring tobacco use and the effectiveness of prevention programs like antismoking videos on YouTube.
■ P for protecting people from secondhand smoke. Half the country still lacks laws mandating smoke-free public places. The latest national health survey found that about half of children from nonsmoking households have metabolites of tobacco in their blood, Dr. Frieden said.
■ O for offering help to the 70 percent of smokers who say they would like to quit. “Tobacco use remains egregiously undertreated in health care settings,” Dr. Helene M. Cole, associate editor of JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and Dr. Michael C. Fiore, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin, wrote this month in the journal.
Medical aids for quitting smoking, which can triple the likelihood of success, should become available, without a co-pay, to many more people under the Affordable Care Act, Dr. Frieden said.
Dr. Frieden and public health specialists everywhere are seeking better ways to help the 44 million Americans who still smoke to quit and to keep young people from getting hooked on cigarettes. “Fewer than 2 percent of doctors smoke. Why can’t we get to that rate in society as a whole?” he wondered.
One reason: Smoking rates are highest among the poor, poorly educated and people with mental illness, populations hard to reach with educational messages and quit-smoking aids.
But when I mentioned to Dr. Frieden, a former New York City health commissioner, that the city’s streets are filled with young adult smokers who appear to be well educated and well dressed, he said television seems to have had an outsize influence.
Focus groups of white girls in New York private schools have suggested a “Sex in the City” effect, he said: Girls think smoking makes them look sexy. In the last two years, middle-aged men, too, have begun smoking in increasing numbers after a half-century decline. Dr. Frieden cited “Mad Men,” the popular TV series featuring admen in the early 1960s, when well over half of American men smoked.
Dr. Frieden said that an antismoking effort begun in 2008 by the World Health Organization “can make a huge difference in curbing smoking, and we should fully implement what we know works.” The program is called Mpower:
■ M stands for monitoring tobacco use and the effectiveness of prevention programs like antismoking videos on YouTube.
■ P for protecting people from secondhand smoke. Half the country still lacks laws mandating smoke-free public places. The latest national health survey found that about half of children from nonsmoking households have metabolites of tobacco in their blood, Dr. Frieden said.
■ O for offering help to the 70 percent of smokers who say they would like to quit. “Tobacco use remains egregiously undertreated in health care settings,” Dr. Helene M. Cole, associate editor of JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and Dr. Michael C. Fiore, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin, wrote this month in the journal.
Medical aids for quitting smoking, which can triple the likelihood of success, should become available, without a co-pay, to many more people under the Affordable Care Act, Dr. Frieden said.
Smoke and Asthma
The hazards of secondhand smoke to children are already clear in medical research, but such exposure is especially a problem for children with asthma or wheezing. A recent study found that children with asthma or wheezing were more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within a year of a first admission if they had been exposed to tobacco smoke.
The exposure was measured based on a tobacco ingredient's presence in the children's blood or saliva. Yet, asking parents or caregivers about a child's exposure to tobacco smoke did not provide sufficient information to know who might require readmission. This study was led by Judie A. Howrylak, MD, PhD, of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.
The researchers aimed to understand possible links between tobacco smoke exposure and asthma in children. The researchers followed 774 children, aged 1 to 16, for one year after they had been admitted to the hospital for asthma or severe wheezing.
The authors of this study wanted to learn which of the children were readmitted to the hospital during that year and how that compared with their exposure to tobacco smoke.
In addition to collecting information from caregivers about tobacco exposure at home, at another home or in the car, the researchers measured the amount of cotinine in children's blood and saliva. Cotinine is an ingredient found in tobacco, and its presence in a person's body can be used to estimate that person's exposure to tobacco.
Of the original children followed, 619 had enough complete information regarding tobacco exposure for the researchers to analyze. A little over half of the children were black, and about three quarters of them were on Medicaid.
The exposure was measured based on a tobacco ingredient's presence in the children's blood or saliva. Yet, asking parents or caregivers about a child's exposure to tobacco smoke did not provide sufficient information to know who might require readmission. This study was led by Judie A. Howrylak, MD, PhD, of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.
The researchers aimed to understand possible links between tobacco smoke exposure and asthma in children. The researchers followed 774 children, aged 1 to 16, for one year after they had been admitted to the hospital for asthma or severe wheezing.
The authors of this study wanted to learn which of the children were readmitted to the hospital during that year and how that compared with their exposure to tobacco smoke.
In addition to collecting information from caregivers about tobacco exposure at home, at another home or in the car, the researchers measured the amount of cotinine in children's blood and saliva. Cotinine is an ingredient found in tobacco, and its presence in a person's body can be used to estimate that person's exposure to tobacco.
Of the original children followed, 619 had enough complete information regarding tobacco exposure for the researchers to analyze. A little over half of the children were black, and about three quarters of them were on Medicaid.
Smokers more concerned with ‘effect on their looks than health’
Smokers are more concerned about the effects cigarettes have on their looks than their health, new research revealed today. Experts found that, despite the potentially fatal long-term consequences of lighting up, a large percentage still find skin wrinkles and yellow teeth more troubling than lung damage.
The study also found more than half of smokers either have, or are planning to, quit over fears about the damage it is doing to their appearance. But the in-depth findings by electronic cigarette brand VIP found one in seven admitted they would be more likely to give up the cigarettes if they noticed an effect on how they looked, rather than because their health was suffering. And more than a quarter admitted this was the reason they have decided to quit tobacco for good.
Dave Levin, co-owner of VIP, said: ”The health effects of smoking are well documented, but people are less aware that cigarettes can also damage your looks. ”During our research three quarters of smokers said that their habit had caused deterioration to their looks and it was this, more than their health, that concerned them. ”While the health issues caused by smoking are so widely advertised, they aren’t always as easy to see or notice.
”But the effects on your appearance are something you can see every time you look at your reflection, whether it’s deeper wrinkles, discoloured teeth or a sallow complexion.” The study, of 1,500 current or ex-smokers found that a staggering 88 per cent even admitted they regret taking it up in the first place because it is now showing in their appearance.
And the average smoker said they started to see the damage to their appearance around the age of 32. Yellow teeth were named as the biggest concern with more than four in ten smokers saying they hated the effect cigarettes have had on their smile. Bad breath, as well as the general odour that goes with being a smoker followed close behind, along with an increase in fine lines and wrinkles.
Smokers are more concerned about the effects cigarettes have on their looks than their health, new research revealed today. Experts found that, despite the potentially fatal long-term consequences of lighting up, a large percentage still find skin wrinkles and yellow teeth more troubling than lung damage.
The study also found more than half of smokers either have, or are planning to, quit over fears about the damage it is doing to their appearance. But the in-depth findings by electronic cigarette brand VIP found one in seven admitted they would be more likely to give up the cigarettes if they noticed an effect on how they looked, rather than because their health was suffering. And more than a quarter admitted this was the reason they have decided to quit tobacco for good.
Dave Levin, co-owner of VIP, said: ”The health effects of smoking are well documented, but people are less aware that cigarettes can also damage your looks. ”During our research three quarters of smokers said that their habit had caused deterioration to their looks and it was this, more than their health, that concerned them. ”While the health issues caused by smoking are so widely advertised, they aren’t always as easy to see or notice.
”But the effects on your appearance are something you can see every time you look at your reflection, whether it’s deeper wrinkles, discoloured teeth or a sallow complexion.” The study, of 1,500 current or ex-smokers found that a staggering 88 per cent even admitted they regret taking it up in the first place because it is now showing in their appearance.
And the average smoker said they started to see the damage to their appearance around the age of 32. Yellow teeth were named as the biggest concern with more than four in ten smokers saying they hated the effect cigarettes have had on their smile. Bad breath, as well as the general odour that goes with being a smoker followed close behind, along with an increase in fine lines and wrinkles.
China Orders Officials to Stop Smoking in Public
China is stepping up efforts to ban smoking in public places by ordering Communist Party officials to “lead by example” and refrain from smoking in government offices, schools, hospitals, sports and cultural venues and on public transport. Party officials have also been ordered to ask others not to smoke in public. The new directive forbids government offices from spending public funds on tobacco and bars tobacco companies from sponsoring government or Communist Party events.
“In recent years, thanks to joint efforts, the ban on smoking in public venues has made progress. However, we see that smoking in public is still common,” read the official document issued Sunday by the Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet. “Smoking by some party officials not only endangers public health, but also damages the image of the party and the government.”
The party urged its members to quit smoking and to convince others to quit while it aimed to build “a good societal atmosphere of banning and controlling smoking.” Officials who violate this ban are to be subject to “criticism, education, party discipline or even the law, in especially serious cases.” The ban was read by solemn news anchors multiple times on national television Sunday.
China first attempted to ban smoking in some public venues in 1993. Signs prohibiting smoking are a common sight in restaurants, tea houses and shopping malls. However, they are mostly viewed as a suggestion. Without no penalty in place, the prohibition is often ignored.
Smokers still light up in more than 70 percent of restaurants in China, the state-run People’s Daily newspaper reported in August. An average of 740 million Chinese are exposed to second-hand smoke daily, according to the same survey.
Some have questioned whether the latest smoking rules will be any more effective. “A high-level official can easily tell a subordinate to put out his cigarette, but what about the other way around?” wrote Bi Hanfeng, a commentator for Xinhua, the state-run news agency. The state media also praised the new directive as an important step toward reducing corruption.
“Many have the experience of bribing officials with cigarettes to get things done. Many low-level party members have the experience of keeping officials company when they smoke. A clean government starts with an air-fresh government office,” said Xinhua on its official Sina Weibo microblog.
China is stepping up efforts to ban smoking in public places by ordering Communist Party officials to “lead by example” and refrain from smoking in government offices, schools, hospitals, sports and cultural venues and on public transport. Party officials have also been ordered to ask others not to smoke in public. The new directive forbids government offices from spending public funds on tobacco and bars tobacco companies from sponsoring government or Communist Party events.
“In recent years, thanks to joint efforts, the ban on smoking in public venues has made progress. However, we see that smoking in public is still common,” read the official document issued Sunday by the Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet. “Smoking by some party officials not only endangers public health, but also damages the image of the party and the government.”
The party urged its members to quit smoking and to convince others to quit while it aimed to build “a good societal atmosphere of banning and controlling smoking.” Officials who violate this ban are to be subject to “criticism, education, party discipline or even the law, in especially serious cases.” The ban was read by solemn news anchors multiple times on national television Sunday.
China first attempted to ban smoking in some public venues in 1993. Signs prohibiting smoking are a common sight in restaurants, tea houses and shopping malls. However, they are mostly viewed as a suggestion. Without no penalty in place, the prohibition is often ignored.
Smokers still light up in more than 70 percent of restaurants in China, the state-run People’s Daily newspaper reported in August. An average of 740 million Chinese are exposed to second-hand smoke daily, according to the same survey.
Some have questioned whether the latest smoking rules will be any more effective. “A high-level official can easily tell a subordinate to put out his cigarette, but what about the other way around?” wrote Bi Hanfeng, a commentator for Xinhua, the state-run news agency. The state media also praised the new directive as an important step toward reducing corruption.
“Many have the experience of bribing officials with cigarettes to get things done. Many low-level party members have the experience of keeping officials company when they smoke. A clean government starts with an air-fresh government office,” said Xinhua on its official Sina Weibo microblog.
Former Chancellor of Germany Retains Wit and Smoking Habit at 95
When he was born, World War I had just ended. He was German chancellor for eight years, roughly as long as he served in Hitler’s Wehrmacht. And now, in a country where old men are much revered, Helmut Schmidt is turning 95, and his nation is reflecting on a politician once renowned if feared for his sharp tongue but now elevated to the status of icon.
Not that the gruffness or laserlike judgment have disappeared. Mr. Schmidt may not have been chancellor for over 30 years — he was forced from power in fall 1982 when some in his Social Democratic Party and others withdrew support — but he still commands attention, is still co-publisher of the respected weekly Die Zeit and just was named Germany’s most significant chancellor in a poll by Stern magazine.
In the two weeks before his 95th birthday on Monday, he was in Moscow seeing old Soviet friends and was invited to a chat at the Kremlin with President Vladimir V. Putin. He used his pulpit at Die Zeit to pen an appeal for curbing German exports of small arms. An hourlong conversation in his sixth-floor office proved as bracing as the sea winds that buffet his hometown, this ancient Hanseatic port of Hamburg.
In his supposed dotage in this country of rules, Mr. Schmidt enjoys a rare impunity. A heavy smoker, he does as no other mortal may: puff away anywhere, on television, at meetings, even, according to German journalists who have witnessed it, in Washington. When the European Union threatened earlier this year to ban menthol cigarettes, Mr. Schmidt’s friend Peer Steinbrück reported that the old chancellor had stockpiled 200 cartons of his favored Reynos — enough to feed his two-to three-pack-a-day habit for two or three years.
Aside from a low wheeze that growls at times through his throat, Mr. Schmidt seems to have thrived on his nicotine intake (augmented, always, by snuff). A greater impediment, he explains with something of a glint in his gray-blue eyes, is deafness: he wears a hearing aid and conversation must be seated at his desk so his brain and eyes can knit together the audiovisual strands, he says.
Plain packaged tobacco debate begins
Parliament will begin its debate on plain packaging for tobacco early next year, Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia has confirmed. Mrs Turia said this morning that she expected the Smoke-Free Environments (Tobacco Products and Packaging) Amendment Bill to be introduced to the House in the New Year. The hard-hitting law change would require cigarettes and tobacco to be sold in standardised packets with large health warnings.
In a statement, the minister said that removing tobacco company colours, logos and other marketing designed to make tobacco products glamorous was an important step in reducing the uptake of smoking. Tobacco is a deadly product that kills 5000 New Zealanders every year and is one of the leading causes of life-threatening illnesses such as heart and lung disease and cancer.
"Plain packaging, together with bigger health warnings, will send a clear message that tobacco causes serious illness and death."
New Zealand would be the second country in the world to approve plain packets, after Australia. The United Kingdom and Ireland were also considering a law change. Australia was facing dual legal challenges from tobacco companies and tobacco-producing countries after introducing olive-green, standardised packs in December.
New Zealand was also likely to face legal challenges if it followed Australia's lead, and officials have estimated the cost of a legal dispute as between $2 million to $6 million, not including compensation if a case was lost. Mrs Turia said New Zealand was keeping a close eye on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) challenges against Australia by tobacco-producing countries Ukraine, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Indonesia.
She was confident that a plain packaging regime would be in line with New Zealand's WTO obligations: "That is why we are pushing forward to take the legislation through the Parliamentary processes without delay."Some have expressed concern that the New Zealand's inclusion in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would give companies a direct pathway to sue Government, but the legislation was likely to be passed before the TPP was signed off.
In a statement, the minister said that removing tobacco company colours, logos and other marketing designed to make tobacco products glamorous was an important step in reducing the uptake of smoking. Tobacco is a deadly product that kills 5000 New Zealanders every year and is one of the leading causes of life-threatening illnesses such as heart and lung disease and cancer.
"Plain packaging, together with bigger health warnings, will send a clear message that tobacco causes serious illness and death."
New Zealand would be the second country in the world to approve plain packets, after Australia. The United Kingdom and Ireland were also considering a law change. Australia was facing dual legal challenges from tobacco companies and tobacco-producing countries after introducing olive-green, standardised packs in December.
New Zealand was also likely to face legal challenges if it followed Australia's lead, and officials have estimated the cost of a legal dispute as between $2 million to $6 million, not including compensation if a case was lost. Mrs Turia said New Zealand was keeping a close eye on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) challenges against Australia by tobacco-producing countries Ukraine, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Indonesia.
She was confident that a plain packaging regime would be in line with New Zealand's WTO obligations: "That is why we are pushing forward to take the legislation through the Parliamentary processes without delay."Some have expressed concern that the New Zealand's inclusion in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would give companies a direct pathway to sue Government, but the legislation was likely to be passed before the TPP was signed off.
Bollywood Director in Censor Clash Over Smoking Warnings
One of Bollywood’s top directors is embroiled in a row with India’s strict film censors over anti-smoking messages that must be shown every time an actor lights up on screen. Anurag Kashyap has filed a petition to the Bombay High Court objecting to the censorship board’s demand that his new film Ugly must carry the mandatory anti-tobacco warnings, including during smoking scenes.
The petition comes after American director Woody Allen in October pulled his latest movie Blue Jasmine from India in protest at the warnings.“Such unreasonable conditions clearly fetter the rights of filmmakers to free speech and expression enshrined by the Constitution of India,” said Kashyap’s petition, according to a statement from his publicist.“Running a scroll not only destroys the aesthetic value of cinema but also diverts viewers from the film,” he added.
As per the Central Board of Film Certification guidelines, a public service message on the ill-effects of tobacco plays before the start and after the interval of all films which depict characters smoking. A sub-title stating that “Cigarette smoking is injurious to health” also must appear during every scene in which a character is seen with a cigarette. Ugly, a drama revolving around the kidnapping of a child starring Rahul Bhat and Tejaswini Kolhapure, had been scheduled for release in October.
Kashyap has said his film was “not an advertisement hoarding for social service messages”, The Hindu newspaper reported. “I as a filmmaker will not take on the charitable stance of ridding society of all its ills.” The film’s tentative new release date is January 31, according to his publicist.
Kashyap, a star of the “Hindi indie” scene and known for films such as Black Friday, Dev D and Gangs of Wasseypur, was unavailable to comment on Wednesday. Some Indian health workers have, however, supported the anti-smoking messages, in a country said to have the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, largely attributed to tobacco use.
“Please help us save those innocent lives rather than promote this killer industry,” wrote Pankaj Chaturvedi, a Mumbai cancer surgeon and leading anti-tobacco campaigner, in an open letter to Woody Allen in October.
The petition comes after American director Woody Allen in October pulled his latest movie Blue Jasmine from India in protest at the warnings.“Such unreasonable conditions clearly fetter the rights of filmmakers to free speech and expression enshrined by the Constitution of India,” said Kashyap’s petition, according to a statement from his publicist.“Running a scroll not only destroys the aesthetic value of cinema but also diverts viewers from the film,” he added.
As per the Central Board of Film Certification guidelines, a public service message on the ill-effects of tobacco plays before the start and after the interval of all films which depict characters smoking. A sub-title stating that “Cigarette smoking is injurious to health” also must appear during every scene in which a character is seen with a cigarette. Ugly, a drama revolving around the kidnapping of a child starring Rahul Bhat and Tejaswini Kolhapure, had been scheduled for release in October.
Kashyap has said his film was “not an advertisement hoarding for social service messages”, The Hindu newspaper reported. “I as a filmmaker will not take on the charitable stance of ridding society of all its ills.” The film’s tentative new release date is January 31, according to his publicist.
Kashyap, a star of the “Hindi indie” scene and known for films such as Black Friday, Dev D and Gangs of Wasseypur, was unavailable to comment on Wednesday. Some Indian health workers have, however, supported the anti-smoking messages, in a country said to have the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, largely attributed to tobacco use.
“Please help us save those innocent lives rather than promote this killer industry,” wrote Pankaj Chaturvedi, a Mumbai cancer surgeon and leading anti-tobacco campaigner, in an open letter to Woody Allen in October.
Should Smoking Be Prohibited on Balconies?
The smoker should look around their balcony and make sure there are not other residents out on surrounding balconies or have their balcony doors opened in good weather wherein the tobacco smoke could drift into their unit. If others are out on surrounding balconies or neighbor’s balcony doors are open, the smoker should first ask if the others mind if they smoke, wait for the others to go inside, or go smoke somewhere else on the common grounds wherein the smoke won’t bother anyone.
Smokers may also wish to consider using electronic cigarettes when others are around as such devices do not emit smelly smoke. Rather, they emit water vapor that usually does not bother others. Many associations already prohibit smoking in certain common areas such as in the pool area, hallways, social rooms and exercise facilities. The prohibition in these common areas has usually been implemented by house rules adopted by boards. Such rules would probably withstand a legal challenge as they would past the legal “reasonable test.”
However, if a board tried to pass a rule prohibiting smoking on balconies or in units, we do not yet believe such a house rule would pass the reasonable test and therefore could not be legally enforced by the association.
If common courtesy does not work for balcony or unit smoking, and some smokers continue to bother their neighboring nonsmokers, we believe the best thing to do then would be to amend the Declaration of Condominium with a membership vote to provide for enforcement if smoking, in a particular instance, becomes an unreasonable amount of annoyance. Such a declaration amendment would not have to a pass the legal reasonable test to be enforceable as long as the new regulation is not considered legally arbitrary or capricious. This is because the owners, by approving the new regulation, decided to have in their building what some may otherwise consider an unreasonable regulation.
Here is an example of an amendment that could be added to a declaration with membership approval to permit enforcement if a particular smoker becomes a nuisance: “Because of the potential impact on others caused by smoking and secondary smoke, no resident shall smoke in their unit or in the limited common area balcony, terrace, or lanai appurtenant to the unit or in the common areas if doing so creates or will create an unreasonable amount of annoyance to others proximate to where such smoking occurs. Any occurrence of the foregoing, if not remedied, will be considered and handled as an actionable nuisance.”
Smokers may also wish to consider using electronic cigarettes when others are around as such devices do not emit smelly smoke. Rather, they emit water vapor that usually does not bother others. Many associations already prohibit smoking in certain common areas such as in the pool area, hallways, social rooms and exercise facilities. The prohibition in these common areas has usually been implemented by house rules adopted by boards. Such rules would probably withstand a legal challenge as they would past the legal “reasonable test.”
However, if a board tried to pass a rule prohibiting smoking on balconies or in units, we do not yet believe such a house rule would pass the reasonable test and therefore could not be legally enforced by the association.
If common courtesy does not work for balcony or unit smoking, and some smokers continue to bother their neighboring nonsmokers, we believe the best thing to do then would be to amend the Declaration of Condominium with a membership vote to provide for enforcement if smoking, in a particular instance, becomes an unreasonable amount of annoyance. Such a declaration amendment would not have to a pass the legal reasonable test to be enforceable as long as the new regulation is not considered legally arbitrary or capricious. This is because the owners, by approving the new regulation, decided to have in their building what some may otherwise consider an unreasonable regulation.
Here is an example of an amendment that could be added to a declaration with membership approval to permit enforcement if a particular smoker becomes a nuisance: “Because of the potential impact on others caused by smoking and secondary smoke, no resident shall smoke in their unit or in the limited common area balcony, terrace, or lanai appurtenant to the unit or in the common areas if doing so creates or will create an unreasonable amount of annoyance to others proximate to where such smoking occurs. Any occurrence of the foregoing, if not remedied, will be considered and handled as an actionable nuisance.”
Bulgarian Socialists Firm on Easing Smoking Ban before New Year
Bulgarian Socialist Party will attempt to ease the full ban on smoking in public places in the country on time for the New Year celebrations. Amendments to the Health Act are to be voted in the Parliament in December right before the holidays when many establishments hope for high profit.
"Right after we adopt the State budget, we will move the Health Act on the agenda and ease the ban around New Year, said Spas Panchev, Deputy Chair of the parliamentary group of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and one of the strongest proponents of alleviating the smoking regime, quoted by the Bulgarian Trud (Labor) daily.
The idea behind the ease is to have designated and separate smoking and non-smoking spaces inside restaurants and coffee shops, while smaller establishments, with an area below 70 square meters, will be able to decide on their own if the place will be for smokers or non-smokers. Smoking will be allowed in bars and night clubs. However, the vote in plenary hall might reach stalemate as opinions strongly differ.
The ultranationalist Ataka has backed the plan but will submit its own proposal for amendments. The plan has been met with strong criticism from the major opposition outfits, including the center-right formerly-ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party GERB and the right-wing Reformist Bloc. The latter, however, are not parliamentary represented.
GERB have declared they would not support the move, while not all lawmakers from BSP are backing it. Nevertheless, BSP are expected to reach a joint political decision as lifting the ban was one of the election promises of their leader, Sergey Stanishev.
The Socialists' key ally, the liberal, predominantly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, said all their MPs will vote according to their conscience. The Parliamentary Health Committee is against the amendments, however, the Economic Committee backs easing the full smoking ban.
Bulgarian Socialist Party will attempt to ease the full ban on smoking in public places in the country on time for the New Year celebrations. Amendments to the Health Act are to be voted in the Parliament in December right before the holidays when many establishments hope for high profit.
"Right after we adopt the State budget, we will move the Health Act on the agenda and ease the ban around New Year, said Spas Panchev, Deputy Chair of the parliamentary group of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and one of the strongest proponents of alleviating the smoking regime, quoted by the Bulgarian Trud (Labor) daily.
The idea behind the ease is to have designated and separate smoking and non-smoking spaces inside restaurants and coffee shops, while smaller establishments, with an area below 70 square meters, will be able to decide on their own if the place will be for smokers or non-smokers. Smoking will be allowed in bars and night clubs. However, the vote in plenary hall might reach stalemate as opinions strongly differ.
The ultranationalist Ataka has backed the plan but will submit its own proposal for amendments. The plan has been met with strong criticism from the major opposition outfits, including the center-right formerly-ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party GERB and the right-wing Reformist Bloc. The latter, however, are not parliamentary represented.
GERB have declared they would not support the move, while not all lawmakers from BSP are backing it. Nevertheless, BSP are expected to reach a joint political decision as lifting the ban was one of the election promises of their leader, Sergey Stanishev.
The Socialists' key ally, the liberal, predominantly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, said all their MPs will vote according to their conscience. The Parliamentary Health Committee is against the amendments, however, the Economic Committee backs easing the full smoking ban.
Group pushes to put graphic warnings on cigarette packs
An anti-tobacco group said on Sunday that graphic warnings on tobacco products may reverse the trend of the illness in the country.
Picture-based warnings such as posters showing severed limbs and fingers of victims of firecracker explosions during the holiday season can be a better replacement of the text-only warnings on the dangers of smoking, said the New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP).
The Picture-Based Health Warning Bill re-filed by Senator Pia Cayetano at the 16th Congress that will mandate graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and other similar bills in Congress need urgent support, said Emer Rojas, the president of NVAP, in a phone interview.
A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that hard-hitting pictures creates more impact to the people of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds compared to text-only warnings that only the literate can understand. The study took reactions about the cigarette warning labels from more than 3,300 smokers in the United States.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, lung cancer, one of the top causes of cancer deaths in the country can be preventable by quitting the smoking habit.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), at least 10 Filipinos die daily because of tobacco-related diseases.
The study also showed that 28.3 percent of Filipino adults are smokers, making the Philippines the second highest smoking population in Southeast Asia just next to Indonesia.
Rojas, an engineer who used to be a chain smoker, admitted that mass media influenced his generation on the concept of smoking, which was "cool" and "hip" before it turned to nicotine addiction. After surviving stage 4 lung cancer, he became an advocate against tobacco.“Dapat maging aware na ang mga tao sa kung anong kayang gawin ng sigarilyo. Para hindi na dumami ang makaranas ng naranasan naming napakahirap,” Rojas said.
“By discouraging smoking we will be able to also address cancer which is not only a burden to our health care system but is also a cause of productivity loss,” he added. NVAP is currently working with the DOH and other leaders of the society to conduct training and capacity building in different schools, companies, hospitals and other private institutions to raise awareness against tobacco addictionю
An anti-tobacco group said on Sunday that graphic warnings on tobacco products may reverse the trend of the illness in the country.
Picture-based warnings such as posters showing severed limbs and fingers of victims of firecracker explosions during the holiday season can be a better replacement of the text-only warnings on the dangers of smoking, said the New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP).
The Picture-Based Health Warning Bill re-filed by Senator Pia Cayetano at the 16th Congress that will mandate graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and other similar bills in Congress need urgent support, said Emer Rojas, the president of NVAP, in a phone interview.
A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that hard-hitting pictures creates more impact to the people of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds compared to text-only warnings that only the literate can understand. The study took reactions about the cigarette warning labels from more than 3,300 smokers in the United States.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, lung cancer, one of the top causes of cancer deaths in the country can be preventable by quitting the smoking habit.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), at least 10 Filipinos die daily because of tobacco-related diseases.
The study also showed that 28.3 percent of Filipino adults are smokers, making the Philippines the second highest smoking population in Southeast Asia just next to Indonesia.
Rojas, an engineer who used to be a chain smoker, admitted that mass media influenced his generation on the concept of smoking, which was "cool" and "hip" before it turned to nicotine addiction. After surviving stage 4 lung cancer, he became an advocate against tobacco.“Dapat maging aware na ang mga tao sa kung anong kayang gawin ng sigarilyo. Para hindi na dumami ang makaranas ng naranasan naming napakahirap,” Rojas said.
“By discouraging smoking we will be able to also address cancer which is not only a burden to our health care system but is also a cause of productivity loss,” he added. NVAP is currently working with the DOH and other leaders of the society to conduct training and capacity building in different schools, companies, hospitals and other private institutions to raise awareness against tobacco addictionю
Teenagers 'think slim cigarettes are safer' says report
Young teenagers rate slimline cigarettes as stylish, feminine and possibly safer than regular brands, say researchers. Thinner cigarettes were generally seen as weaker, more palatable, and less harmful by a focus group of 15-year-olds from Glasgow.
In fact, some super-slim brands contain more dangerous tobacco chemicals than their bulkier counterparts, according to the study authors. Teenagers were most attracted to slim and super-slim cigarettes with white filters and decorative features, describing them as "classy" and "nicer", said Cancer Research UK.
In contrast one long brown cigarettes was viewed as particularly harmful and labelled "disgusting", "really, really strong", and "old fashioned". The researchers asked 48 teenage boys and girls about eight cigarette brands that differed in length, diameter, colour, and design.
Professor Gerard Hastings, Cancer Research UK's social marketing expert at the University of Stirling and one of the study authors, said: "Our research confirms previous studies that both the pack and the product are powerful marketing tools in the hands of the tobacco industry which it is using to recruit a new generation of smokers. It's time policy makers moved to standardise both."
Co-author Allison Ford, also from the University of Stirling, said: "This important study reveals for the first time that adolescents associate slim and decorative cigarettes with glamour and coolness, rating them as a cleaner, milder and safer smoke. "It is incredibly worrying to hear that adolescents believe that a stylishly designed cigarette gives a softer option."
Cancer Research UK is campaigning for plain standardised packaging of cigarettes and has launched an online film accusing the tobacco industry of encouraging children to smoke.The study found that teenagers thought white tips and longer cigarettes portrayed a cleaner, feminine image reminiscent of glamorous female stars from old movies. The image softened perceptions that smoking was harmful, said the scientists.
Cigarettes with white tips were also associated with menthol cigarettes, which was perceived as weaker and less harmful.In their paper, published in the European Journal of Public Health, the researchers wrote: "The slimmer diameters of these cigarettes communicated weaker tasting and less harmful-looking cigarettes. This was closely linked to appeal as thinness implied a more pleasant and palatable smoke for young smokers.
"This exploratory study provides some support that standardising cigarette appearance could reduce the appeal of cigarettes in adolescents and reduce the opportunity for stick design to mislead young smokers in terms of harm."
Young teenagers rate slimline cigarettes as stylish, feminine and possibly safer than regular brands, say researchers. Thinner cigarettes were generally seen as weaker, more palatable, and less harmful by a focus group of 15-year-olds from Glasgow.
In fact, some super-slim brands contain more dangerous tobacco chemicals than their bulkier counterparts, according to the study authors. Teenagers were most attracted to slim and super-slim cigarettes with white filters and decorative features, describing them as "classy" and "nicer", said Cancer Research UK.
In contrast one long brown cigarettes was viewed as particularly harmful and labelled "disgusting", "really, really strong", and "old fashioned". The researchers asked 48 teenage boys and girls about eight cigarette brands that differed in length, diameter, colour, and design.
Professor Gerard Hastings, Cancer Research UK's social marketing expert at the University of Stirling and one of the study authors, said: "Our research confirms previous studies that both the pack and the product are powerful marketing tools in the hands of the tobacco industry which it is using to recruit a new generation of smokers. It's time policy makers moved to standardise both."
Co-author Allison Ford, also from the University of Stirling, said: "This important study reveals for the first time that adolescents associate slim and decorative cigarettes with glamour and coolness, rating them as a cleaner, milder and safer smoke. "It is incredibly worrying to hear that adolescents believe that a stylishly designed cigarette gives a softer option."
Cancer Research UK is campaigning for plain standardised packaging of cigarettes and has launched an online film accusing the tobacco industry of encouraging children to smoke.The study found that teenagers thought white tips and longer cigarettes portrayed a cleaner, feminine image reminiscent of glamorous female stars from old movies. The image softened perceptions that smoking was harmful, said the scientists.
Cigarettes with white tips were also associated with menthol cigarettes, which was perceived as weaker and less harmful.In their paper, published in the European Journal of Public Health, the researchers wrote: "The slimmer diameters of these cigarettes communicated weaker tasting and less harmful-looking cigarettes. This was closely linked to appeal as thinness implied a more pleasant and palatable smoke for young smokers.
"This exploratory study provides some support that standardising cigarette appearance could reduce the appeal of cigarettes in adolescents and reduce the opportunity for stick design to mislead young smokers in terms of harm."
I want to be a smoker when I grow up!
Yes, that's what 30% Indian girls and boys reportedly said during a study. We spoke to experts to gauge this alarming trend... In a recent study that was conducted across six nations, it was found that 30% of Indian children wanted to become smokers when they grew up — a disturbing and alarming trend. Padmini Somani, who works with an NGO that aims to prevent children from smoking, says, "In our country, one in every three tobacco users started when they were around 10 years old. This is a major problem as it begins very early." Experts state that there are three major reasons why children take up smoking — easy accessibility, lack of good role models and peer pressure.
Cool to smoke?
Avnita Bir, principal of a school, says, "The tobacco industry has positioned themselves to make smoking appear cool, adventurous and anti-establishment. So, the youth is naturally attracted to it." When children see elders doing it, they get curious to try it out. She adds, "Some children do it for experimentation and out of curiosity."
More and more girls are smoking
Role models also make children feel that premium cigarette smoking is 'cool'. Adds Somani, "Girls take to smoking these days because they have falsely started believing that this is the sign of being a liberated person and this makes them equal to boys."
Children in cities are susceptible
City children may have greater chances of getting into the habit because of the attitude towards life here. Says Bir, "Parents don't have much time to spend with their children. Also, most families are nuclear, which makes children spend more time with friends than with family members."
Somani believes that easy access to tobacco is one of the biggest problems. "There are vendors near schools and other educational institutions; then there are parents who smoke," she says. Aryan, a student doing a survey of private institutions and teen tobacco usage, has found that people are not even aware of all the harmful effects of tobacco and that 32% under 18 have tried it.
Awareness campaigns
"Despite the awareness campaigns about its health hazards, children sometimes can't think that far into the future and worry about an illness they might not get for many years," says Bir. Somani feels that smoking, when shown on screen, affects everyone profoundly. She says, "When asked not to, these people say that their creative freedom is being curbed."
Smoking and cancer
"In our country, there is a maximum occurrence of throat cancer due to tobacco," says Dr Ashish Bakshi, consultant medical oncologist. Children are a major target of this industry and that is one of the reasons why people are suffering from cancers at a much younger age. "Earlier, people would have cancer only in their 50s or 60s. But now, even 20-somethings are suffering," says Somani.
What should parents do
Rather than telling their children not to smoke, parents could approach the issue by pointing out some of the harmful effects smoking can cause — bad breath, yellow teeth, smelly clothes, lack of stamina to play sports etc, feels Bir. She adds, "Children may respond more to these ill-effects as they directly impact their self-esteem. I see the youth reacting very strongly to some of the ills of society — for example, the issue of safety of girls. We need to generate similar kind of strong feelings in them about the issue of smoking (active as well as passive). That approach may work better than punishment or judgment. Perhaps we need youth forums where these are highlighted."
Yes, that's what 30% Indian girls and boys reportedly said during a study. We spoke to experts to gauge this alarming trend... In a recent study that was conducted across six nations, it was found that 30% of Indian children wanted to become smokers when they grew up — a disturbing and alarming trend. Padmini Somani, who works with an NGO that aims to prevent children from smoking, says, "In our country, one in every three tobacco users started when they were around 10 years old. This is a major problem as it begins very early." Experts state that there are three major reasons why children take up smoking — easy accessibility, lack of good role models and peer pressure.
Cool to smoke?
Avnita Bir, principal of a school, says, "The tobacco industry has positioned themselves to make smoking appear cool, adventurous and anti-establishment. So, the youth is naturally attracted to it." When children see elders doing it, they get curious to try it out. She adds, "Some children do it for experimentation and out of curiosity."
More and more girls are smoking
Role models also make children feel that premium cigarette smoking is 'cool'. Adds Somani, "Girls take to smoking these days because they have falsely started believing that this is the sign of being a liberated person and this makes them equal to boys."
Children in cities are susceptible
City children may have greater chances of getting into the habit because of the attitude towards life here. Says Bir, "Parents don't have much time to spend with their children. Also, most families are nuclear, which makes children spend more time with friends than with family members."
Somani believes that easy access to tobacco is one of the biggest problems. "There are vendors near schools and other educational institutions; then there are parents who smoke," she says. Aryan, a student doing a survey of private institutions and teen tobacco usage, has found that people are not even aware of all the harmful effects of tobacco and that 32% under 18 have tried it.
Awareness campaigns
"Despite the awareness campaigns about its health hazards, children sometimes can't think that far into the future and worry about an illness they might not get for many years," says Bir. Somani feels that smoking, when shown on screen, affects everyone profoundly. She says, "When asked not to, these people say that their creative freedom is being curbed."
Smoking and cancer
"In our country, there is a maximum occurrence of throat cancer due to tobacco," says Dr Ashish Bakshi, consultant medical oncologist. Children are a major target of this industry and that is one of the reasons why people are suffering from cancers at a much younger age. "Earlier, people would have cancer only in their 50s or 60s. But now, even 20-somethings are suffering," says Somani.
What should parents do
Rather than telling their children not to smoke, parents could approach the issue by pointing out some of the harmful effects smoking can cause — bad breath, yellow teeth, smelly clothes, lack of stamina to play sports etc, feels Bir. She adds, "Children may respond more to these ill-effects as they directly impact their self-esteem. I see the youth reacting very strongly to some of the ills of society — for example, the issue of safety of girls. We need to generate similar kind of strong feelings in them about the issue of smoking (active as well as passive). That approach may work better than punishment or judgment. Perhaps we need youth forums where these are highlighted."
Tobacco-free Living Promotion in Louisiana
The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) is thrilled to announce its partnership with the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans for their 2013-2014 seasons.
TFL, the Saints and the Pelicans will work together over the coming months to promote smoke-free environments and the importance of protection for all Louisianans against secondhand smoke. Several players will help spread the message of the importance of being tobacco-free and why they choose to do so through various PSAs and other promotional efforts.
The average smoker tries his or her first cigarette before the age of 18, and an estimated 1,000 youth in that age group become new daily cigarette smokers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the Journal of the American Medical Association noted that smoking makes individuals perform worse at all levels as they are unable to heal as fast as non-smokers and are not as strong as nonsmokers. The effects of smoking would be detrimental for an athlete.
Both the Saints and Pelicans have committed to making their respective practice facilities, as well as the business offices, smoke-free.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the Saints and Pelicans on the opening of the brand new Smoke-Free Pelicans Practice Facility,” said Dr. Torrie Harris, Director of the Community Health Division and TFL at the Louisiana Public Health Institute. “Smoke-free environments are important for all employees – musicians, gaming facility employees, and athletes, as well. Through this partnership, and our continuing work with the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program, it is our hope to share this message with the hundreds of thousands of fans to further promote a smoke-free state. We look forward to continuing our efforts with Mr. Benson and both teams toward a healthier Louisiana for all.”
This collaboration with both organizations comes at a critical time for Louisiana. The state as a whole is making strides in public health; however, it consistently trails in health reports. Currently, Louisiana is ranked 49th out of 50 states according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings for the worst overall state health due to high rates of cardiovascular and cancer deaths, as well as diabetes and obesity. Additionally, the Surgeon General’s 2012 Report: Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, indicated that social norms influence young people to try tobacco products. Through this partnership, TFL and the Saints and Pelicans will work to promote a healthier, smoke-free state.
TFL, the Saints and the Pelicans will work together over the coming months to promote smoke-free environments and the importance of protection for all Louisianans against secondhand smoke. Several players will help spread the message of the importance of being tobacco-free and why they choose to do so through various PSAs and other promotional efforts.
The average smoker tries his or her first cigarette before the age of 18, and an estimated 1,000 youth in that age group become new daily cigarette smokers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the Journal of the American Medical Association noted that smoking makes individuals perform worse at all levels as they are unable to heal as fast as non-smokers and are not as strong as nonsmokers. The effects of smoking would be detrimental for an athlete.
Both the Saints and Pelicans have committed to making their respective practice facilities, as well as the business offices, smoke-free.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the Saints and Pelicans on the opening of the brand new Smoke-Free Pelicans Practice Facility,” said Dr. Torrie Harris, Director of the Community Health Division and TFL at the Louisiana Public Health Institute. “Smoke-free environments are important for all employees – musicians, gaming facility employees, and athletes, as well. Through this partnership, and our continuing work with the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program, it is our hope to share this message with the hundreds of thousands of fans to further promote a smoke-free state. We look forward to continuing our efforts with Mr. Benson and both teams toward a healthier Louisiana for all.”
This collaboration with both organizations comes at a critical time for Louisiana. The state as a whole is making strides in public health; however, it consistently trails in health reports. Currently, Louisiana is ranked 49th out of 50 states according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings for the worst overall state health due to high rates of cardiovascular and cancer deaths, as well as diabetes and obesity. Additionally, the Surgeon General’s 2012 Report: Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, indicated that social norms influence young people to try tobacco products. Through this partnership, TFL and the Saints and Pelicans will work to promote a healthier, smoke-free state.
Smokers face train station ban under new State Government health rules
SMOKERS will be forced to butt out at railway stations from early next year with the State Government set to ban smoking on train platforms. Under new rules to be unveiled today by Health Minister David Davis and Transport Minister Terry Mulder, cigarettes will also be banished from tram super stops.
The public transport smoking crackdown could later be widened to include a ban on smoking at all tram and bus stops. Smoking is currently only banned under covered areas of train platforms and inside tram and bus shelters. Mr Davis said banning smoking on train platforms and raised platforms at tram stops would improve the health and wellbeing public transport users and was intended to extend the no-go zones for smokers.
"Around 4000 lives are lost each year in Victoria as a result of smoking and it costs $2.4 billion in direct health costs and lost productivity every year," Mr Davis said. Mr Mulder said the Government wider bans on smoking in public transport areas were under consideration. "Our initiatives will help eliminate what for many people is an unpleasant experience in being exposed to second-hand smoke while they are waiting for or alighting from trams and trains," he said. The changes to regulations would remove potential health impacts to commuters, Mr Mulder.
The number of people being fined for illegally smoking on public transport has jumped sharply in recent years. .Last financial year there were 2002 infringement notices issued by Authorised Officers, Protective Services Officers and police, a 72 per cent increase from the 1161 issued in 2010-11. The fine for smoking under covered areas of train platforms, tram stops and bus shelters is $212 for adults and $72 for children. This fine will now apply to smoking anywhere on train platforms and raised platforms at tram stops.
The latest anti-smoking changes by the Napthine Government follows the introduction last month of legislation to ban smoking at children's playgrounds, public swimming pools, children's sporting grounds and skate parks as well as an earlier ban on smoking at patrolled beaches ."Victoria will be the first jurisdiction to introduce a smoking ban specifically for underage sporting events and skate parks," Mr Davis said. "This Government is leading the way to create smoke-free environments where children and teens can enjoy healthy recreational activities."
SMOKERS will be forced to butt out at railway stations from early next year with the State Government set to ban smoking on train platforms. Under new rules to be unveiled today by Health Minister David Davis and Transport Minister Terry Mulder, cigarettes will also be banished from tram super stops.
The public transport smoking crackdown could later be widened to include a ban on smoking at all tram and bus stops. Smoking is currently only banned under covered areas of train platforms and inside tram and bus shelters. Mr Davis said banning smoking on train platforms and raised platforms at tram stops would improve the health and wellbeing public transport users and was intended to extend the no-go zones for smokers.
"Around 4000 lives are lost each year in Victoria as a result of smoking and it costs $2.4 billion in direct health costs and lost productivity every year," Mr Davis said. Mr Mulder said the Government wider bans on smoking in public transport areas were under consideration. "Our initiatives will help eliminate what for many people is an unpleasant experience in being exposed to second-hand smoke while they are waiting for or alighting from trams and trains," he said. The changes to regulations would remove potential health impacts to commuters, Mr Mulder.
The number of people being fined for illegally smoking on public transport has jumped sharply in recent years. .Last financial year there were 2002 infringement notices issued by Authorised Officers, Protective Services Officers and police, a 72 per cent increase from the 1161 issued in 2010-11. The fine for smoking under covered areas of train platforms, tram stops and bus shelters is $212 for adults and $72 for children. This fine will now apply to smoking anywhere on train platforms and raised platforms at tram stops.
The latest anti-smoking changes by the Napthine Government follows the introduction last month of legislation to ban smoking at children's playgrounds, public swimming pools, children's sporting grounds and skate parks as well as an earlier ban on smoking at patrolled beaches ."Victoria will be the first jurisdiction to introduce a smoking ban specifically for underage sporting events and skate parks," Mr Davis said. "This Government is leading the way to create smoke-free environments where children and teens can enjoy healthy recreational activities."
Hantsport to snuff out bus stop smoking
The Town of Hantsport may soon be the first municipality in the province to prohibit smoking within four metres of any bus stop. Town council voted unanimously in favour of moving a developing Protection From Second-Hand Smoke Bylaw forward to the public hearing stage upon reviewing the first draft of the proposed regulation at a council meeting Sept. 3.
Representatives of the Smoke Free Kings Coalition and Canadian Cancer Society presented a slideshow outlining the harms of second-hand smoke to council at a committee of the whole meeting in June. The slideshow presentation concluded with a pitch that council enact a smoke-free outdoor spaces bylaw to offer citizens protection from second-hand smoke in recreation areas, and places people often congregate.
Town staff used information gleaned from council discussions and a similar bylaw in the Town of Bridgewater to produce the draft council reviewed Sept. 3. The proposed bylaw calls for a smoking ban on town-owned or maintained parks, outdoor recreational facilities, cemeteries, playgrounds and trails or paths. It would also prohibit smoking cigarettes on the grounds of an event or along an active parade route and “a street within a school a zone designated under the Motor Vehicle Act, except within an enclosed motor vehicle.”
The emerging regulation initially banned smoking within a town vehicle if more than one person is present but Coun. Margot Bureaux suggested her colleagues agree to outright prohibit smoking in town-owned vehicles. “It’s hard to get in a vehicle that’s been smoked in if you are not a smoker,” Bureaux said. “It’s an enclosed environment.”
Smoke Free Kings co-chair Sheila Levy, who was observing the council meeting, noted that leftover toxins add an element of risk to sitting in a vehicle that has been smoked in. “There is lots of evidence to support the third-hand harms of tobacco,” she offered.
If ratified, the bylaw would restrict smoking with nine metres of the main entrance to any town building, and four metres of any bus stop. It is proposed that anyone caught violating the bylaw face a maximum fine of $200.
“I do want to commend you about the bus stop because this will be the first town in the province that has some protection at bus stops,” Levy said.
The Smoke Free Kings Coalition has agreed to help the town install signage at smoke-free locations. The draft bylaw is subject to a second reading before it is ratified.
Representatives of the Smoke Free Kings Coalition and Canadian Cancer Society presented a slideshow outlining the harms of second-hand smoke to council at a committee of the whole meeting in June. The slideshow presentation concluded with a pitch that council enact a smoke-free outdoor spaces bylaw to offer citizens protection from second-hand smoke in recreation areas, and places people often congregate.
Town staff used information gleaned from council discussions and a similar bylaw in the Town of Bridgewater to produce the draft council reviewed Sept. 3. The proposed bylaw calls for a smoking ban on town-owned or maintained parks, outdoor recreational facilities, cemeteries, playgrounds and trails or paths. It would also prohibit smoking cigarettes on the grounds of an event or along an active parade route and “a street within a school a zone designated under the Motor Vehicle Act, except within an enclosed motor vehicle.”
The emerging regulation initially banned smoking within a town vehicle if more than one person is present but Coun. Margot Bureaux suggested her colleagues agree to outright prohibit smoking in town-owned vehicles. “It’s hard to get in a vehicle that’s been smoked in if you are not a smoker,” Bureaux said. “It’s an enclosed environment.”
Smoke Free Kings co-chair Sheila Levy, who was observing the council meeting, noted that leftover toxins add an element of risk to sitting in a vehicle that has been smoked in. “There is lots of evidence to support the third-hand harms of tobacco,” she offered.
If ratified, the bylaw would restrict smoking with nine metres of the main entrance to any town building, and four metres of any bus stop. It is proposed that anyone caught violating the bylaw face a maximum fine of $200.
“I do want to commend you about the bus stop because this will be the first town in the province that has some protection at bus stops,” Levy said.
The Smoke Free Kings Coalition has agreed to help the town install signage at smoke-free locations. The draft bylaw is subject to a second reading before it is ratified.
Toronto Council to decide on tough outdoor smoking ban
Toronto Council will be considering banning outdoor smoking within nine metres of all public building entrances and possibly in certain parts of public parks in November, after Toronto’s Board of Health recommended tougher new restrictions designed to curb second-hand smoke.
The board made the recommendations Monday, Sept. 30, after hearing from 18 deputations and a report from Dr. David McKeown, Toronto’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, suggesting a range of restrictions — some of which the city can impose itself, others which require provincial legislation and regulation.
Immediately, the board is asking council at its November meeting to make it illegal to smoke within nine metres of the entrance to all public buildings — which would include civic buildings, private office buildings and even apartment and condominium buildings. As well, the board endorsed a plan — which must also be endorsed by the city’s Parks and Environment Committee — to ban smoking at public beaches, near sporting fields and in high-traffic parks areas such as shelters and picnic areas. And it asked the province to ban smoking on restaurant patios too.
Mayor Rob Ford, hearing of the vote, called it “nanny state” legislation and said he wouldn’t support it. “I’m not a smoker, I don’t like it, but I don’t like governments getting involved in this. How far are they going to push it? Make the whole city smoke free? Right now I’m not going to have a nanny state where the government comes in and tells you you can’t do this or that.” Dr. McKeown said a total ban on smoking cigarettes wasn’t likely in the cards for Toronto.
“I don’t think that’s a practical objective in the short term,” he said. “The history of trying to reduce the harm caused by smoking in Toronto is one of incremental measures. We do still have 16 per cent of people in Toronto who do smoke so we have to recognize that.” Board of Health Chair Joe Mihev rejected the idea this was an example of “nanny state” intervention.
“I think a better way to put it is to say that smoking when it impacts others is becoming less and less viable,” he said. “Smoking as a social enterprise impacts others: my right to smoke ends at your nose.” Dr. McKeown said the measures were appropriate from a public finance standpoint as well. “The government pays the cost that comes from this so when people who are ill with heart disease and cancer go to the hospital we pay the cost for that,” said Dr. McKeown.
Toronto Council will be considering banning outdoor smoking within nine metres of all public building entrances and possibly in certain parts of public parks in November, after Toronto’s Board of Health recommended tougher new restrictions designed to curb second-hand smoke.
The board made the recommendations Monday, Sept. 30, after hearing from 18 deputations and a report from Dr. David McKeown, Toronto’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, suggesting a range of restrictions — some of which the city can impose itself, others which require provincial legislation and regulation.
Immediately, the board is asking council at its November meeting to make it illegal to smoke within nine metres of the entrance to all public buildings — which would include civic buildings, private office buildings and even apartment and condominium buildings. As well, the board endorsed a plan — which must also be endorsed by the city’s Parks and Environment Committee — to ban smoking at public beaches, near sporting fields and in high-traffic parks areas such as shelters and picnic areas. And it asked the province to ban smoking on restaurant patios too.
Mayor Rob Ford, hearing of the vote, called it “nanny state” legislation and said he wouldn’t support it. “I’m not a smoker, I don’t like it, but I don’t like governments getting involved in this. How far are they going to push it? Make the whole city smoke free? Right now I’m not going to have a nanny state where the government comes in and tells you you can’t do this or that.” Dr. McKeown said a total ban on smoking cigarettes wasn’t likely in the cards for Toronto.
“I don’t think that’s a practical objective in the short term,” he said. “The history of trying to reduce the harm caused by smoking in Toronto is one of incremental measures. We do still have 16 per cent of people in Toronto who do smoke so we have to recognize that.” Board of Health Chair Joe Mihev rejected the idea this was an example of “nanny state” intervention.
“I think a better way to put it is to say that smoking when it impacts others is becoming less and less viable,” he said. “Smoking as a social enterprise impacts others: my right to smoke ends at your nose.” Dr. McKeown said the measures were appropriate from a public finance standpoint as well. “The government pays the cost that comes from this so when people who are ill with heart disease and cancer go to the hospital we pay the cost for that,” said Dr. McKeown.
An Advice from Grandmother who Started Smoking at 14
A Paulton grandmother with a new lease of life is backing a national 28-day drive to get people to give up smoking.
Tesco worker Anne Hale, 58, stopped smoking just over four months ago and after keeping up with her five grandchildren over the summer holidays, is hoping her new-found lust for life will encourage others to take part in Stoptober.
Health officials are targetting the 18.4 per cent of adults in B&NES who still smoke.
Mrs Hale is pleased with her new energy which gave her the confidence to hit the Gromit trail in Bristol.
She said: "When we were out looking for Gromits we walked miles and miles up hills. Before, I would get halfway up a hill and have to stop because I couldn't breathe. You suddenly notice the difference."
Mrs Hale, who began smoking cigarettes at the age of 14, is still taking it one day at a time.
"I had tried to give up before and it would be a month if I was lucky. I was frightened to give up as I just couldn't imagine not smoking.
"I think this time I have looked at it differently. I won't say I've given up, I just say I haven't smoked for however many days or weeks, then you don't set yourself up for a fall. I am quite pleased with myself for reaching 16 weeks."
Mrs Hale, a team leader at Tesco in Midsomer Norton, was encouraged by a colleague to join her at weekly advice sessions held by Sirona's Healthy Lifestyles team at Paulton Hospital.
"The girls up there are absolutely brilliant, there is no pressure on you and you can have a laugh and a joke with them."
She has used a combination of patches, sprays, an inhalator and lozenges to beat the cravings.
She added: "Smoking was like a comfort blanket and if I can get this far then I know other people can do it."
Mrs Hale is also attending a Weight Watchers slimming club arranged through Sirona, losing 11lb so far.
To find out more about beating smoking, contact Sirona on 01225 831852 or visit www.sirona-cic.org.uk.
Tesco worker Anne Hale, 58, stopped smoking just over four months ago and after keeping up with her five grandchildren over the summer holidays, is hoping her new-found lust for life will encourage others to take part in Stoptober.
Health officials are targetting the 18.4 per cent of adults in B&NES who still smoke.
Mrs Hale is pleased with her new energy which gave her the confidence to hit the Gromit trail in Bristol.
She said: "When we were out looking for Gromits we walked miles and miles up hills. Before, I would get halfway up a hill and have to stop because I couldn't breathe. You suddenly notice the difference."
Mrs Hale, who began smoking cigarettes at the age of 14, is still taking it one day at a time.
"I had tried to give up before and it would be a month if I was lucky. I was frightened to give up as I just couldn't imagine not smoking.
"I think this time I have looked at it differently. I won't say I've given up, I just say I haven't smoked for however many days or weeks, then you don't set yourself up for a fall. I am quite pleased with myself for reaching 16 weeks."
Mrs Hale, a team leader at Tesco in Midsomer Norton, was encouraged by a colleague to join her at weekly advice sessions held by Sirona's Healthy Lifestyles team at Paulton Hospital.
"The girls up there are absolutely brilliant, there is no pressure on you and you can have a laugh and a joke with them."
She has used a combination of patches, sprays, an inhalator and lozenges to beat the cravings.
She added: "Smoking was like a comfort blanket and if I can get this far then I know other people can do it."
Mrs Hale is also attending a Weight Watchers slimming club arranged through Sirona, losing 11lb so far.
To find out more about beating smoking, contact Sirona on 01225 831852 or visit www.sirona-cic.org.uk.
Over half of cruise passengers want an end to smoking on liner balconies
Over half of British travellers who regularly book cruises support a ban on passengers being able to smoke on their cabin balconies, according to new research. A survey conducted by cruise reviews website Cruise Critic saw 54 per cent of those questioned say that smoking cigarettes on balconies – even when the balcony belongs to the passengers’ personal cabin – should not be permitted.
And almost one quarter of those surveyed – 24 per cent – went further and said that smoking should be banned in all areas of cruise liners. Only 18 per cent of respondees disagreed with the idea of banning smoking on balconies, arguing that a cigarette is a personal choice. The survey comes in the midst of a growing debate about smoking at sea. Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean became the latest major cruise operator to ban smoking on the balconies of its ships.
The order will come into force on 1 January 2014 (although the company’s Asia-based liners are currently exempt), and will be backed by punitive fines of US$250 (£190). Smoking is already banned inside all staterooms on Royal Caribbean vessels – and in public areas except for casinos, and on the starboard side of outer decks. Royal Caribbean’s move comes in the wake of similar decisions by rival operators.
Cunard and Seabourn restricted smoking areas on their ships in August, while P&O Cruises and Disney Cruise Line also announced bans last month. This leaves Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line as the only major operators which still allow smoking on balconies. The right to an on-balcony cigarette has become an increasingly divisive subject. While some passengers see this as an acceptable practice conducted in the privacy of their cabins, others complain that smoke drifting into neighbouring rooms is unfair.
“Smoking on board cruise ships is a highly debated and contentious issue within the cruise industry,” says Adam Coulter, the UK editor of Cruise Critic. “Cruisers have very strong opinions on this topic, as revealed in this survey. “It could be predicted that many more cruise lines will look to implement increasingly stringent regulations towards smoking. However, while a large number of cruisers support this ban, it is important to acknowledge that many feel they should be offered a choice.“With certain cruise lines adapting their policies, it will be interesting to see the impact this has across the industry in the future.”The poll asked 579 respondents for their opinions.
And almost one quarter of those surveyed – 24 per cent – went further and said that smoking should be banned in all areas of cruise liners. Only 18 per cent of respondees disagreed with the idea of banning smoking on balconies, arguing that a cigarette is a personal choice. The survey comes in the midst of a growing debate about smoking at sea. Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean became the latest major cruise operator to ban smoking on the balconies of its ships.
The order will come into force on 1 January 2014 (although the company’s Asia-based liners are currently exempt), and will be backed by punitive fines of US$250 (£190). Smoking is already banned inside all staterooms on Royal Caribbean vessels – and in public areas except for casinos, and on the starboard side of outer decks. Royal Caribbean’s move comes in the wake of similar decisions by rival operators.
Cunard and Seabourn restricted smoking areas on their ships in August, while P&O Cruises and Disney Cruise Line also announced bans last month. This leaves Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line as the only major operators which still allow smoking on balconies. The right to an on-balcony cigarette has become an increasingly divisive subject. While some passengers see this as an acceptable practice conducted in the privacy of their cabins, others complain that smoke drifting into neighbouring rooms is unfair.
“Smoking on board cruise ships is a highly debated and contentious issue within the cruise industry,” says Adam Coulter, the UK editor of Cruise Critic. “Cruisers have very strong opinions on this topic, as revealed in this survey. “It could be predicted that many more cruise lines will look to implement increasingly stringent regulations towards smoking. However, while a large number of cruisers support this ban, it is important to acknowledge that many feel they should be offered a choice.“With certain cruise lines adapting their policies, it will be interesting to see the impact this has across the industry in the future.”The poll asked 579 respondents for their opinions.
Smoking in Casinos in the USA
Cynthia Hallett, executive director of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, said smoking in casinos is an issue because the number of casinos is increasing in the United States.
"We have a growing workforce exposed to secondhand smoke," she said, adding that "ventilation can only do so much."
David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, said revenue has fallen in several states that banned smoking at casinos. As a result, lawmakers are reluctant to impose further restrictions, he said.
A significant, but unspecified, portion of gamblers smoke, leading researchers to see a link between smoking and gambling, Schwartz said.
"You gamble longer if you're smoking cigarettes," he said.
For example, Atlantic City's Revel Casino-Hotel, which is competing with other casinos in the city known for gambling, is allowing smoking on the casino floor for the first time as one strategy to hold on to customers. A spokeswoman said the casino would not comment.
A Montana ban on smoking in taverns and casinos resulted in a steep revenue drop. In the state's 2010 budget year immediately after the ban took effect, video gambling machine taxes were $52.4 million, a 16 percent decline from the previous year.
Rick Ask, administrator of the Gambling Control Division of the Montana Department of Justice, said the weak economy was a factor but most of the revenue drop was the result of the state smoking law.
But casino operators don't believe they are losing potential customers as a result of smoking limits or bans, Ask said.
"Most would say, 'Those are not my customers,'" he said.
Clyde Barrow, director of the Center for Policy Analysis at UMass Dartmouth, said studies disprove the industry's argument that smokers gamble more frequently than nonsmokers. And he contended the recession and weak economic recovery — not smoking — are to blame for falling casino revenue.
"We have a growing workforce exposed to secondhand smoke," she said, adding that "ventilation can only do so much."
David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, said revenue has fallen in several states that banned smoking at casinos. As a result, lawmakers are reluctant to impose further restrictions, he said.
A significant, but unspecified, portion of gamblers smoke, leading researchers to see a link between smoking and gambling, Schwartz said.
"You gamble longer if you're smoking cigarettes," he said.
For example, Atlantic City's Revel Casino-Hotel, which is competing with other casinos in the city known for gambling, is allowing smoking on the casino floor for the first time as one strategy to hold on to customers. A spokeswoman said the casino would not comment.
A Montana ban on smoking in taverns and casinos resulted in a steep revenue drop. In the state's 2010 budget year immediately after the ban took effect, video gambling machine taxes were $52.4 million, a 16 percent decline from the previous year.
Rick Ask, administrator of the Gambling Control Division of the Montana Department of Justice, said the weak economy was a factor but most of the revenue drop was the result of the state smoking law.
But casino operators don't believe they are losing potential customers as a result of smoking limits or bans, Ask said.
"Most would say, 'Those are not my customers,'" he said.
Clyde Barrow, director of the Center for Policy Analysis at UMass Dartmouth, said studies disprove the industry's argument that smokers gamble more frequently than nonsmokers. And he contended the recession and weak economic recovery — not smoking — are to blame for falling casino revenue.
Smoking bans: The Czechs Rezist
With startling speed and success, Europe has vigorously lobbied to ban smoking from public areas. The Czech Republic comes across as the last obdurate defender of the freedom to inhale nicotine – and, true to its specific concept of liberalism, is trying to muster all its might to torpedo every EU effort.
Irish Minister of Health James Reilly has an extraordinarily personal motivation for his mission. First, his father, who went blind after a heart attack, lay bedridden for years before he died. Then, his brother, a doctor who had tried in vain for years to stop smoking, died recently of lung cancer. “This is not a bad habit; it’s an insidious disease, and what is propagating it must be fought,” is what Reilly tells reporters. It’s the same argument he used, last spring, to persuade all of Ireland to introduce plain packaging illustrated with up-close photos of lungs ravaged by smoking for all cigarette “brands” – the second country in the world after Australia to do so.
Reilly and his government colleagues made the fight against tobacco a central theme of their recently-concluded six-month presidency of the EU [which ended June 30]. The result has been extraordinary. European health ministers decided in June that a regulation similar to Ireland’s should be in force across Europe within three years. New legislation must now be ratified by the European Parliament.
At the same time, experts are well aware that the last body that would want to roll it back is one of the most obscure and powerful forces in contemporary politics: the tobacco lobby.
“Everyone except the heads of delegations out of the room, please.” European diplomats recall Reilly uttering these previously-unheard words during the decisive moments of the Luxembourg talks about the “packaging” directive. But it is easy to understand why he said them: just before the hearing, it was discovered that someone was passing on the details of previous meetings directly to the tobacco companies. Many of those present during the debate recalled the investigation surrounding health commissioner John Dalli, who allegedly accepted money from the tobacco companies to alter the wording of EU legislation.
Irish Minister of Health James Reilly has an extraordinarily personal motivation for his mission. First, his father, who went blind after a heart attack, lay bedridden for years before he died. Then, his brother, a doctor who had tried in vain for years to stop smoking, died recently of lung cancer. “This is not a bad habit; it’s an insidious disease, and what is propagating it must be fought,” is what Reilly tells reporters. It’s the same argument he used, last spring, to persuade all of Ireland to introduce plain packaging illustrated with up-close photos of lungs ravaged by smoking for all cigarette “brands” – the second country in the world after Australia to do so.
Reilly and his government colleagues made the fight against tobacco a central theme of their recently-concluded six-month presidency of the EU [which ended June 30]. The result has been extraordinary. European health ministers decided in June that a regulation similar to Ireland’s should be in force across Europe within three years. New legislation must now be ratified by the European Parliament.
At the same time, experts are well aware that the last body that would want to roll it back is one of the most obscure and powerful forces in contemporary politics: the tobacco lobby.
“Everyone except the heads of delegations out of the room, please.” European diplomats recall Reilly uttering these previously-unheard words during the decisive moments of the Luxembourg talks about the “packaging” directive. But it is easy to understand why he said them: just before the hearing, it was discovered that someone was passing on the details of previous meetings directly to the tobacco companies. Many of those present during the debate recalled the investigation surrounding health commissioner John Dalli, who allegedly accepted money from the tobacco companies to alter the wording of EU legislation.
Opinion About Outdoor Smoking Bans
There are hundreds of studies linking indoor secondhand smoke to health problems like heart disease. That research has bolstered city laws and workplace rules that now impose smoking bans in nearly half of the nation’s bars, restaurants and workplaces. In contrast, there’s been little study of the potential dangers of whiffing secondhand smoke while in the open air.
Ban opponents have come to the fore, such as Australian researcher Simon Chapman, a one-time anti-smoking advocate who has become a vocal opponent of wide-ranging outdoor smoking bans. He worries that bans are really motivated by desires to make smoking seem like an unusual, socially unacceptable behavior.
“Next you might say, ‘Let’s not just stop there. Let’s not have people smoke cigarettes anywhere they might be seen,’” he said. “And then it is legitimate to say that any behavior that people don’t like should be disapproved of because people might see it.”
Erring on safety's side
While Chapman thinks it’s a bad precedent, supporters such as Dr. Jim McVay of the Alabama Department of Public Health see outdoor smoking bans as a worthy goal.
“We know smoking rates among adults have been improving through the years, and Alabama has improved slightly, but not as much as the rest of the nation,” said McVay, who directs the department’s Bureau of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease. “Anything that the community can do to protect our citizens, we need to do, but we are not improving as quickly as the rest of the nation.”
McVay predicts that the transition to a smoke-free outdoors will come soon, but gradually.
“Usually, any societal changes are very slow. For example, seat belt usage has become the norm,” he said. “People do things out of habit. Not smoking around other people will become another habit.”
Are some municipalities and businesses taking it too far when they try to regulate the air? McVay scoffs at the notion.
“There’s no safe level of secondhand smoke. Clearly, the documentation has built up over the last 40 years about the effect of secondhand smoke on non-smokers. The research is there.”
Ban opponents have come to the fore, such as Australian researcher Simon Chapman, a one-time anti-smoking advocate who has become a vocal opponent of wide-ranging outdoor smoking bans. He worries that bans are really motivated by desires to make smoking seem like an unusual, socially unacceptable behavior.
“Next you might say, ‘Let’s not just stop there. Let’s not have people smoke cigarettes anywhere they might be seen,’” he said. “And then it is legitimate to say that any behavior that people don’t like should be disapproved of because people might see it.”
Erring on safety's side
While Chapman thinks it’s a bad precedent, supporters such as Dr. Jim McVay of the Alabama Department of Public Health see outdoor smoking bans as a worthy goal.
“We know smoking rates among adults have been improving through the years, and Alabama has improved slightly, but not as much as the rest of the nation,” said McVay, who directs the department’s Bureau of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease. “Anything that the community can do to protect our citizens, we need to do, but we are not improving as quickly as the rest of the nation.”
McVay predicts that the transition to a smoke-free outdoors will come soon, but gradually.
“Usually, any societal changes are very slow. For example, seat belt usage has become the norm,” he said. “People do things out of habit. Not smoking around other people will become another habit.”
Are some municipalities and businesses taking it too far when they try to regulate the air? McVay scoffs at the notion.
“There’s no safe level of secondhand smoke. Clearly, the documentation has built up over the last 40 years about the effect of secondhand smoke on non-smokers. The research is there.”
Former Smokers' Children More Likely to Become Smokers
Dr. John Spangler, a professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, said there may well be a genetic component to these findings.
"This study confirms what we have already sensed, that there is a family history of tobacco use among many smokers," Spangler said. "We know that people are more likely to uses substances like alcohol based on family history, the same holds true for tobacco use."
This may point to a genetic predisposition to metabolize nicotine or dopamine differently, he said.
"We should encourage doctors to ask about a family history of smoking, because if there is a family history of smoking then that individual is more likely to be a smoker in the future," Spangler said.
Parents who were former smokers should realize their child is more likely to become a smoker. These parents may want to discuss smoking with their children with an eye toward preventing it.
"This may also be a good way for physicians to counsel parents about and children about tobacco use -- that there is this risk factor," Spangler said.
Another expert agreed that parents who smoke should make every effort to quit, but said that further measures are needed.
"Consistent with previous research, this study shows the dramatic impact of parental smoking on youth smoking," said Danny McGoldrick, vice president for research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
"Even parents who are unable to quit should make their cars and homes smoke-free, send clear messages to their children about not smoking and support policies and programs like increased tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws and comprehensive prevention and cessation programs that are proven to reduce smoking among kids and adults," he said.
While the study showed an association between having parents or siblings who smoke and smoking yourself, it did not prove a cause-and-effect link.
Another study in the same journal issue found that 72 percent of teens who use smokeless tobacco products also smoke cigarettes.
This finding runs counter to the idea that smokeless tobacco products can help reduce the health problems associated with tobacco use, the researchers said.
Kids who used smokeless tobacco were more likely to believe that it's less harmful than tobacco products in general, the study found.
"This study confirms what we have already sensed, that there is a family history of tobacco use among many smokers," Spangler said. "We know that people are more likely to uses substances like alcohol based on family history, the same holds true for tobacco use."
This may point to a genetic predisposition to metabolize nicotine or dopamine differently, he said.
"We should encourage doctors to ask about a family history of smoking, because if there is a family history of smoking then that individual is more likely to be a smoker in the future," Spangler said.
Parents who were former smokers should realize their child is more likely to become a smoker. These parents may want to discuss smoking with their children with an eye toward preventing it.
"This may also be a good way for physicians to counsel parents about and children about tobacco use -- that there is this risk factor," Spangler said.
Another expert agreed that parents who smoke should make every effort to quit, but said that further measures are needed.
"Consistent with previous research, this study shows the dramatic impact of parental smoking on youth smoking," said Danny McGoldrick, vice president for research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
"Even parents who are unable to quit should make their cars and homes smoke-free, send clear messages to their children about not smoking and support policies and programs like increased tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws and comprehensive prevention and cessation programs that are proven to reduce smoking among kids and adults," he said.
While the study showed an association between having parents or siblings who smoke and smoking yourself, it did not prove a cause-and-effect link.
Another study in the same journal issue found that 72 percent of teens who use smokeless tobacco products also smoke cigarettes.
This finding runs counter to the idea that smokeless tobacco products can help reduce the health problems associated with tobacco use, the researchers said.
Kids who used smokeless tobacco were more likely to believe that it's less harmful than tobacco products in general, the study found.
Should Smoking in Public Places Really Be Banned?
SINCE the imposition of the "smoking ban" last Monday, July 15, more and more voices of concern are being raised regarding certain aspects of the regulation, including tourism interests, business owners, as well as parliamentarians from both sides of the House. And it is not true, as Attorney General Patrick Atkinson is reported in the press as saying, that the opposition is only from smokers seeking to continue their unhealthy habit where and when they please. There are many non-smokers, including myself, who have been very concerned, not only with the untidy and hurried way in which the legislation was brought into effect, but also with aspects of the regulations which are clearly excessive and overreaching.
No one I have heard to date has objected to the general principle of the ban. However, in seeking to do so, the rights of tobacco smokers must also be taken into account, as laws in a democratic society must seek to protect the rights of all its citizens, whether or not we endorse the use of what is still a legal substance in Jamaica.
Many of us, therefore, who still value personal freedoms take exception to the statement on the Health Ministry's website that the new regulation "... does not allow for the establishment of smoking areas in any place of business". Health Minister Dr Ferguson is quoted as saying: "We cannot allow the establishment of death chambers and this is what a room filled with persons smoking would be." By that token, the minister may as well go the whole way and ban the smoking of cigarettes altogether, as each cigarette could be called a "death stick". The point here is that if a group of adults, well aware of the potential health risks of smoking, chooses to do so in someone's living room, or in a private clubhouse, business office or courtyard, they ought to be free to do so, as they would not be endangering the health of any non-smokers by the practice.
But then some have argued that such restrictions would be good to stop smokers from their 'nasty habit' anyway, and the health minister himself is quoted as saying that "someone has to save these people from themselves". I would submit that this kind of mindset is dangerous to adopt in a democratic society, no matter how well intentioned it may be.
Following that same principle, what would prevent the minister from announcing tomorrow that the sale and consumption of all alcohol will be banned in public spaces, given its known health risks. Or consider that World Health Organisation statistics show that obesity is a major risk factor for numerous preventable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Does the minister intend, in the interest of public health, to make it a criminal offence for someone to weigh over 250 lb, or to ban the sale of high-fat and high-calorie foods to the public?
This notion of imposing legislation "to save people from themselves" has no place in a democracy that cherishes personal freedoms, and the rights that we deny a particular group today are the same rights that we lose in another area tomorrow.
No one I have heard to date has objected to the general principle of the ban. However, in seeking to do so, the rights of tobacco smokers must also be taken into account, as laws in a democratic society must seek to protect the rights of all its citizens, whether or not we endorse the use of what is still a legal substance in Jamaica.
Many of us, therefore, who still value personal freedoms take exception to the statement on the Health Ministry's website that the new regulation "... does not allow for the establishment of smoking areas in any place of business". Health Minister Dr Ferguson is quoted as saying: "We cannot allow the establishment of death chambers and this is what a room filled with persons smoking would be." By that token, the minister may as well go the whole way and ban the smoking of cigarettes altogether, as each cigarette could be called a "death stick". The point here is that if a group of adults, well aware of the potential health risks of smoking, chooses to do so in someone's living room, or in a private clubhouse, business office or courtyard, they ought to be free to do so, as they would not be endangering the health of any non-smokers by the practice.
But then some have argued that such restrictions would be good to stop smokers from their 'nasty habit' anyway, and the health minister himself is quoted as saying that "someone has to save these people from themselves". I would submit that this kind of mindset is dangerous to adopt in a democratic society, no matter how well intentioned it may be.
Following that same principle, what would prevent the minister from announcing tomorrow that the sale and consumption of all alcohol will be banned in public spaces, given its known health risks. Or consider that World Health Organisation statistics show that obesity is a major risk factor for numerous preventable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Does the minister intend, in the interest of public health, to make it a criminal offence for someone to weigh over 250 lb, or to ban the sale of high-fat and high-calorie foods to the public?
This notion of imposing legislation "to save people from themselves" has no place in a democracy that cherishes personal freedoms, and the rights that we deny a particular group today are the same rights that we lose in another area tomorrow.
Opposition Wants Smoking Ban Suspended for 6 Months
THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party has called for a six-month suspension of the ban on smoking cigarettes in public places, during which the regulations informing the process should be tabled and debated in Parliament.
The ban has triggered controversy over the suddenness and the lack of information. The regulations were gazetted only the Friday before last Monday's imposition of the ban. Cigarette producers, Carreras, say that they are still studying the regulations, and the hotel industry has been meeting with Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Dr Wykeham McNeill, to discuss the effect on the sector.
Last Tuesday, Opposition members of the House of Representatives forced Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, to admit that the implementation process was "untidy".
On Friday, Opposition members of the Senate tabled a motion as well as questions on the issues.
Senator Kamina Johnson Smith tabled the motion, asking the Senate to call on the minister to: Immediately suspend, for no less than six months, enforcement of the regulations against individuals and, in particular, regulations 3(3), and 8 and 12; and to immediately table the regulations in the Parliament for debate and review, notwithstanding any ministerial power exercised by him under the Public Health Act.
Senator Johnson Smith noted that the regulations introduced "a radically new regime" affecting personal lives and businesses, which has to be "reasonable, enforceable and enforced rather than honoured in the breach" to succeed.
She said that despite the powers granted to the Minister under the Public Health Act, "the enactment of these important regulations, without parliamentary debate, was ill-advised, given the scope and extent of the potential impact of the regulations."
She also took note that while a six-month transition period has been granted to businesses, including posting "No Smoking" signs, none was given to the public.
Another Opposition senator, Robert Montague tabled a number of questions on the treatment of government revenue from cigarette sales, and the future of itinerant street vendors of the product.
Senator Montague asked whether any programme will be in place to assist these "small cigarette vendors" to maintain an income, if they are affected by the ban.
He asked the minister to state whether or not there is a contingency plan and/or proposed measures, in the event of a revenue shortfall due to the possible reduction in earnings from the industry, as a result of the ban.
He also asked what plans or proposed measures will be implemented to reduce the effects, if any, on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility agreement with Jamaica as a result of a shortfall in revenue.
Taxes paid by cigarette producers, Carreras Limited, provide some $3 billion annually in revenues for the Government, which is primarily used to fund the National Health Fund (NHF) and National Insurance health benefits.
The ban has triggered controversy over the suddenness and the lack of information. The regulations were gazetted only the Friday before last Monday's imposition of the ban. Cigarette producers, Carreras, say that they are still studying the regulations, and the hotel industry has been meeting with Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Dr Wykeham McNeill, to discuss the effect on the sector.
Last Tuesday, Opposition members of the House of Representatives forced Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, to admit that the implementation process was "untidy".
On Friday, Opposition members of the Senate tabled a motion as well as questions on the issues.
Senator Kamina Johnson Smith tabled the motion, asking the Senate to call on the minister to: Immediately suspend, for no less than six months, enforcement of the regulations against individuals and, in particular, regulations 3(3), and 8 and 12; and to immediately table the regulations in the Parliament for debate and review, notwithstanding any ministerial power exercised by him under the Public Health Act.
Senator Johnson Smith noted that the regulations introduced "a radically new regime" affecting personal lives and businesses, which has to be "reasonable, enforceable and enforced rather than honoured in the breach" to succeed.
She said that despite the powers granted to the Minister under the Public Health Act, "the enactment of these important regulations, without parliamentary debate, was ill-advised, given the scope and extent of the potential impact of the regulations."
She also took note that while a six-month transition period has been granted to businesses, including posting "No Smoking" signs, none was given to the public.
Another Opposition senator, Robert Montague tabled a number of questions on the treatment of government revenue from cigarette sales, and the future of itinerant street vendors of the product.
Senator Montague asked whether any programme will be in place to assist these "small cigarette vendors" to maintain an income, if they are affected by the ban.
He asked the minister to state whether or not there is a contingency plan and/or proposed measures, in the event of a revenue shortfall due to the possible reduction in earnings from the industry, as a result of the ban.
He also asked what plans or proposed measures will be implemented to reduce the effects, if any, on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility agreement with Jamaica as a result of a shortfall in revenue.
Taxes paid by cigarette producers, Carreras Limited, provide some $3 billion annually in revenues for the Government, which is primarily used to fund the National Health Fund (NHF) and National Insurance health benefits.
UK Plans For Plain Cigarette Packaging to be Shelved
Ministers are to announce that they have decided to shelve plans to introduce legislation forcing cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging in the UK.
In a written statement to MPs, the Department of Health will say that it wants more time to study the impact of a similar law in Australia before deciding to press ahead with standardised cigarette packaging in England.
But the decision has been described as "bitterly disappointing" by Cancer Research UK, which said that allowing cigarettes to carry on being sold in branded packets would cost lives.
Dr Harpal Kumar, the charity's chief executive, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday that the decision showed the government was putting "profits of the tobacco industry" ahead of the public's health.
He said the tobacco industry was entirely dependent on recruiting children because smoking was an addiction that killed half of all users. He also said there was very strong evidence from Australia "that demonstrates that packaging does make a difference to children taking up this product".
"The government should show leadership to protect the health of future generations," he said. "They claim to be interested in public health. It's time to show that interest."
But Mark Field, a Conservative MP, told the programme that he welcomed the government's "sensible and pragmatic" decision to postpone pressing ahead with a plain packaging law.
With the economy still recovering, a move of this kind "runs counter to our message that we are open for business", he said.
He said that imposing plain packaging would cost the Treasury "significant sums of money" because it would have to pay compensation to cigarette manufacturers for the loss of intellectual property rights. And he also said that the evidence that plain packaging would lead to fewer young people taking up smoking was not yet "rock solid".
The decision to postpone the introduction of plain packaging meant it was unlikely that any law would be introduced before the 2015 election, Field added.
New Tobacco Tax Spark E-Cigarette Sales
Minnesota’s new $1.60-per-pack sales tax increase on cigarettes begins next week. Meanwhile, retailers are betting smokers will try to switch to a tobacco product not subject to the state’s tobacco taxes: electronic cigarettes.
Electronic cigarette, also known as e-cigarettes or e-cigs, have been around for 10 years. Some manufacturers of e-cigarettes are pushing them as a safe alternative or even a way to quit.
The problem is there have been no comprehensive studies on e-cigarettes, which do contain nicotine.
While health officials are urging caution, e-cigarette makers claim the battery-powered devices that use liquid nicotine are a healthier choice.
Whether or not it is, the e-cigarette is gaining in popularity.
Smokedale, a tobacco shop in Oakdale, needs to expand their e-cigarette space due to increased demand.
“Right now, we sell triple what we used to,” employee Ziad Abdul Husseen said.
Dan Trudeau smoked regular cigarettes for 15 years, spending $12 a day on his two-pack-a-day habit. Now he spends $12 a month on e-cigarettes – for the same nicotine fix.
“It’s much cheaper, much cheaper,” Trudeau said.
The batteries of e-cigarettes can be charged through a USB port on your computer. The liquid nicotine, which is poured into the cartridge of the cigarette, has flavor ranging from cotton candy to chocolate to various fruits.
Health experts worry those flavors could be used to market to kid, who might start on e-cigarettes and end up switching to the real thing.
As for the smoke, it’s really vapor. But E-cigarettes do contain nicotine, which is addictive and has been shown to have negative effects on heart and lung health, increase blood pressure and heart rates, and put a strain on the circulatory system.
As for e-cigarettes helping smokers quit, Chris Tholkes of the Minnesota Department of Health says they are not approved as a stop smoking aide.
“The verdict is still out on whether these cigarettes are safe. We need to do a little more research on the product,” Tholkes said. “I would say proceed with caution we don’t know a lot about these products.”
Electronic cigarette, also known as e-cigarettes or e-cigs, have been around for 10 years. Some manufacturers of e-cigarettes are pushing them as a safe alternative or even a way to quit.
The problem is there have been no comprehensive studies on e-cigarettes, which do contain nicotine.
While health officials are urging caution, e-cigarette makers claim the battery-powered devices that use liquid nicotine are a healthier choice.
Whether or not it is, the e-cigarette is gaining in popularity.
Smokedale, a tobacco shop in Oakdale, needs to expand their e-cigarette space due to increased demand.
“Right now, we sell triple what we used to,” employee Ziad Abdul Husseen said.
Dan Trudeau smoked regular cigarettes for 15 years, spending $12 a day on his two-pack-a-day habit. Now he spends $12 a month on e-cigarettes – for the same nicotine fix.
“It’s much cheaper, much cheaper,” Trudeau said.
The batteries of e-cigarettes can be charged through a USB port on your computer. The liquid nicotine, which is poured into the cartridge of the cigarette, has flavor ranging from cotton candy to chocolate to various fruits.
Health experts worry those flavors could be used to market to kid, who might start on e-cigarettes and end up switching to the real thing.
As for the smoke, it’s really vapor. But E-cigarettes do contain nicotine, which is addictive and has been shown to have negative effects on heart and lung health, increase blood pressure and heart rates, and put a strain on the circulatory system.
As for e-cigarettes helping smokers quit, Chris Tholkes of the Minnesota Department of Health says they are not approved as a stop smoking aide.
“The verdict is still out on whether these cigarettes are safe. We need to do a little more research on the product,” Tholkes said. “I would say proceed with caution we don’t know a lot about these products.”
_Cigarette packets to be white with no brand names
_CIGARETTE packets in Spain may soon all be one colour, with no brand name, just a disturbing picture and health warning.
The European Commission is considering making it the law for all packets to be uniform white, without any company logos, and with the name of the brand written in small letters on the bottom.
They claim this is to take away the 'glamour element' associated with certain brands of cigarettes in order to discourage people from smoking.
The same law was approved in Australia in November – where smoking laws are much stricter and even some beaches and outside restaurant terraces are out of bounds to people lighting up – with the only exception that the packets will be dark olive green.
This will come into effect next December in Australia.
Tobacco companies are already launching complaints, but say they have not yet calculated whether they will suffer any financial loss as a result.
Already, cigarette packets bear mandatory photographs of diseased lungs and massive tumours to put people off.
Over a million people in Spain have given up since the law passed in January banned lighting up in public places without exception, forcing bars and restaurants to become non-smoking whether they wished to or not.
In real terms, and combined with those who now smoke less because of rising prices and restrictions on where they can light up, tobacco sales have fallen by 17 per cent in the last year.
The average Spaniard smokes 17 cigarettes a day, research shows.
The European Commission is considering making it the law for all packets to be uniform white, without any company logos, and with the name of the brand written in small letters on the bottom.
They claim this is to take away the 'glamour element' associated with certain brands of cigarettes in order to discourage people from smoking.
The same law was approved in Australia in November – where smoking laws are much stricter and even some beaches and outside restaurant terraces are out of bounds to people lighting up – with the only exception that the packets will be dark olive green.
This will come into effect next December in Australia.
Tobacco companies are already launching complaints, but say they have not yet calculated whether they will suffer any financial loss as a result.
Already, cigarette packets bear mandatory photographs of diseased lungs and massive tumours to put people off.
Over a million people in Spain have given up since the law passed in January banned lighting up in public places without exception, forcing bars and restaurants to become non-smoking whether they wished to or not.
In real terms, and combined with those who now smoke less because of rising prices and restrictions on where they can light up, tobacco sales have fallen by 17 per cent in the last year.
The average Spaniard smokes 17 cigarettes a day, research shows.
The World Trade Organization onto the Pocket smokers Armenia
_
After the new year and Christmas holidays in Armenia
smokers of expecting a nasty surprise. The price of many locally
produced cigarettes went up on average at 35 drams (10 cents).
For example, memorable and very popular in the Soviet Union
cigarettes "Akhtamar" once very prestigious brand, gaining 15 cents
price immediately. Vendors argue that trade is not raised prices,
explain this rise providers excise rates on domestic cigarettes.
It is clear that this very unpopular step it will be difficult to explain to the Government to anti-smoking. In such a case, prices would raise much more sharply, and not only on production of domestic producers. However, already stubbornly circulating rumors that the current price is only the first step towards a further anticipated increase in the price of tobacco products as a whole, as well as many alcoholic beverages.
In Armenia, according to statistics, more than 65% of men are smokers, and not less than 25% of women. Rise appreciably affect their budget, given that the average salary in the Republic is $ 300 USD. This step was clearly not add popularity to the authorities in the run-up to the May elections to the Parliament of the Republic.
Note that increased taxes on domestic tobacco products comes from Armenia to the WTO. So far, local producers were conducive to tax field, which was the subject of the nešutočnyh negotiations of Armenia with the WTO.
It is clear that this very unpopular step it will be difficult to explain to the Government to anti-smoking. In such a case, prices would raise much more sharply, and not only on production of domestic producers. However, already stubbornly circulating rumors that the current price is only the first step towards a further anticipated increase in the price of tobacco products as a whole, as well as many alcoholic beverages.
In Armenia, according to statistics, more than 65% of men are smokers, and not less than 25% of women. Rise appreciably affect their budget, given that the average salary in the Republic is $ 300 USD. This step was clearly not add popularity to the authorities in the run-up to the May elections to the Parliament of the Republic.
Note that increased taxes on domestic tobacco products comes from Armenia to the WTO. So far, local producers were conducive to tax field, which was the subject of the nešutočnyh negotiations of Armenia with the WTO.
Motorists urged to rat out stompie throwers
_
_Cape Town fire chief Ian Schnetler wants Capetonians to report motorists who toss cigarette butts out of their car windows.
Schnetler warned motorists that they would be fined if they are caught flicking stompies out of their car windows.
“Besides the possible fire risk, it is a pollution hazard,” Schnetler said. “People have to be responsible.”
The City of Cape Town launched the stompie hotline in 2007 after a devastating fire, allegedly caused by a cigarette butt thrown out of a car window by a tourist, burnt tracts of Table Mountain and killed a British tourist.
Denzel Ramedies, the city’s fire and life safety head, said more than 1 000 warning letters had been sent to offenders last year, and that two or three people had been fined.
Transgressors were fined up to R1 500, he said.
“With our climate and during the Cape’s summer especially, you can’t just toss your cigarette butt out the window,” he said. “It is a huge fire risk. We don’t want anyone injured or killed in any runaway fires this summer.”
Ramedies said all calls were followed up, but added that callers had to be willing to make an affidavit with the police about the incident.
“There can’t be any anonymous calls,” said Ramedies. “You have to say exactly where the incident occurred, at what time and give the vehicle’s registration number.”
Jaco Groenewald, head of the stompie call centre, said staff forwarded all the information to the fire department to investigate.
“We take down the details and send the information to the fire department, which investigates the complaint,” said Groenewald.
“Before people call, they must have all the details… We need the vehicle’s registration number and exactly where the incident occurred.”
The city amended its fire safety by-law in June 2007 to make it easier to fine people who throw burning butts out of car windows.
It’s not necessary for the prosecution to prove who physically threw the burning item.
Instead, the owner of the car will be held responsible for any “throwing, putting down or dropping of a burning match, cigarette, or other burning material or any material capable of spontaneous combustion or self-ignition in a road or any other place that occurs from a vehicle”.
“Besides the possible fire risk, it is a pollution hazard,” Schnetler said. “People have to be responsible.”
The City of Cape Town launched the stompie hotline in 2007 after a devastating fire, allegedly caused by a cigarette butt thrown out of a car window by a tourist, burnt tracts of Table Mountain and killed a British tourist.
Denzel Ramedies, the city’s fire and life safety head, said more than 1 000 warning letters had been sent to offenders last year, and that two or three people had been fined.
Transgressors were fined up to R1 500, he said.
“With our climate and during the Cape’s summer especially, you can’t just toss your cigarette butt out the window,” he said. “It is a huge fire risk. We don’t want anyone injured or killed in any runaway fires this summer.”
Ramedies said all calls were followed up, but added that callers had to be willing to make an affidavit with the police about the incident.
“There can’t be any anonymous calls,” said Ramedies. “You have to say exactly where the incident occurred, at what time and give the vehicle’s registration number.”
Jaco Groenewald, head of the stompie call centre, said staff forwarded all the information to the fire department to investigate.
“We take down the details and send the information to the fire department, which investigates the complaint,” said Groenewald.
“Before people call, they must have all the details… We need the vehicle’s registration number and exactly where the incident occurred.”
The city amended its fire safety by-law in June 2007 to make it easier to fine people who throw burning butts out of car windows.
It’s not necessary for the prosecution to prove who physically threw the burning item.
Instead, the owner of the car will be held responsible for any “throwing, putting down or dropping of a burning match, cigarette, or other burning material or any material capable of spontaneous combustion or self-ignition in a road or any other place that occurs from a vehicle”.
_Collections of Camel Lighters
_Every smoker of the cigarettes brand Camel is aware of the Camel
lighters collection from Zippo. Over the years there have been various Camel lighters
designs meant to advertise the brand of cigarettes. Throughout time
some people have shown interest in collecting each of these designs to
have the whole collection of Zippo Camel lighters in
one place. Today, some of those designs are pretty hard to find.
However, having a collection of Camel lighters means a lot to some
people, and they are ready to pay for the pleasure of owning it.
Over the years, Zippo has manufactured a lot of Camel lighters i.e. lighter with the Camel logo on them. This trend has been extended from US only to a global scale. As their popularity grew, they started appearing in magazines and catalogues such as “Camel Cash”. Also they have been included in various Camel events such as the “Camel Trophy Competition” among others. Now they can be found in shops all around the world.
The designs for the Camel lighters came from Camel inc. itself. The first time all of these designs appeared in one place was back in the 90s in a catalogue named “The Brian Sipes Camel Guides”. From this point on, there have been a lot of publications based on this one to summarize each of the Camel lighters by their production date.
The enthusiasts for this cigarettes brand have shown quite an interest in using smoking accessories that relate to their favorite brand. The opportunity was first discovered by Zippo, and they started their first campaign in creating the Camel lighters. Later on, this venture turned into a timeless classic, and each of their designs never got old. As their limited edition Camel lighters gain age, their price always goes up. They’ve made most of their success because of the interest in people to collect them. Although it might not be understandable for people who aren’t smokers or just not smoking the Camel cigarettes, this is an everlasting passion that shows how much these collectors are loyal to their favorite brand.
In the lighters market, it’s pretty hard to find something no one else has found before you, because almost everything that was needed from the market was invented long ago. Only the best have succeeded in locating smaller markets which are really passionate about their lighters, and Zippo had quite a success discovering them with the Camel lighters. Because of this success, they’ve put themselves before everyone else for as long as the market survives.
If you are one of those people who are a loyal and passionate Camel smoker, you would understand why collecting the designs released over the years are of such a great significance. After all, these are the people that have encouraged Camel and Zippo to keep coming up with new designs and keep this department alive for so long. Almost all of their past designs can still be found online. If you want your own personal collection of Camel lighters there is still time to make it.
Over the years, Zippo has manufactured a lot of Camel lighters i.e. lighter with the Camel logo on them. This trend has been extended from US only to a global scale. As their popularity grew, they started appearing in magazines and catalogues such as “Camel Cash”. Also they have been included in various Camel events such as the “Camel Trophy Competition” among others. Now they can be found in shops all around the world.
The designs for the Camel lighters came from Camel inc. itself. The first time all of these designs appeared in one place was back in the 90s in a catalogue named “The Brian Sipes Camel Guides”. From this point on, there have been a lot of publications based on this one to summarize each of the Camel lighters by their production date.
The enthusiasts for this cigarettes brand have shown quite an interest in using smoking accessories that relate to their favorite brand. The opportunity was first discovered by Zippo, and they started their first campaign in creating the Camel lighters. Later on, this venture turned into a timeless classic, and each of their designs never got old. As their limited edition Camel lighters gain age, their price always goes up. They’ve made most of their success because of the interest in people to collect them. Although it might not be understandable for people who aren’t smokers or just not smoking the Camel cigarettes, this is an everlasting passion that shows how much these collectors are loyal to their favorite brand.
In the lighters market, it’s pretty hard to find something no one else has found before you, because almost everything that was needed from the market was invented long ago. Only the best have succeeded in locating smaller markets which are really passionate about their lighters, and Zippo had quite a success discovering them with the Camel lighters. Because of this success, they’ve put themselves before everyone else for as long as the market survives.
If you are one of those people who are a loyal and passionate Camel smoker, you would understand why collecting the designs released over the years are of such a great significance. After all, these are the people that have encouraged Camel and Zippo to keep coming up with new designs and keep this department alive for so long. Almost all of their past designs can still be found online. If you want your own personal collection of Camel lighters there is still time to make it.
_The Peace to offer ultimate aroma
Japan Tobacco Inc. will
next month launch The Peace, a cigarette that the company is describing
as ‘the masterpiece in the history of the Peace brand’.
The Peace brand of cigarettes will sell at ¥1,000 for a pack of 20 against ¥440 for 20 in the case of Peace.
It will be available from early February across Japan but only through a limited number – about 3,500 – of retailers.
Peace, which was launched in 1946 in packs of 10, is said to have become immensely popular with consumers because of its aroma.
And now, The Peace is going to offer the ultimate experience in aroma.
The Peace was developed out of a desire to give consumers a more luxurious and relaxing smoking experience, JT said in a note posted on its website.
It is said to be a product for which nothing was spared to make it the best: ‘from the selection of ingredients to the blending, processing, flavors, and even the packaging’.
The Peace, which uses only flue-cured tobacco, is the first product in Japan to use a process called ‘new trimming’ whereby unpleasant aroma and taste are eliminated by flash heating the fine cut tobacco.
The new product is sold in metallic navy blue flat tins.
The Peace brand of cigarettes will sell at ¥1,000 for a pack of 20 against ¥440 for 20 in the case of Peace.
It will be available from early February across Japan but only through a limited number – about 3,500 – of retailers.
Peace, which was launched in 1946 in packs of 10, is said to have become immensely popular with consumers because of its aroma.
And now, The Peace is going to offer the ultimate experience in aroma.
The Peace was developed out of a desire to give consumers a more luxurious and relaxing smoking experience, JT said in a note posted on its website.
It is said to be a product for which nothing was spared to make it the best: ‘from the selection of ingredients to the blending, processing, flavors, and even the packaging’.
The Peace, which uses only flue-cured tobacco, is the first product in Japan to use a process called ‘new trimming’ whereby unpleasant aroma and taste are eliminated by flash heating the fine cut tobacco.
The new product is sold in metallic navy blue flat tins.
Turkey ranks fifth in cigarette consumption
Greeks smoke the most and Turks come in fifth among the 34 OECD countries, according to the 2011-2012 OECD report, which analyzes economic, environmental and social statistics.
The report, which claims that cigarettes and alcohol are harming human health more with each passing day, noted that cigarette consumption have decreased by 20 percent from a year earlier in terms of per capita population on a country by country basis. Greece took the first spot for cigarette smoking, followed by Russia, Chile, Ireland and Turkey. The countries which consumed the least cigarettes were India, Mexico, South Africa, Sweden and Brazil.
Men also smoke more than women, but Chinese women smoke the most compared with women in other countries. Interestingly, while Greece took the lead in cigarette consumption overall, on a gender basis, Greek women smoke the least compared with women in other countries. Among men, Swedish men took the lead for cigarette consumption, while Russian men came in last. In Ireland, Norway and England, the distribution of male and female smokers was equal.
France was first in alcohol consumption. Portugal and Austria shared the second-place spot, the Czech Republic came in third, Estonia fourth and Luxembourg fifth. The countries consuming the least alcohol were Indonesia and India with Turkey in third place, followed by Israel and China.
The report, which claims that cigarettes and alcohol are harming human health more with each passing day, noted that cigarette consumption have decreased by 20 percent from a year earlier in terms of per capita population on a country by country basis. Greece took the first spot for cigarette smoking, followed by Russia, Chile, Ireland and Turkey. The countries which consumed the least cigarettes were India, Mexico, South Africa, Sweden and Brazil.
Men also smoke more than women, but Chinese women smoke the most compared with women in other countries. Interestingly, while Greece took the lead in cigarette consumption overall, on a gender basis, Greek women smoke the least compared with women in other countries. Among men, Swedish men took the lead for cigarette consumption, while Russian men came in last. In Ireland, Norway and England, the distribution of male and female smokers was equal.
France was first in alcohol consumption. Portugal and Austria shared the second-place spot, the Czech Republic came in third, Estonia fourth and Luxembourg fifth. The countries consuming the least alcohol were Indonesia and India with Turkey in third place, followed by Israel and China.
New generation products could unlock Chinese market
Philip Morris International is developing three new products designed to pose lower health risks than that posed by traditional cigarettes – products with the potential perhaps to unlock the Chinese market.
The "most promising" product was said to be a cigarette that heats tobacco rather than burns it, according to a Bloomberg News story relayed by the TMA and quoting COO Andre Calantzopoulos, speaking at an investor day meeting yesterday.
The second product under development would be lit with a normal lighter, while the third would use a chemical reaction to make a nicotine-containing aerosol.
The device that heats tobacco is ready for clinical testing, while manufacturing of the lower-risk cigarettes would start in three to four years, Calantzopoulos said.
PMI plans to make the products, which would be sold under existing brands, available by 2017.
Calantzopoulos warned, however, that there might be bumps on the road, given the many complexities of the undertaking.
On the other hand, CEO, Louis Camilleri, said the new products had "the very real potential to not only be a game-changer, but also be the key to unlock several hitherto virgin territories, most notably the huge Chinese market".
The "most promising" product was said to be a cigarette that heats tobacco rather than burns it, according to a Bloomberg News story relayed by the TMA and quoting COO Andre Calantzopoulos, speaking at an investor day meeting yesterday.
The second product under development would be lit with a normal lighter, while the third would use a chemical reaction to make a nicotine-containing aerosol.
The device that heats tobacco is ready for clinical testing, while manufacturing of the lower-risk cigarettes would start in three to four years, Calantzopoulos said.
PMI plans to make the products, which would be sold under existing brands, available by 2017.
Calantzopoulos warned, however, that there might be bumps on the road, given the many complexities of the undertaking.
On the other hand, CEO, Louis Camilleri, said the new products had "the very real potential to not only be a game-changer, but also be the key to unlock several hitherto virgin territories, most notably the huge Chinese market".
Australia cigarette plain packaging law upheld by court
Australia's highest court has upheld a new government law on mandatory packaging for cigarettes that removes brand colours and logos from packaging.
The law requires cigarettes to be sold in olive green packets, with graphic images warning of the consequences of smoking.
Leading global tobacco manufacturers, including British American Tobacco and Philip Morris, had challenged the law.
The new packaging rules are scheduled to be implemented from 1 December 2012.
"At least a majority of the court is of the opinion that the Act is not contrary to (Australia's constitution)," the court said in a brief statement.
The full judgement is expected to be published on a later date.
'Still a bad law' The law was passed by the government last year. Authorities have said that plain packaging of cigarettes will help reduce the number of smokers in the country.
However, tobacco manufacturers have argued that removing their brand names and company colours from packets will lead to a drastic cut in profits.
They have also warned that it may result in fake products entering the market.
"It's still a bad law that will only benefit organised crime groups which sell illegal tobacco on our streets," said Scott McIntyre, spokesman for British American Tobacco (BAT) Australia.
Sonia Stewart, spokesperson for Imperial Tobacco, added that "the legislation will make the counterfeiters' job both cheaper and easier by mandating exactly how a pack must look".
Cigarette manufacturers have also claimed that the law is unconstitutional and infringes on their intellectual property rights by banning the use of brands and trademarks.
However, BAT's Mr McIntyre said the firms will comply with the new rules.
"Even though we believe the government has taken our property from us, we'll ensure our products comply with the plain packaging requirements and implementation dates."
'Deluge of legislation' Australia's new tough packaging laws are the first of their kind to be implemented in the world.
However, many other countries such as New Zealand, India, the UK and even some states in the US have been contemplating taking similar measures in a bid to reduce the number of smokers.
As a result, the case between the government and the cigarette makers was being watched closely all across the globe.
Jonathan Liberman, director of the McCabe Center for Law and Cancer, said the ruling was likely to give a boost to other countries looking to take similar steps.
"It shows to everybody that the only way to deal with the tobacco industry's claims, sabre rattling and legal threats is to stare them down in court," he said.
The BBC's Sydney correspondent Duncan Kennedy said the decision may have global ramifications for the cigarette makers.
"Whilst Australia might be a relatively small cigarette market, tobacco companies know that losing here could lead to a deluge of legislation elsewhere in their really big markets."
The law requires cigarettes to be sold in olive green packets, with graphic images warning of the consequences of smoking.
Leading global tobacco manufacturers, including British American Tobacco and Philip Morris, had challenged the law.
The new packaging rules are scheduled to be implemented from 1 December 2012.
"At least a majority of the court is of the opinion that the Act is not contrary to (Australia's constitution)," the court said in a brief statement.
The full judgement is expected to be published on a later date.
'Still a bad law' The law was passed by the government last year. Authorities have said that plain packaging of cigarettes will help reduce the number of smokers in the country.
However, tobacco manufacturers have argued that removing their brand names and company colours from packets will lead to a drastic cut in profits.
They have also warned that it may result in fake products entering the market.
"It's still a bad law that will only benefit organised crime groups which sell illegal tobacco on our streets," said Scott McIntyre, spokesman for British American Tobacco (BAT) Australia.
Sonia Stewart, spokesperson for Imperial Tobacco, added that "the legislation will make the counterfeiters' job both cheaper and easier by mandating exactly how a pack must look".
Cigarette manufacturers have also claimed that the law is unconstitutional and infringes on their intellectual property rights by banning the use of brands and trademarks.
However, BAT's Mr McIntyre said the firms will comply with the new rules.
"Even though we believe the government has taken our property from us, we'll ensure our products comply with the plain packaging requirements and implementation dates."
'Deluge of legislation' Australia's new tough packaging laws are the first of their kind to be implemented in the world.
However, many other countries such as New Zealand, India, the UK and even some states in the US have been contemplating taking similar measures in a bid to reduce the number of smokers.
As a result, the case between the government and the cigarette makers was being watched closely all across the globe.
Jonathan Liberman, director of the McCabe Center for Law and Cancer, said the ruling was likely to give a boost to other countries looking to take similar steps.
"It shows to everybody that the only way to deal with the tobacco industry's claims, sabre rattling and legal threats is to stare them down in court," he said.
The BBC's Sydney correspondent Duncan Kennedy said the decision may have global ramifications for the cigarette makers.
"Whilst Australia might be a relatively small cigarette market, tobacco companies know that losing here could lead to a deluge of legislation elsewhere in their really big markets."
Russia becomes latest country to require graphic warnings on cigarette packs
Russia on Monday unveiled a series of graphic images, including of a gangrenous foot and a still-born baby, that will be printed on cigarette packs as the country tries to trim its sky-high rates of smoking.
The health ministry published photographs on its website for use by cigarette companies, which will be obliged to print them on cigarette packs from May next year as Russia tightens its laws towards a Western-style crackdown on smoking.
The pictures show a blue-tinted image of a dead baby and a graphic image of a blackened gangrenous foot, as well as more figurative images such as a woman’s hand making a “thumbs-down” gesture to represent impotency.
“Global experience shows that shocking pictures on cigarette packs significantly influenced changes in perception of smoking by smokers themselves,” the ministry said.
The average Russian smoker consumes 17 cigarettes per day, with men smoking an average of 18 cigarettes and women 13, the health ministry said, citing the World Health Organisation’s Global Adult Tobacco Survey statistics.
The survey published in 2009 found that 39.1 percent of Russians smoked, which the WHO said was one of the world’s highest rates of tobacco use.
Deputy health minister Sergei Velmyaikin estimated that Russia lost almost 1.5 trillion rubles ($46 million) per year from tobacco-related deaths among people of working age, the Interfax news agency reported.
The WHO said that graphic warnings on packs would be a “major step forward in The Russian Federation to be compliant with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”
Russia two years ago introduced large written warnings of the health consequences of smoking on packs, following Western practice.
On Friday, the health ministry submitted a draft bill to lawmakers that would introduce Western-style smoking bans in restaurants from 2014 in a country where non-smoking areas are still usually a token gesture.
The health ministry published photographs on its website for use by cigarette companies, which will be obliged to print them on cigarette packs from May next year as Russia tightens its laws towards a Western-style crackdown on smoking.
The pictures show a blue-tinted image of a dead baby and a graphic image of a blackened gangrenous foot, as well as more figurative images such as a woman’s hand making a “thumbs-down” gesture to represent impotency.
“Global experience shows that shocking pictures on cigarette packs significantly influenced changes in perception of smoking by smokers themselves,” the ministry said.
The average Russian smoker consumes 17 cigarettes per day, with men smoking an average of 18 cigarettes and women 13, the health ministry said, citing the World Health Organisation’s Global Adult Tobacco Survey statistics.
The survey published in 2009 found that 39.1 percent of Russians smoked, which the WHO said was one of the world’s highest rates of tobacco use.
Deputy health minister Sergei Velmyaikin estimated that Russia lost almost 1.5 trillion rubles ($46 million) per year from tobacco-related deaths among people of working age, the Interfax news agency reported.
The WHO said that graphic warnings on packs would be a “major step forward in The Russian Federation to be compliant with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”
Russia two years ago introduced large written warnings of the health consequences of smoking on packs, following Western practice.
On Friday, the health ministry submitted a draft bill to lawmakers that would introduce Western-style smoking bans in restaurants from 2014 in a country where non-smoking areas are still usually a token gesture.
The Difference Between a Marlboro Red Box & Soft Pack
The difference between Marlboro Red hard packs and Marlboro Red soft packs is negligible. It all comes down to personal preference and, sometimes, supply. The seasoned smoker will have found his preference and will most likely not vary from it. Sometimes a new smoker will waver in her choices simply because their store may be out of the hard pack or may be out of the soft pack.
Those who choose soft pack
A soft pack of Marlboro Reds will most often be found in a person's front shirt pocket, or in their rolled up shirt sleeve. People who like to be able to extract a cigarette quickly with just a flick of a wrist, like the convenience of a soft pack. The soft pack also takes up less space than a hard pack because, as the cigarettes decrease in number, the packaging condenses. So if you don't carry a bag or a purse, chances are you're going to go with the soft pack.
Those who choose hard pack
A box of Marlboro Reds will most often be found in someone's purse or bag, or even on their car seat. If you are carrying your smokes around in your purse or in your car, you don't want little pieces of tobacco falling out of the cigarette pack making a mess -- and you don't want your smokes to get smashed. The hard pack protects them better.
Taste difference
Someone who swears by soft packs will say they taste better than cigarettes in hard packs - just as someone who only smokes hard packs will say they taste better. There is no scientific evidence to back up either side, it all comes down to personal preference.
Size difference
Hold a hard box of Marlboro Reds up next to a pack of Marlboro Reds and you won't notice any difference in the size. They may be packaged differently, but they are essentially the same cigarette. It isn't uncommon for someone to refill an empty hard pack up with cigarettes from a soft pack. They are interchangeable.
Price difference
While prices may vary from state to state, price does not vary from hard pack to soft pack. They cost exactly the same. You may feel you're getting a better deal by buying the hard pack though, because you are getting a little more packaging for your money.
The difference between Marlboro Red hard packs and Marlboro Red soft packs is negligible. It all comes down to personal preference and, sometimes, supply. The seasoned smoker will have found his preference and will most likely not vary from it. Sometimes a new smoker will waver in her choices simply because their store may be out of the hard pack or may be out of the soft pack.
_
Those who choose soft pack
A soft pack of Marlboro Reds will most often be found in a person's front shirt pocket, or in their rolled up shirt sleeve. People who like to be able to extract a cigarette quickly with just a flick of a wrist, like the convenience of a soft pack. The soft pack also takes up less space than a hard pack because, as the cigarettes decrease in number, the packaging condenses. So if you don't carry a bag or a purse, chances are you're going to go with the soft pack.
Those who choose hard pack
A box of Marlboro Reds will most often be found in someone's purse or bag, or even on their car seat. If you are carrying your smokes around in your purse or in your car, you don't want little pieces of tobacco falling out of the cigarette pack making a mess -- and you don't want your smokes to get smashed. The hard pack protects them better.
Taste difference
Someone who swears by soft packs will say they taste better than cigarettes in hard packs - just as someone who only smokes hard packs will say they taste better. There is no scientific evidence to back up either side, it all comes down to personal preference.
Size difference
Hold a hard box of Marlboro Reds up next to a pack of Marlboro Reds and you won't notice any difference in the size. They may be packaged differently, but they are essentially the same cigarette. It isn't uncommon for someone to refill an empty hard pack up with cigarettes from a soft pack. They are interchangeable.
Price difference
While prices may vary from state to state, price does not vary from hard pack to soft pack. They cost exactly the same. You may feel you're getting a better deal by buying the hard pack though, because you are getting a little more packaging for your money.
The difference between Marlboro Red hard packs and Marlboro Red soft packs is negligible. It all comes down to personal preference and, sometimes, supply. The seasoned smoker will have found his preference and will most likely not vary from it. Sometimes a new smoker will waver in her choices simply because their store may be out of the hard pack or may be out of the soft pack.
_
Ukraine banned tobacco advertising
Law on tobacco advertising ban entered in force, President Viktor Yanukovych signed the document published in March, but it came in force only on September 16 according to the transitional provisions.
The law prohibits any advertising and promotion of tobacco products, trademarks for goods and services, other objects of intellectual property, under which tobacco products are produced.
The law establishes administrative responsibility of citizens and officials for violation of the law on ban of advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products.
In line with the law the advertising of tobacco products, trademarks and services, other intellectual property rights under which tobacco goods are produced have been banned on radio and television, including cable, satellite, IP, on-line, mobile, digital, and other signal transmission modes.
The advertising of tobacco is also prohibited in scientific, popular, educational, political, reference and fiction publications, including all printed media, in transport, in the streets, at public places and in the Internet.
The law bans sponsorship involving advertisements of tobacco goods and using the names of manufacturers, importers and retailers of tobacco goods of TV and radio programs, concerts, athletic and cultural events and entertainments.
As a reminder, on September 22, 2011, the Verkhovna Rada banned tobacco advertising.
The law prohibits any advertising and promotion of tobacco products, trademarks for goods and services, other objects of intellectual property, under which tobacco products are produced.
The law establishes administrative responsibility of citizens and officials for violation of the law on ban of advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products.
In line with the law the advertising of tobacco products, trademarks and services, other intellectual property rights under which tobacco goods are produced have been banned on radio and television, including cable, satellite, IP, on-line, mobile, digital, and other signal transmission modes.
The advertising of tobacco is also prohibited in scientific, popular, educational, political, reference and fiction publications, including all printed media, in transport, in the streets, at public places and in the Internet.
The law bans sponsorship involving advertisements of tobacco goods and using the names of manufacturers, importers and retailers of tobacco goods of TV and radio programs, concerts, athletic and cultural events and entertainments.
As a reminder, on September 22, 2011, the Verkhovna Rada banned tobacco advertising.
Cigarettes
Food-type ingredients and flavourings are added to some types of cigarettes – typically American style blend – to balance the natural tobacco taste, replace sugars lost in curing, and give individual brands their characteristic flavour and aroma. Other ingredients control moisture, protect against microbial degradation, and act as binders or fillers.
Nicotine is not added in making cigarettes. It occurs naturally in all varieties of tobacco plants.
The filter, paper and level of filter ventilation are all chosen to affect the sensory strength and smoke yield of the cigarette. At each stage, there is constant quality control and testing.
What happens when a cigarette burns?
To understand cigarette design, it helps to know how a cigarette burns. It is the combustion process – the burning of the cigarette – that produces tar. If hay were burned instead of tobacco, it would also produce a type of tar. When an item burns, it produces tiny particles mixed with gases – this is smoke. A cigarette filter traps some of these particles.
When a smoker puffs on a cigarette, whole smoke, including both fine particles and gases, is sucked through the tobacco rod and the filter. Gases pass through the filter, and some particles are trapped in it. It is this particulate matter, minus nicotine and water, that is called tar.
Smoke has over 4,000 constituents, many of them also found in the air we breathe and our food. These constituents include the emissions listed on packs, such as tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Water vapour is also produced by the combustion, because the burning of any organic material breaks down the chemical components and produces water.
Nicotine is not added in making cigarettes. It occurs naturally in all varieties of tobacco plants.
The filter, paper and level of filter ventilation are all chosen to affect the sensory strength and smoke yield of the cigarette. At each stage, there is constant quality control and testing.
What happens when a cigarette burns?
To understand cigarette design, it helps to know how a cigarette burns. It is the combustion process – the burning of the cigarette – that produces tar. If hay were burned instead of tobacco, it would also produce a type of tar. When an item burns, it produces tiny particles mixed with gases – this is smoke. A cigarette filter traps some of these particles.
When a smoker puffs on a cigarette, whole smoke, including both fine particles and gases, is sucked through the tobacco rod and the filter. Gases pass through the filter, and some particles are trapped in it. It is this particulate matter, minus nicotine and water, that is called tar.
Smoke has over 4,000 constituents, many of them also found in the air we breathe and our food. These constituents include the emissions listed on packs, such as tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Water vapour is also produced by the combustion, because the burning of any organic material breaks down the chemical components and produces water.
JT’s first half sales up
Japan Tobacco Inc’s domestic cigarette sales volume during September, at 9.5 billion, was down by 2.8 per cent on its September 2011 volume, 9.8 billion, which itself was down by 60.4 per cent on that of September 2010, according to preliminary figures issued by the company today.
Volume during the six months, April-September, at 59.6 billion, was up by 17.0 per cent on its April-September 2011 volume, 50.9 billion, which was down by 41.2 per cent on that of April-September 2010.
JT’s market share for April-September 2012 was 59.5 per cent, against 54.9 per cent for the full year to the end of March.
JT has suffered huge volume swings in recent times because of an unprecedented, mainly tax-driven price hike on October 1, 2010, and the massive disruption caused to the company’s manufacturing and distribution operations following the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 last year.
Japan Tobacco’s domestic cigarette revenue during September, at ¥52.2 billion, was down by 2.9 per cent on its September 2011 revenue, ¥53.8 billion, which itself was down by 46.1 per cent on that of September 2010.
Revenue during April-September, at ¥327.9 billion, was up by 17.4 per cent on its revenue during April-September 2011, ¥279.4 billion, which was down by 20.4 per cent on that of April-September 2010.
Volume during the six months, April-September, at 59.6 billion, was up by 17.0 per cent on its April-September 2011 volume, 50.9 billion, which was down by 41.2 per cent on that of April-September 2010.
JT’s market share for April-September 2012 was 59.5 per cent, against 54.9 per cent for the full year to the end of March.
JT has suffered huge volume swings in recent times because of an unprecedented, mainly tax-driven price hike on October 1, 2010, and the massive disruption caused to the company’s manufacturing and distribution operations following the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 last year.
Japan Tobacco’s domestic cigarette revenue during September, at ¥52.2 billion, was down by 2.9 per cent on its September 2011 revenue, ¥53.8 billion, which itself was down by 46.1 per cent on that of September 2010.
Revenue during April-September, at ¥327.9 billion, was up by 17.4 per cent on its revenue during April-September 2011, ¥279.4 billion, which was down by 20.4 per cent on that of April-September 2010.
Government urged to relax smoking ban
The Association of Restaurant Owners in Lebanon has threatened to hold a sit-in protest tomorrow to pressure the government to relax the smoking ban in enclosed public places, according to a Daily Star story relayed by the TMA.
The ban, which includes coffee shops, restaurants and bars, took effect on September 3.
Toni al-Rami, secretary-general of the association, said restaurant revenues had declined by up to 80 per cent following the imposition of the ban.
The association is urging the government to amend the ban to allow smoking in pubs and nargileh cafes.
The ban, which includes coffee shops, restaurants and bars, took effect on September 3.
Toni al-Rami, secretary-general of the association, said restaurant revenues had declined by up to 80 per cent following the imposition of the ban.
The association is urging the government to amend the ban to allow smoking in pubs and nargileh cafes.
Reynolds American to transform tobacco
Reynolds American Inc. says its focus on innovation and the development of new products will help the company stay competitive in the face of declining smoking rates.
The company's Camel Snus product, which is a spit-free moist tobacco product that comes in small pouches, carries more than 80 percent of the snus market and has seen annual increases in volume between 8 percent and 10 percent. By comparison, cigarette volumes are declining about 3 percent annually for the industry.
RAI is also ramping up its nicotine replacement therapy sector with a nicotine gum called Zonnic that will be primarily marketed in gas station and convenience store environments, and closely mirror the price point of cigarettes.
The company's Camel Snus product, which is a spit-free moist tobacco product that comes in small pouches, carries more than 80 percent of the snus market and has seen annual increases in volume between 8 percent and 10 percent. By comparison, cigarette volumes are declining about 3 percent annually for the industry.
RAI is also ramping up its nicotine replacement therapy sector with a nicotine gum called Zonnic that will be primarily marketed in gas station and convenience store environments, and closely mirror the price point of cigarettes.
Paris wants fewer butts on streets
Parishas declared war on the billions of cigarette butts littering its streets, according to a WorldCrunch story.
An estimated 315 tons of butts are discarded each year on to the French capital’s streets.
The problem was exacerbated when smokers were banned from smoking in restaurants, cafés, hotels and other indoor public spaces, at which time they had no recourse but to take to the streets.
Now, the city’s authorities have begun installing 10,000 public trash bins with ashtrays in an attempt to deal with the problem of discarded butts.
And they are to increase the fine for dropping butts on to the pavement from €35 to €68.
The story quoted Le Monde as reporting that millions of filters end up blocking sewers and polluting Paris’ water supply with toxic substances such as nicotine, phenol and heavy metals.
An estimated 315 tons of butts are discarded each year on to the French capital’s streets.
The problem was exacerbated when smokers were banned from smoking in restaurants, cafés, hotels and other indoor public spaces, at which time they had no recourse but to take to the streets.
Now, the city’s authorities have begun installing 10,000 public trash bins with ashtrays in an attempt to deal with the problem of discarded butts.
And they are to increase the fine for dropping butts on to the pavement from €35 to €68.
The story quoted Le Monde as reporting that millions of filters end up blocking sewers and polluting Paris’ water supply with toxic substances such as nicotine, phenol and heavy metals.
Tobacco tax hikes proposed for India
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said recently that Indiawould benefit from a 50 per cent hike in cigarette prices, according to a story in the latest issue of the BBM Bommidala Group newsletter.
The hike, which would require a 70-120 per cent increase in tobacco taxes, ‘could bring in added revenues to help close the fiscal deficit’, ADB reportedly said.
Cigarette tax increases and tax on other tobacco products also formed part of an ADB report.
The hike, which would require a 70-120 per cent increase in tobacco taxes, ‘could bring in added revenues to help close the fiscal deficit’, ADB reportedly said.
Cigarette tax increases and tax on other tobacco products also formed part of an ADB report.
Cigarette prices to increase again
Cigarette prices are rising again, with the two largest tobacco manufacturers expressing confidence that another 6-cent a pack increase won’t deter smokers in a down economy.
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Philip Morris USA confirmed Thursday they are raising their list price by 6 cents on all their brands. Reynolds’ price increase goes into effect today, while Philip Morris’ goes into effect Tuesday.
Lorillard Inc. is raising the list price by 6 cents a pack on its Newport, Kent, Maverick, and True brands.
Although the list price is geared toward wholesale and direct-buying customers, they tend to pass most or all of such increases on to consumers.
“I cannot speculate how this will affect the price at retail, as we don't set that price,” Reynolds spokesman Richard Smith said.
In June, Philip Morris and Reynolds raised the list price by 6 cents on most of its brands, while Lorillard increased its list price by 8 cents.
“The timing is slightly earlier than anticipated, although not too surprising given we had been hearing about wholesaler loading” earlier in November, said Bonnie Herzog, an analyst with Wells Fargo Securities.
“Overall, this price increase is positive and indicates the industry continues to have pricing power. Given that consumption will likely continue to decline in the mid-single digit range, pricing is necessary to drive top-line growth.”
A similar pricing dynamic is expected to play out with the manufacturers’ snus smokeless products.
Philip Morris increased the list price for Marlboro Snus, both tins and flip-top boxes, by 5 cents.
Reynolds raised the list price on Camel Snus by 5 cents a tin after raising it by 10 cents a tin in June.
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Philip Morris USA confirmed Thursday they are raising their list price by 6 cents on all their brands. Reynolds’ price increase goes into effect today, while Philip Morris’ goes into effect Tuesday.
Lorillard Inc. is raising the list price by 6 cents a pack on its Newport, Kent, Maverick, and True brands.
Although the list price is geared toward wholesale and direct-buying customers, they tend to pass most or all of such increases on to consumers.
“I cannot speculate how this will affect the price at retail, as we don't set that price,” Reynolds spokesman Richard Smith said.
In June, Philip Morris and Reynolds raised the list price by 6 cents on most of its brands, while Lorillard increased its list price by 8 cents.
“The timing is slightly earlier than anticipated, although not too surprising given we had been hearing about wholesaler loading” earlier in November, said Bonnie Herzog, an analyst with Wells Fargo Securities.
“Overall, this price increase is positive and indicates the industry continues to have pricing power. Given that consumption will likely continue to decline in the mid-single digit range, pricing is necessary to drive top-line growth.”
A similar pricing dynamic is expected to play out with the manufacturers’ snus smokeless products.
Philip Morris increased the list price for Marlboro Snus, both tins and flip-top boxes, by 5 cents.
Reynolds raised the list price on Camel Snus by 5 cents a tin after raising it by 10 cents a tin in June.
The Philippines’ small tobacco firms and employees ‘doomed’ by tax changes
Small, local tobacco companies in the Philippines will be forced to shut down and lay off hundreds of workers once Congress passes a law imposing extremely high taxes on low-priced cigarette brands, according to a story in The Manila times quoting Blake Dy, vice-president of Associated Anglo American Tobacco Corp.
“We are doomed,” Dy said after members of the bicameral conference committee on excise taxes agreed that 69 per cent of the tax load would be shouldered by the tobacco industry and only 31 per cent by the alcohol industry.
This means that for the first year of implementation, tobacco will pay an additional P23.4 billion in taxes, while alcohol will pay only an additional P10.56 billion.
The division of the tax load is a far cry from the current setup in which the targeted revenues from excise taxes are equally provided by tobacco and alcohol products.
The Senate proposed a tax sharing of 60-40.
The committee also dropped the current four-tiered tax classification system for cigarettes to a two-tiered scheme in which brands priced at P11.50 per pack and below would be classified as low-priced. These low-priced brands, currently taxed at P2.72 a pack, would have to shoulder taxes of P12 a pack next year.
Dy said that tobacco companies will begin laying off employees in April.
“They have just signed our death warrant,” he said. “Local tobacco companies would not be able to survive under this grossly inequitable, unfair system that clearly favors alcohol with reasonable increases while killing us with exorbitantly high tax hikes…”
“We are doomed,” Dy said after members of the bicameral conference committee on excise taxes agreed that 69 per cent of the tax load would be shouldered by the tobacco industry and only 31 per cent by the alcohol industry.
This means that for the first year of implementation, tobacco will pay an additional P23.4 billion in taxes, while alcohol will pay only an additional P10.56 billion.
The division of the tax load is a far cry from the current setup in which the targeted revenues from excise taxes are equally provided by tobacco and alcohol products.
The Senate proposed a tax sharing of 60-40.
The committee also dropped the current four-tiered tax classification system for cigarettes to a two-tiered scheme in which brands priced at P11.50 per pack and below would be classified as low-priced. These low-priced brands, currently taxed at P2.72 a pack, would have to shoulder taxes of P12 a pack next year.
Dy said that tobacco companies will begin laying off employees in April.
“They have just signed our death warrant,” he said. “Local tobacco companies would not be able to survive under this grossly inequitable, unfair system that clearly favors alcohol with reasonable increases while killing us with exorbitantly high tax hikes…”
JTI to Support La Scala in Italy
La Scala Opera House in Milan has both a global cultural reputation for ballet as well as opera, and a rich,
colourful history
It first opened its doors in 1778 with a work by Salieri. It has survived, among other things, the hazards of candle and oil lighting, artistic differences (most famously with another composer, Verdi) and even bombing during the Second World War.
In 2010 the museum began a program of expansion for which JTI is providing long-term support. This is part of the company’s commitment to forming and sustaining cultural partnerships, with particular emphasis on exceptional museum and musical programs.
"JTI’s relationship with La Scala began in September 2009, when we helped organize a tour of the Orchestra of La Scala in Japan, and continues today with support of both the Museum and the main events of the Theatre’s opera season".
JTI has already been involved in various exhibitions at the museum. Looking forward, 2013 marks the museum’s centenary, as well as the bicentenary of Verdi’s birth. The opera house resolved its artistic dispute with Verdi during the composer’s lifetime and is looking forward to creating a special celebration around his work.
colourful history
It first opened its doors in 1778 with a work by Salieri. It has survived, among other things, the hazards of candle and oil lighting, artistic differences (most famously with another composer, Verdi) and even bombing during the Second World War.
In 2010 the museum began a program of expansion for which JTI is providing long-term support. This is part of the company’s commitment to forming and sustaining cultural partnerships, with particular emphasis on exceptional museum and musical programs.
"JTI’s relationship with La Scala began in September 2009, when we helped organize a tour of the Orchestra of La Scala in Japan, and continues today with support of both the Museum and the main events of the Theatre’s opera season".
JTI has already been involved in various exhibitions at the museum. Looking forward, 2013 marks the museum’s centenary, as well as the bicentenary of Verdi’s birth. The opera house resolved its artistic dispute with Verdi during the composer’s lifetime and is looking forward to creating a special celebration around his work.
Cigarette sales down in France
Cigarette sales in France last year were down by 4.9 per cent on those of 2011, according to a story in Les Echos.
This, the biggest fall since 2004, was probably caused by recent regular tax-induced cigarette price rises, especially those imposed after 2009, the story suggested.
The latest increase, in October last year, took the retail price of the least expensive cigarettes to €6.10.
Meanwhile, European tobacco makers and retailers plan to hold a demonstration in Brussels on January 22 against an EU Commission directive proposal that 75 per cent of cigarette packages are covered with anti-tobacco images and messages.
This, the biggest fall since 2004, was probably caused by recent regular tax-induced cigarette price rises, especially those imposed after 2009, the story suggested.
The latest increase, in October last year, took the retail price of the least expensive cigarettes to €6.10.
Meanwhile, European tobacco makers and retailers plan to hold a demonstration in Brussels on January 22 against an EU Commission directive proposal that 75 per cent of cigarette packages are covered with anti-tobacco images and messages.
Marlboro turns over a new Bright Leaf
Philip Morris Limited is to drop ‘Marlboro’ from the name of Marlboro Bright Leaf, the brand it developed to cater for the UK smoker’s preference for Virginia-blend cigarettes, according to a story in Talking Retail.
This month, Bright Leaf will appear in a new brand livery, though it will retain its status as a brand from the makers of Marlboro.
“Bright Leaf is a cigarette brand that we have developed especially with the UK adult smoker in mind, both in terms of taste delivery and contemporary packaging,” said Zoe Smith, marketing director UK & Ireland.
“Bright Leaf is not like any other Marlboro product, except for the quality, and the new packs are designed to clearly differentiate it from the iconic international Marlboro range.”
Phase one of the Bright Leaf launch will run for three weeks and feature a soft introduction to the new design by displaying the current pack graphics on three sides of a poly film with a ‘ripped reveal’ to the new pack that lies beneath.
The second phase will unveil the new designs in full while utilising the poly film across both variants to convey the ‘New pack. Same Taste’ message.
This month, Bright Leaf will appear in a new brand livery, though it will retain its status as a brand from the makers of Marlboro.
“Bright Leaf is a cigarette brand that we have developed especially with the UK adult smoker in mind, both in terms of taste delivery and contemporary packaging,” said Zoe Smith, marketing director UK & Ireland.
“Bright Leaf is not like any other Marlboro product, except for the quality, and the new packs are designed to clearly differentiate it from the iconic international Marlboro range.”
Phase one of the Bright Leaf launch will run for three weeks and feature a soft introduction to the new design by displaying the current pack graphics on three sides of a poly film with a ‘ripped reveal’ to the new pack that lies beneath.
The second phase will unveil the new designs in full while utilising the poly film across both variants to convey the ‘New pack. Same Taste’ message.
What goes into tobacco products?
The majority of smokers use cigarettes. A manufactured cigarette is a carefully designed device for delivering nicotine. Cured and processed tobacco is packed and wrapped to create a standardised product. The characteristics of each brand depend on the tobacco type and blend, how it is cured, the additives used and other technical characteristics of the cigarette. These may affect for example the content of different substances in the smoke, burning characteristics nicotine release and the size of smoke particles.
In recent decades, more and more additives have been introduced, and current cigarettes may contain up to 10 per cent additives by weight. Nearly 600 different additives have been documented. They also affect smoke characteristics, such as colour, harshness, odour and flavour.
The main tobacco additives are sugars, which are also present naturally, and moisturising agents. Others include preservatives and numerous flavourings, including cocoa, liquorice, menthol and lactic acid.
Roll-your-own cigarettes, cigars, waterpipes and smokeless tobacco products, which may also contain additives, all account for small portions of the total market.
In recent decades, more and more additives have been introduced, and current cigarettes may contain up to 10 per cent additives by weight. Nearly 600 different additives have been documented. They also affect smoke characteristics, such as colour, harshness, odour and flavour.
The main tobacco additives are sugars, which are also present naturally, and moisturising agents. Others include preservatives and numerous flavourings, including cocoa, liquorice, menthol and lactic acid.
Roll-your-own cigarettes, cigars, waterpipes and smokeless tobacco products, which may also contain additives, all account for small portions of the total market.
Tobacco and the Stars
The same question can be asked about tobacco. When performing outside the United States, many American artists routinely perform at concerts sponsored by tobacco companies in the few countries where this practice is still allowed.
On Jan. 8, in fact, the American band Weezer played a concert in Indonesia that was sponsored by a cigarette company. By playing under the banner of tobacco, Weezer is telling its fans that cigarettes are cool, sexy and fun.
With top performers pushing tobacco to children, and few laws to regulate tobacco, it’s not surprising that Indonesia has the highest smoking rate for males in the world. Artists like Weezer shouldn’t be helping tobacco companies exploit the country’s weak laws on marketing to children.
On Jan. 8, in fact, the American band Weezer played a concert in Indonesia that was sponsored by a cigarette company. By playing under the banner of tobacco, Weezer is telling its fans that cigarettes are cool, sexy and fun.
With top performers pushing tobacco to children, and few laws to regulate tobacco, it’s not surprising that Indonesia has the highest smoking rate for males in the world. Artists like Weezer shouldn’t be helping tobacco companies exploit the country’s weak laws on marketing to children.
Tobacco selling season opens
THE 2013 Tobacco selling season has opened with Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere urging the financial sector to increase funding for the agricultural sector especially the tobacco production as the contributed 10,7 percent of Gross Domestic Product last year.
He noted that financial support from banks to the agriculture sector has since declined from 74 percent in the past to the current 17 percent.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chairperson Mrs Monica Chinamasa warned buyers against forming price cartels that saw them offering a fixed price of US$4,99 per kg last year for all grades of tobacco. She said the practice will not be tolerated this season.
The first bale of tobacco has sold for US$4, 70.
Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union second vice president Berean Mukwende says they were hoping for a better price than the US$4, 70 since the closing price for last season was US $4, 90.
He noted that financial support from banks to the agriculture sector has since declined from 74 percent in the past to the current 17 percent.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chairperson Mrs Monica Chinamasa warned buyers against forming price cartels that saw them offering a fixed price of US$4,99 per kg last year for all grades of tobacco. She said the practice will not be tolerated this season.
The first bale of tobacco has sold for US$4, 70.
Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union second vice president Berean Mukwende says they were hoping for a better price than the US$4, 70 since the closing price for last season was US $4, 90.
Cost biggest reason to quit smoking
A quarter of smokers claim that the cost of their habit is a bigger motivator to quit than implications for their health.
And 34% said they feel guilty about the amount they spend on cigarettes, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
A poll of 2,000 smokers found that 25% reported they are more inclined to kick the habit because of money over the effects on their long-term health.
As part of its 30th annual No Smoking Day campaign, the charity is calling on smokers to "swap fags for swag" and think about how much money they could save if they quit.
A person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day would save themselves £2,555 a year if they quit.
Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the BHF, said: "These figures reveal the emotional burden smokers endure by feeling guilty about the impact their addiction has on family life and their finances. Fortunately, if you smoke and want to stop, we're here to help.
"More than 750,000 smokers will attempt to stop smoking on No Smoking Day on Wednesday March 13 so why not get ready to join in and reward yourself and your family with the money you save when you swap fags for swag."
And 34% said they feel guilty about the amount they spend on cigarettes, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
A poll of 2,000 smokers found that 25% reported they are more inclined to kick the habit because of money over the effects on their long-term health.
As part of its 30th annual No Smoking Day campaign, the charity is calling on smokers to "swap fags for swag" and think about how much money they could save if they quit.
A person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day would save themselves £2,555 a year if they quit.
Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the BHF, said: "These figures reveal the emotional burden smokers endure by feeling guilty about the impact their addiction has on family life and their finances. Fortunately, if you smoke and want to stop, we're here to help.
"More than 750,000 smokers will attempt to stop smoking on No Smoking Day on Wednesday March 13 so why not get ready to join in and reward yourself and your family with the money you save when you swap fags for swag."
BAT: Tobacco prices to go up in March
Smokers will feel the impact of the 2013 Budget on cigarette prices next month, British American Tobacco, the maker of Pall Mall and Lucky Strike cigarettes, said on Wednesday.
"This increase is announced in a context of already high tobacco taxes and where the company remains seriously concerned with the proliferation of cheap illegal cigarettes... due to illegal operators avoiding these very same taxes," said BAT regulatory affairs head Leslie Rance.
Earlier, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that the tax on cigarettes would increase by 60c to R10.92 per packet of 20.
This meant the recommended retail price for BAT SA's biggest selling brand, Peter Stuyvesant, would increase by R1 to R28,50.
The new pricing would be in effect for orders from March 4.
The company was worried about the increasing prevalence of the illegal cigarette trade, as independent industry research suggested these cigarettes accounted for 30% of the South African cigarette trade.
"While we remain encouraged by government's response to the problem of illegal cigarettes, the reality is that illicit trade is on the increase and we are expectant of further supportive actions to drive down this growing trend...," Rance said.
"This increase is announced in a context of already high tobacco taxes and where the company remains seriously concerned with the proliferation of cheap illegal cigarettes... due to illegal operators avoiding these very same taxes," said BAT regulatory affairs head Leslie Rance.
Earlier, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that the tax on cigarettes would increase by 60c to R10.92 per packet of 20.
This meant the recommended retail price for BAT SA's biggest selling brand, Peter Stuyvesant, would increase by R1 to R28,50.
The new pricing would be in effect for orders from March 4.
The company was worried about the increasing prevalence of the illegal cigarette trade, as independent industry research suggested these cigarettes accounted for 30% of the South African cigarette trade.
"While we remain encouraged by government's response to the problem of illegal cigarettes, the reality is that illicit trade is on the increase and we are expectant of further supportive actions to drive down this growing trend...," Rance said.
KT&G removes ‘lights’ and ‘mild’ descriptors from packs
KT&G is in the process of removing descriptors such as ‘lights’ from its packs even though it is under no legal obligation to do so, according to a story in The Korea Herald.
In September, the Korean government tried to revise the National Health Promotion Law to include a ban on words that might misrepresent cigarette products, but its efforts fell victim to differences that emerged among a number of ministries and the proposal never made it to the National Assembly.
A KT&G official was quoted as saying that though the company was not legally bound to alter product names it was doing so in order to reduce the chances that consumers would misinterpret the descriptors.
Under the process, ‘Timeless TIME lights’ has become ‘Timeless TIME MID’.
And so far three versions of Esse Soon have become Esse Soo. Soon translates to ‘pure’ or ‘mild’, while soo translates to ‘excellent’.
In September, the Korean government tried to revise the National Health Promotion Law to include a ban on words that might misrepresent cigarette products, but its efforts fell victim to differences that emerged among a number of ministries and the proposal never made it to the National Assembly.
A KT&G official was quoted as saying that though the company was not legally bound to alter product names it was doing so in order to reduce the chances that consumers would misinterpret the descriptors.
Under the process, ‘Timeless TIME lights’ has become ‘Timeless TIME MID’.
And so far three versions of Esse Soon have become Esse Soo. Soon translates to ‘pure’ or ‘mild’, while soo translates to ‘excellent’.
Price reduction in Vogue
British American Tobacco Korea said yesterday that it would make its Vogue cigarettes cheaper to WON2,300 from WON2,500 per pack beginning March 14, according to a story in The Korea Times.
There are three products under the Vogue brand name – Vogue 1 mg, Vogue Bleue 1 mg and Vogue 0.3 mg.
“We believe the price reduction will provide more choice for consumers who are seeking high quality products at a more affordable price range,” said Guy Meldrum, CEO of BAT Korea in Seoul.
The story said that Vogue, which made its debut in Korea in 2004, was a super slim cigarette brand that had introduced charcoal filters to the local market.
There are three products under the Vogue brand name – Vogue 1 mg, Vogue Bleue 1 mg and Vogue 0.3 mg.
“We believe the price reduction will provide more choice for consumers who are seeking high quality products at a more affordable price range,” said Guy Meldrum, CEO of BAT Korea in Seoul.
The story said that Vogue, which made its debut in Korea in 2004, was a super slim cigarette brand that had introduced charcoal filters to the local market.
On 'Kick Butts' Day, focus placed on alternate tobacco products
Higher prices may succeed where peer pressure, public service announcements and medical research fail to thwart youth tobacco use, according to state officials who are looking to raise the cost of smoking, or chewing or dipping.
“We know that these products get your attention, young people’s attention, because the price is so affordable,” said Interim Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Lauren Smith, holding up 69-cent single-wrapped cigars in the flavors of grape, white grape and blueberry, while speaking to a group of student activists who are mobilized against tobacco.
After the event, she told reporters, “Price is one of the most important ways of decreasing youth use as well as use by adults, but especially young people because they’re so price-sensitive.”
Legislation filed in the House and Senate would increase the cigarette tax by $1, raising it to $3.51 per pack, a policy that Gov. Deval Patrick is attempting to enact. Lawmakers are also seeking to broaden the definition of smokeless tobacco and increasing the taxes on those products as well.
“Obviously we’re opposed to that tobacco tax increase,” said David Sutton, a spokesman for Altria, the parent company of tobacco manufacturer Phillip Morris. Sutton told the News Service the proposed tax increase could have “unintended consequences” of driving sales to New Hampshire, or creating an opening for organized crime selling black market cigarettes.
Sutton dismissed the argument that raising the price of cigarettes would discourage youths from smoking by saying that youths are already prohibited from buying cigarettes and that Massachusetts retailers have a high rate of complying with the age restriction. He said because of the falling sales of cigarettes states tend to overstate the value of a cigarette-tax, and said the tax would be borne by adult smokers.
“They’re already very heavily taxed,” Sutton said. The increase would mean state and federal taxes account for 62 percent of the price of a pack of cigarettes, Sutton said. He said, “It gets to this question of tax equity.”
In 2008, the Legislature raised the cigarette tax to $2.51 per pack but “forgot” about raising taxes on other types of tobacco, Rep. Jonathan Hecht (D-Watertown) told the crowd at Great Hall. Hecht said that created a loophole, and said, “They drove a truck right through that loophole.”
“We forgot that there were other parts of tobacco products,” said Sen. Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester). She said, “It was inadvertent, and for some reason we didn’t get it through last year.”
“We know that these products get your attention, young people’s attention, because the price is so affordable,” said Interim Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Lauren Smith, holding up 69-cent single-wrapped cigars in the flavors of grape, white grape and blueberry, while speaking to a group of student activists who are mobilized against tobacco.
After the event, she told reporters, “Price is one of the most important ways of decreasing youth use as well as use by adults, but especially young people because they’re so price-sensitive.”
Legislation filed in the House and Senate would increase the cigarette tax by $1, raising it to $3.51 per pack, a policy that Gov. Deval Patrick is attempting to enact. Lawmakers are also seeking to broaden the definition of smokeless tobacco and increasing the taxes on those products as well.
“Obviously we’re opposed to that tobacco tax increase,” said David Sutton, a spokesman for Altria, the parent company of tobacco manufacturer Phillip Morris. Sutton told the News Service the proposed tax increase could have “unintended consequences” of driving sales to New Hampshire, or creating an opening for organized crime selling black market cigarettes.
Sutton dismissed the argument that raising the price of cigarettes would discourage youths from smoking by saying that youths are already prohibited from buying cigarettes and that Massachusetts retailers have a high rate of complying with the age restriction. He said because of the falling sales of cigarettes states tend to overstate the value of a cigarette-tax, and said the tax would be borne by adult smokers.
“They’re already very heavily taxed,” Sutton said. The increase would mean state and federal taxes account for 62 percent of the price of a pack of cigarettes, Sutton said. He said, “It gets to this question of tax equity.”
In 2008, the Legislature raised the cigarette tax to $2.51 per pack but “forgot” about raising taxes on other types of tobacco, Rep. Jonathan Hecht (D-Watertown) told the crowd at Great Hall. Hecht said that created a loophole, and said, “They drove a truck right through that loophole.”
“We forgot that there were other parts of tobacco products,” said Sen. Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester). She said, “It was inadvertent, and for some reason we didn’t get it through last year.”
Simon Cowell Has Quit Smoking!
All you celebs out there that bum us out whenever we see you guys smoking: if Simon Cowell can quit, you can too!
Seriously, if there was one person we thought was too stubborn to quit smoking, we would have guessed Simon! On the flip side, he's so worried about his health and body that it'd be crazy for him to continue!
And guess what? He was smoking FORTY cigs a day! Now, he's smoking an e-cigarette, but hopefully that leads to a drop altogether!
Here's what sources say about the X Factor guru:
”Simon does not smoke anymore. He has got a vaporising cigarette instead. He smokes air, or rather water. It's amazing.
Simon is trying to cut down on the menthols and he's finding that electronic cigarettes are really helping.”
Awesome!
Simon's family actually has a history of lung cancer, so quitting as soon as possible would be ideal. You know, especially since he started when he was EIGHT YEARS OLD!
We're pulling for you to stop completely, Simon! You can do it!
Seriously, if there was one person we thought was too stubborn to quit smoking, we would have guessed Simon! On the flip side, he's so worried about his health and body that it'd be crazy for him to continue!
And guess what? He was smoking FORTY cigs a day! Now, he's smoking an e-cigarette, but hopefully that leads to a drop altogether!
Here's what sources say about the X Factor guru:
”Simon does not smoke anymore. He has got a vaporising cigarette instead. He smokes air, or rather water. It's amazing.
Simon is trying to cut down on the menthols and he's finding that electronic cigarettes are really helping.”
Awesome!
Simon's family actually has a history of lung cancer, so quitting as soon as possible would be ideal. You know, especially since he started when he was EIGHT YEARS OLD!
We're pulling for you to stop completely, Simon! You can do it!
Wild child Tallulah Willis, 19, smokes suspicious-looking cigarette behind dumpster at Coachella
She was named after cigarette-smoking movie star Tallulah Bankhead.
But Tallulah Willis hardly emulated the studio era actress as she puffed away on a suspicious-looking hand-rolled cigarette while squatting between dumpsters on day two of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio.
The 19-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore literally sat on a plastic crate amongst festival garbage for her less-than-discreet smoke session Saturday.
The suspicious cigarette was taken from a prescription container in her rucksack, further indicating that the privileged teenager was smoking medical marijuana.
The Whole Nine Yard actress covered her brunette locks with a daisy-decorated pork-pie hat, black leather jacket, purple mini-dress, and black flats.
After leaving the dumpsters, Tallulah was seen heading into a local shop where she bought takeout lunch and changed into a black vest and white floral maxi skirt.
But Tallulah Willis hardly emulated the studio era actress as she puffed away on a suspicious-looking hand-rolled cigarette while squatting between dumpsters on day two of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio.
The 19-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore literally sat on a plastic crate amongst festival garbage for her less-than-discreet smoke session Saturday.
The suspicious cigarette was taken from a prescription container in her rucksack, further indicating that the privileged teenager was smoking medical marijuana.
The Whole Nine Yard actress covered her brunette locks with a daisy-decorated pork-pie hat, black leather jacket, purple mini-dress, and black flats.
After leaving the dumpsters, Tallulah was seen heading into a local shop where she bought takeout lunch and changed into a black vest and white floral maxi skirt.
Snoop and Ke$ha share a 'cannabis spliff' onstage at MTV Movie Awards
Snoop Dogg and Ke$ha clearly don't know the smoking laws.
The legendary rapper and the young singer walked on stage at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night smoking what appeared to be a cannabis joint.
Smoking celebrities passed it back and forth during their presentation and left it up to the audience to decide what they were really puffing.
While it was difficult to tell whether it was marijuana or tobacco in the spliff, 26-year-old Ke$ha's facial expressions seem to suggest the former.
Rapper Snoop, who currently goes by the name Snoop Lion, wore shades as he puffed away.
The legendary rapper and the young singer walked on stage at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night smoking what appeared to be a cannabis joint.
Smoking celebrities passed it back and forth during their presentation and left it up to the audience to decide what they were really puffing.
While it was difficult to tell whether it was marijuana or tobacco in the spliff, 26-year-old Ke$ha's facial expressions seem to suggest the former.
Rapper Snoop, who currently goes by the name Snoop Lion, wore shades as he puffed away.
Japan Tobacco International inaugurates Frankfurt smoking lounges
Japan Tobacco International (JTI), the maker of Winston cigarettes, in partnership with airport operator Fraport has opened four Camel-branded smoking lounges in the new pier A-plus at Frankfurt International airport terminal one. The inauguration of the lounges follows the opening of the first JTI smoking lounge in T1 transit area B in August. The airport now features 220sq m of smoking facilities for around 12m smoking transit passengers a year with a further five smoking lounges set to open in the near future.
JTI consumer and trade marketing vice-president worldwide duty free Ming Lee Foo told DFNIonline: “The long-term partnership with Fraport started with smoking stations, evolved into cabins and here we are today with state-of-the- art smoking lounges. It has been a fruitful partnership.
“The great thing for the airport is that they are able to provide excellent facilities for smoking passengers which account for about a fifth of the travelling population.”
JTI general manager and vice-president worldwide duty-free business David Francis added: “Right from the start, the smoking lounge concept proved to be a win-win solution for everyone. Adult smokers can enjoy a cigarette break in a dedicated area, while non-smokers can enjoy a smoke-free environment. As a result Frankfurt airport is recognised for its commitment to passenger service.”
Regarding responsibility for the service-sponsoring concept, which was assigned to Fraport subsidiary Media Frankfurt GmbH, Media Frankfurt general manager Simone Schwab said: "We have chosen this forward-looking concept to meet the needs of all our passenger. While smoking is generally not permitted in our terminals, specially ventilated smoking lounges are the perfect solution for smokers and non-smokers. They are particularly important in transit areas for our connecting passengers.”
Frankfurt airport first introduced smoking areas for adult smokers in 2005 based on the JTI concept and according to the supplier it has kept pace with all JTI developments in the field since. It now joins a select group of airports providing passengers with a refined smoking environment before boarding, including Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Geneva, Moscow and Munich.
JTI consumer and trade marketing vice-president worldwide duty free Ming Lee Foo told DFNIonline: “The long-term partnership with Fraport started with smoking stations, evolved into cabins and here we are today with state-of-the- art smoking lounges. It has been a fruitful partnership.
“The great thing for the airport is that they are able to provide excellent facilities for smoking passengers which account for about a fifth of the travelling population.”
JTI general manager and vice-president worldwide duty-free business David Francis added: “Right from the start, the smoking lounge concept proved to be a win-win solution for everyone. Adult smokers can enjoy a cigarette break in a dedicated area, while non-smokers can enjoy a smoke-free environment. As a result Frankfurt airport is recognised for its commitment to passenger service.”
Regarding responsibility for the service-sponsoring concept, which was assigned to Fraport subsidiary Media Frankfurt GmbH, Media Frankfurt general manager Simone Schwab said: "We have chosen this forward-looking concept to meet the needs of all our passenger. While smoking is generally not permitted in our terminals, specially ventilated smoking lounges are the perfect solution for smokers and non-smokers. They are particularly important in transit areas for our connecting passengers.”
Frankfurt airport first introduced smoking areas for adult smokers in 2005 based on the JTI concept and according to the supplier it has kept pace with all JTI developments in the field since. It now joins a select group of airports providing passengers with a refined smoking environment before boarding, including Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Geneva, Moscow and Munich.