The Board of Health last week banned smoking or the use of any tobacco product at several marquee town properties.
The Town Hall, senior center, library, police and fire stations and DPW
garage are now tobacco-free zones, Health Agent Jamie Terry said,
enforceable by a $100 fine
The intent of the ban is to limit exposure to second-hand smoke, Terry
said. It is part of a larger effort to revise the board’s smoking rules
and regulations that went on for about 16 months.
"The board is extremely pleased to be able to move forward with these
regulations, given the fact that they view use and access to tobacco
products a major concern," said Terry.
As defined in the regulations, the ban covers not only cigarettes,
cigars and pipes, but tobacco in any form, including chewing tobacco and
snuff tobacco. Terry said the ban also extends to e-cigarettes.
Terry said those smoking in their cars on the properties would be
subject to the fine, as smoking anywhere on the covered premises is
prohibited. Pall Mall cigarettes.
However, Terry said she isn’t looking to scour the areas knocking on
windows. Though she and the police both have authority to issue fines,
she said she hopes to resolve most infractions verbally.
"The goal is to educate people, not to gain any revenue," she said.
The rules aren’t likely to affect many municipal workers. The town has
an extremely rare clause that bans workers hired to its municipal union
after 1994 from smoking, both at work and in their personal lives.
Any non-union employees – like department heads, for example – would
not be allowed to smoke on any of the banned properties, Terry said.
Also adopted as part of the new rules and regulations are stricter controls on businesses caught selling cigarettes to minors.
Under the old rules, such a business would be placed under a
probationary period of a year, during which time any new infraction
would be counted as a second offense and carry a more severe penalty.
Under the new rules, that probationary period has been extended to two years.
Also included in the regulations is a ban on smoking in outdoor seating
areas of restaurants. Smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of any
outdoor seating area where food is served, except for at private
function areas.
Terry said the board held a long discussion on banning smoking at the
town’s outdoor parks, but ultimately not all members could agree it was a
good idea. She said the board may pick up that discussion in the
future.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Firm to hike local tobacco purchase
A tobacco manufacturer based here said it was increasing the volume of tobacco it would buy from local growers in 2014.
Mighty Corp., which carries cigarette brands aimed at the low-end market, has been gradually increasing its purchase of tobacco grown in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions, according to a company executive. Mighty operates a manufacturing plant in the city.Lucky Strike cigarettes.
The company decided to raise its demand for tobacco because its domestic market share had improved from five percent last year to 20 percent this year, Oscar Barrientos, executive vice president, said in a statement.
“This year alone, we have bought even low-priced tobacco leaves. Had Mighty Corp. not done that, it would have created a great economic dislocation for tobacco farmers.”
According to the National Tobacco Administration’s website, Virginia tobacco is the most dominant variety grown in the country. Its average volume of production in 2009 was 34 million kilograms, which represents 59 percent of a total volume of 58 million kg grown that year in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union.
Mighty Corp., which carries cigarette brands aimed at the low-end market, has been gradually increasing its purchase of tobacco grown in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions, according to a company executive. Mighty operates a manufacturing plant in the city.Lucky Strike cigarettes.
The company decided to raise its demand for tobacco because its domestic market share had improved from five percent last year to 20 percent this year, Oscar Barrientos, executive vice president, said in a statement.
“We
have earned our fair share of the market by making quality but
affordable cigarettes. That is the secret of our success,” said
Barrientos.
He added, “With a bigger share of Mighty Corp. in the market
today, we are giving tobacco farmers a fair share of our success by
offering competitive prices for their crops.”
“This year alone, we have bought even low-priced tobacco leaves. Had Mighty Corp. not done that, it would have created a great economic dislocation for tobacco farmers.”
According to the National Tobacco Administration’s website, Virginia tobacco is the most dominant variety grown in the country. Its average volume of production in 2009 was 34 million kilograms, which represents 59 percent of a total volume of 58 million kg grown that year in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union.
No-smoking policy on UI campus takes effect Jan. 1
For Illini tailgaters, some things are sacred.
The grill. The beer (shhh, don't tell). The orange and blue tent (or bus). And the right to enjoy an occasional — very occasional, of late — victory cigar.
In future seasons, they'll have to do it on the sly.
The entire UI campus — indoors and out — is going smoke-free Jan. 1. And that means no more smoking at tailgates. Or in your car or anywhere else on UI property.
That news did not sit well with some fans at the final home game of the season Nov. 30.
"I think it's kind of silly, in an environment like this," said Chris Roegge of Urbana, puffing on his last legal tailgate cigar.
"I can understand in and around buildings, or central campus," said Roegge, who is also a UI employee. "But how do they enforce something like that?"
For fellow tailgater and occasional cigar smoker Dan Tappendorf of Champaign, it's more fundamental.
"Have you ever heard of the word liberty? He's not hurting anybody," he said. "I think the political correctness has gone too far. Everybody should have the freedom to find their own pursuit of happiness."
The campus already prohibits smoking inside public buildings, except for designated hotel rooms, and within 25 feet of a building entrance. State law is similar, with a 15-foot outdoor restriction.
It's not uncommon to find employees or students huddled outside the UI Library, Foreign Language Building or Illini Union, taking a puff between classes or on break. Cigarette butts scattered on the ground tell the tale. The new policy will ban smoking from all university property — on the Quad, in Memorial Stadium or at athletic or entertainment events. Designated smoking areas will be eliminated.
It also bans e-cigarettes, which emit water vapor rather than smoke. They're used by some smokers to try to quit, with gradually reduced nicotine levels.
Campus officials say the industry is relatively new and unregulated, which puts users at risk. And some studies have shown that the vapor contains a similar carcinogen to tobacco smoke. The CDC and other public health organizations discourage their use, said Michele Guerra, director of the UI Wellness Center.
"We don't know enough about their risks," she said.
The anti-tobacco road
The UI effort is part of a growing smoke-free movement nationally and a push by UI students locally. In a 2011 nonbinding referendum, UI students voted in favor of a smoke-free campus, 7,123 to 3,231. The campus announced the new policy in October 2012.
It was originally set to take effect in November, but "we didn't want to hit people right before finals," said campus spokeswoman Robin Kaler.
Chancellor Phyllis Wise has said the UI wants to ensure a healthy environment for the entire campus community, citing "incontrovertible evidence that smoking is a dangerous addiction" and that second-hand smoke poses risks for nonsmokers. Pall Mall cigarettes.
Smoking is a particular concern for students, advocates say. A 2012 Surgeon General's report found that tobacco use among youths 12 to 17 and young adults ages 18 to 25 had decreased but was still at epidemic proportions. Among its findings: Nearly nine out of 10 smokers started smoking by age 18; 99 percent started by age 26; and almost no one starts smoking after age 25.
The American College Health Association has urged campuses to adopt stricter policies in 2009, and in 2012 the Department of Health and Human Services partnered with the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation to launch a Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative.
With the trend toward smoke-free workplaces, restaurants and bars, there's greater awareness among the public about the benefits, said Cynthia Hallett, director of the foundation. More cities and states are going smoke-free, but not all of those laws apply to college campuses, so universities are enacting their own policies, she said.
More than 1,100 college campuses are now smoke-free, or about 25 percent, according to the foundation. The list includes universities from power football conferences — Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and South Carolina as well as two Big Ten schools, Michigan and Iowa. Indiana is close, allowing only minor exceptions with the approval of the provost, and Minnesota is set to enact a similar policy in 2014.
Other Big Ten schools restrict smoking indoors and place some limits on outdoor smoking.
Some say their campuses are too sprawling for a complete ban.
"If we were going to have a no-smoking policy anywhere on campus, it would be almost impossible to enforce," said Annemarie Mountz, assistant director of public information at Penn State.
That's the big question at the UI.
The grill. The beer (shhh, don't tell). The orange and blue tent (or bus). And the right to enjoy an occasional — very occasional, of late — victory cigar.
In future seasons, they'll have to do it on the sly.
The entire UI campus — indoors and out — is going smoke-free Jan. 1. And that means no more smoking at tailgates. Or in your car or anywhere else on UI property.
That news did not sit well with some fans at the final home game of the season Nov. 30.
"I think it's kind of silly, in an environment like this," said Chris Roegge of Urbana, puffing on his last legal tailgate cigar.
"I can understand in and around buildings, or central campus," said Roegge, who is also a UI employee. "But how do they enforce something like that?"
For fellow tailgater and occasional cigar smoker Dan Tappendorf of Champaign, it's more fundamental.
"Have you ever heard of the word liberty? He's not hurting anybody," he said. "I think the political correctness has gone too far. Everybody should have the freedom to find their own pursuit of happiness."
The campus already prohibits smoking inside public buildings, except for designated hotel rooms, and within 25 feet of a building entrance. State law is similar, with a 15-foot outdoor restriction.
It's not uncommon to find employees or students huddled outside the UI Library, Foreign Language Building or Illini Union, taking a puff between classes or on break. Cigarette butts scattered on the ground tell the tale. The new policy will ban smoking from all university property — on the Quad, in Memorial Stadium or at athletic or entertainment events. Designated smoking areas will be eliminated.
It also bans e-cigarettes, which emit water vapor rather than smoke. They're used by some smokers to try to quit, with gradually reduced nicotine levels.
Campus officials say the industry is relatively new and unregulated, which puts users at risk. And some studies have shown that the vapor contains a similar carcinogen to tobacco smoke. The CDC and other public health organizations discourage their use, said Michele Guerra, director of the UI Wellness Center.
"We don't know enough about their risks," she said.
The anti-tobacco road
The UI effort is part of a growing smoke-free movement nationally and a push by UI students locally. In a 2011 nonbinding referendum, UI students voted in favor of a smoke-free campus, 7,123 to 3,231. The campus announced the new policy in October 2012.
It was originally set to take effect in November, but "we didn't want to hit people right before finals," said campus spokeswoman Robin Kaler.
Chancellor Phyllis Wise has said the UI wants to ensure a healthy environment for the entire campus community, citing "incontrovertible evidence that smoking is a dangerous addiction" and that second-hand smoke poses risks for nonsmokers. Pall Mall cigarettes.
Smoking is a particular concern for students, advocates say. A 2012 Surgeon General's report found that tobacco use among youths 12 to 17 and young adults ages 18 to 25 had decreased but was still at epidemic proportions. Among its findings: Nearly nine out of 10 smokers started smoking by age 18; 99 percent started by age 26; and almost no one starts smoking after age 25.
The American College Health Association has urged campuses to adopt stricter policies in 2009, and in 2012 the Department of Health and Human Services partnered with the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation to launch a Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative.
With the trend toward smoke-free workplaces, restaurants and bars, there's greater awareness among the public about the benefits, said Cynthia Hallett, director of the foundation. More cities and states are going smoke-free, but not all of those laws apply to college campuses, so universities are enacting their own policies, she said.
More than 1,100 college campuses are now smoke-free, or about 25 percent, according to the foundation. The list includes universities from power football conferences — Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and South Carolina as well as two Big Ten schools, Michigan and Iowa. Indiana is close, allowing only minor exceptions with the approval of the provost, and Minnesota is set to enact a similar policy in 2014.
Other Big Ten schools restrict smoking indoors and place some limits on outdoor smoking.
Some say their campuses are too sprawling for a complete ban.
"If we were going to have a no-smoking policy anywhere on campus, it would be almost impossible to enforce," said Annemarie Mountz, assistant director of public information at Penn State.
That's the big question at the UI.
GMO plants and cheaper brands of cigarettes
Last August, we wrote about the destruction of a small experimental
farm in Pili, Camarines Sur, by a group of farmers, obviously led by
environmentalists. They invaded the farm and uprooted the rice seedlings
being grown to test crops with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The GMOs would have made the rice plants resistant to pests and diseases
and give the farmers higher yields. On the other hand, the
environmentalists are afraid GMO food may contain substances that could
be harmful to humans.
This battle is raging not only over rice plants but also over eggplants, better known as “Bt talong.” Eggplants are vulnerable to insects that lay eggs on the fruit. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the fruit and grow bigger inside. From the outside, the eggplants look unblemished, but inside they are infested with worms.
To fight the infestation, the farmer sprays his plants with pesticide. However, the pests become resistant to the pesticide, so that the farmer is forced to progressively increase the dosage. This pesticide accumulates in the eggplants, so that by harvest time, they contain amounts of pesticide residue that are no longer safe for human consumption. Those beautiful eggplants you buy in the markets may already be harmful to humans.
Ironically, by opposing eggplants with GMOs on the ground that they may be harmful to humans, the environmentalists are actually making more harmful the non-GMO eggplants.
GMOs will make the use of pesticides unnecessary by making the eggplant resistant to pests. It is the same thing with rice. The GMO will not only make the rice resistant to pests but will also increase the yields. But the environmentalists associated with the European pressure group Greenpeace, afraid that the rice with GMOs may be harmful to humans, egged the farmers in Pili to destroy the rice plants on field trial in the experimental farm. They do the same thing with farms growing the experimental eggplant Bt talong.
Here is an update on the issue, which is bad news for Greenpeace: A Laguna court has ordered the arrest of alleged Greenpeace “vandals” who were charged in connection with the attack and destruction of a government-owned trial farm planted with the pest resistant Bt talong. Court records show that the respondents forced their way into the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) farm and destroyed the GMO eggplants, causing more than P20 million in damages to UPLB. The university filed charges against the environmentalists. When three Greenpeace members refused to attend the court hearing, Judge Regina Balmores-Laxa ordered their arrest.
Eleven environmentalists are facing charges of malicious mischief for allegedly destroying the farm at UPLB. Both rice and eggplant field trials are being supervised by the Department of Agriculture and Filipino scientists from UPLB.LM cigarettes.
Our view on this and on GMOs is that any policy decision in our country must be based on verifiable scientific facts and research rather than on unfounded fear.
Scientists, including our own Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, head of the Food and Drug Administration, have already said that genetically engineered food and crops approved for commercialization are safe both for humans and the environment.
We would rather believe experts and an agency which have their reputations on the line rather than an activist group that raises millions of dollars propagating scare worldwide.
This battle is raging not only over rice plants but also over eggplants, better known as “Bt talong.” Eggplants are vulnerable to insects that lay eggs on the fruit. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the fruit and grow bigger inside. From the outside, the eggplants look unblemished, but inside they are infested with worms.
To fight the infestation, the farmer sprays his plants with pesticide. However, the pests become resistant to the pesticide, so that the farmer is forced to progressively increase the dosage. This pesticide accumulates in the eggplants, so that by harvest time, they contain amounts of pesticide residue that are no longer safe for human consumption. Those beautiful eggplants you buy in the markets may already be harmful to humans.
Ironically, by opposing eggplants with GMOs on the ground that they may be harmful to humans, the environmentalists are actually making more harmful the non-GMO eggplants.
GMOs will make the use of pesticides unnecessary by making the eggplant resistant to pests. It is the same thing with rice. The GMO will not only make the rice resistant to pests but will also increase the yields. But the environmentalists associated with the European pressure group Greenpeace, afraid that the rice with GMOs may be harmful to humans, egged the farmers in Pili to destroy the rice plants on field trial in the experimental farm. They do the same thing with farms growing the experimental eggplant Bt talong.
Here is an update on the issue, which is bad news for Greenpeace: A Laguna court has ordered the arrest of alleged Greenpeace “vandals” who were charged in connection with the attack and destruction of a government-owned trial farm planted with the pest resistant Bt talong. Court records show that the respondents forced their way into the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) farm and destroyed the GMO eggplants, causing more than P20 million in damages to UPLB. The university filed charges against the environmentalists. When three Greenpeace members refused to attend the court hearing, Judge Regina Balmores-Laxa ordered their arrest.
Eleven environmentalists are facing charges of malicious mischief for allegedly destroying the farm at UPLB. Both rice and eggplant field trials are being supervised by the Department of Agriculture and Filipino scientists from UPLB.LM cigarettes.
Our view on this and on GMOs is that any policy decision in our country must be based on verifiable scientific facts and research rather than on unfounded fear.
Scientists, including our own Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, head of the Food and Drug Administration, have already said that genetically engineered food and crops approved for commercialization are safe both for humans and the environment.
We would rather believe experts and an agency which have their reputations on the line rather than an activist group that raises millions of dollars propagating scare worldwide.
We
also object to the use of destructive methods like the raids on
experimental farms. This Greenpeace tactic shows disrespect both for our
laws and for scientific evidence. It
baffles us that Greenpeace operatives in
the Philippines actually believe that they can destroy and burn down
government property and get away with it. Despite its huge financial
resources, Greenpeace cannot claim immunity to criminal acts.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Tobacco marketing violating laws and regulations
Cricket cigarette, the sport loved by tens of millions of Pakistanis is
now being used to market tobacco products in pure violation of the
country’s laws and regulations that govern tobacco marketing in the
country.
A new cigarette brand with the name ‘Cricket’ manufactured by Wattan Tobacco Company of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is surely and slowly making its inroads in the markets of central Punjab.
During a market survey it was also revealed the pack of the brand carried price tag of Rs 22.60 plus Rs 3.40 sales tax whereas in the market the brand was being retailed at Rs 12 per pack, leaving the question, how the brand was selling even below the minimum excise duty which is Rs 17.6 per pack and should be payable to the national exchequer.
According to the Tobacco Advertisement Guidelines notified under SRO 655, association of tobacco advertising with sports, adventure, sex and success in life will be prohibited.
The first principal ordinance is the cigarettes (Printing of Warning) Ordinance 1979 (Ordinance LXXIII of 1979) that effectively requires health warnings should be printed on tobacco product packaging. SRO 86 (KE)/2009 establishes the current rules on the printing of health warnings. Despite having a law, concerned department seems in no mood to pay due attention to check the proliferation of such local non-duty paid brands.
When contacted a local shopkeeper who sells ‘Cricket’ at his retail outlet, he said, “This is not my problem whether it is legal or not. I am selling it because there is a demand for it”.
He was of the opinion it was responsibility of government to look after such violations, if such brands were available and there was a demand for it and he was having no problem in selling it.
According to the other retailers ‘Cricket’ is being appreciated by the smokers in different parts of Punjab, the reasons mentioned include cheaper price and lighter taste.
They mentioned ‘Cricket’ shows an increasing sales trend because of the smokers’ liking for the low prices as compared to the prices of legal duty paid brands available in the market.
A buyer said, “I cannot afford expensive brands. I find this brand cheaper so I opted for it.”
I have nothing to do with legitimacy issue, as this is not my cup of tea. I am happy with its price and it fulfills my smoking needs.
A new cigarette brand with the name ‘Cricket’ manufactured by Wattan Tobacco Company of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is surely and slowly making its inroads in the markets of central Punjab.
During a market survey it was also revealed the pack of the brand carried price tag of Rs 22.60 plus Rs 3.40 sales tax whereas in the market the brand was being retailed at Rs 12 per pack, leaving the question, how the brand was selling even below the minimum excise duty which is Rs 17.6 per pack and should be payable to the national exchequer.
According to the Tobacco Advertisement Guidelines notified under SRO 655, association of tobacco advertising with sports, adventure, sex and success in life will be prohibited.
The first principal ordinance is the cigarettes (Printing of Warning) Ordinance 1979 (Ordinance LXXIII of 1979) that effectively requires health warnings should be printed on tobacco product packaging. SRO 86 (KE)/2009 establishes the current rules on the printing of health warnings. Despite having a law, concerned department seems in no mood to pay due attention to check the proliferation of such local non-duty paid brands.
When contacted a local shopkeeper who sells ‘Cricket’ at his retail outlet, he said, “This is not my problem whether it is legal or not. I am selling it because there is a demand for it”.
He was of the opinion it was responsibility of government to look after such violations, if such brands were available and there was a demand for it and he was having no problem in selling it.
According to the other retailers ‘Cricket’ is being appreciated by the smokers in different parts of Punjab, the reasons mentioned include cheaper price and lighter taste.
They mentioned ‘Cricket’ shows an increasing sales trend because of the smokers’ liking for the low prices as compared to the prices of legal duty paid brands available in the market.
A buyer said, “I cannot afford expensive brands. I find this brand cheaper so I opted for it.”
I have nothing to do with legitimacy issue, as this is not my cup of tea. I am happy with its price and it fulfills my smoking needs.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
City Where It's Now Illegal to Smoke in Your Own Home
The town of San Rafael, Calif., has passed a ban on smoking that city
officials have called the most stringent in the nation. The new
ordinance makes it illegal for residents to smoke in their own homes if
they share a wall with another dwelling. The ban applies to owners and
renters alike, and it covers condominiums, co-ops, apartments and any
multi-family residence containing three or more units.
Rebecca Woodbury, an analyst at the San Rafael City Manager's office, helped craft the ban, which took effect Nov.14. "We based it on a county ordinance," she told ABC News, "but we modified it, and ended up making it the strictest. I'm not aware of any ordinance that's stronger." Cities with similar but less severe smoking restrictions include Cambridge, Mass., and other California cities, including Walnut Creek and Tiburon.
In June, the Related Companies became the first developer and property owner to ban smoking in all 40,000 of its rental residences in 17 states. New York City bans tobacco sales to anyone under 21. Jessica Scaperotti, a spokeswoman for Related, said the ban had been popular. "There are more people who want to live in smoke-free environments than there are apartments available. Demand far exceeds supply."
The provisions that make San Rafael's rule unique, said Woodbury, include the prohibition on smoking in dwellings that share a wall, including owner-occupied condos, duplexes and multi-family units. "It doesn't matter if it's owner-occupied or renter-occupied. We didn't want to discriminate. The distinguishing feature is the shared wall." As justification for the rule, she cited studies showing that secondhand smoke seeped through ventilating ducts and walls, even through cracks. "It depends on a building's construction," she said, "but it does affect the unit next door, with the negative health impacts due to smoke."
The ordinance cites such studies, plus a 2011 study by UCLA that found that California property owners paid up to $18 million a year to clean apartments vacated by tenants who'd smoked. Asked if there was opposition to the ordinance, Woodbury said there was hardly any. "We have a very low percentage of smokers in the county," she said, referring to Marin.
George Koodray, New Jersey state coordinator for Citizens Freedom Alliance and the Smoker's Club, called San Rafael's rule and ones like it "mischievous." Years ago, he said, when restrictions on smoking were first introduced, "the spirit of the legislation was supposedly to protect people who did not want to be exposed to smoke." Today, he said, the motivating spirit had changed: People disapprove of the habit, and wish to restrict it whether or not it affects them directly. Bans like San Rafael's, he believes, are far removed from being a sincere effort to bring about a health benefit.
"I don't believe it's rooted in science," said Koodray, who is president of the Metropolitan Society, a group of New Jersey cigar smokers. "Someone smoking in a sealed apartment endangers the health of others in the building? The science for that is spurious at best."
Steve Stanek, a research fellow at the Chicago-based Heartland Institute, which he calls a free market-oriented public policy group, views the San Rafael ban as part of a wider trend: a proliferation of rules of all kinds.
"I don't like cigarettes, and I've never taken a puff," he said. "My sympathies aren't with smokers because I am one, it's because of the huge growth in laws and punishments and government restricting people more and more." Illinois' criminal code was 72 pages long in 1965, he said; today it's more than 1,300 pages long. "The encroachment of government is astonishing," he said.
A look around the U.S. finds towns and cities busily regulating anything and everything:
Plastic bags will be banned in Los Angeles after the first of the year. They're already banned in several other California cities, including Long Beach and San Jose. Karelia cigarettes and Kent cigarettes.
Austin, Texas, bans both plastic and paper bags from grocery stores.
San Francisco tried to ban fast-food meals that came with toys.
Forest Park, Ga., in 2011 made it illegal to breastfeed in public a child older than 2. After public protest, the ban was lifted.
Cocoa, Fla., makes it illegal to wear baggy pants on city streets.
Palo Alto, Calif., makes it illegal to live in your car.
Rebecca Woodbury, an analyst at the San Rafael City Manager's office, helped craft the ban, which took effect Nov.14. "We based it on a county ordinance," she told ABC News, "but we modified it, and ended up making it the strictest. I'm not aware of any ordinance that's stronger." Cities with similar but less severe smoking restrictions include Cambridge, Mass., and other California cities, including Walnut Creek and Tiburon.
In June, the Related Companies became the first developer and property owner to ban smoking in all 40,000 of its rental residences in 17 states. New York City bans tobacco sales to anyone under 21. Jessica Scaperotti, a spokeswoman for Related, said the ban had been popular. "There are more people who want to live in smoke-free environments than there are apartments available. Demand far exceeds supply."
The provisions that make San Rafael's rule unique, said Woodbury, include the prohibition on smoking in dwellings that share a wall, including owner-occupied condos, duplexes and multi-family units. "It doesn't matter if it's owner-occupied or renter-occupied. We didn't want to discriminate. The distinguishing feature is the shared wall." As justification for the rule, she cited studies showing that secondhand smoke seeped through ventilating ducts and walls, even through cracks. "It depends on a building's construction," she said, "but it does affect the unit next door, with the negative health impacts due to smoke."
The ordinance cites such studies, plus a 2011 study by UCLA that found that California property owners paid up to $18 million a year to clean apartments vacated by tenants who'd smoked. Asked if there was opposition to the ordinance, Woodbury said there was hardly any. "We have a very low percentage of smokers in the county," she said, referring to Marin.
George Koodray, New Jersey state coordinator for Citizens Freedom Alliance and the Smoker's Club, called San Rafael's rule and ones like it "mischievous." Years ago, he said, when restrictions on smoking were first introduced, "the spirit of the legislation was supposedly to protect people who did not want to be exposed to smoke." Today, he said, the motivating spirit had changed: People disapprove of the habit, and wish to restrict it whether or not it affects them directly. Bans like San Rafael's, he believes, are far removed from being a sincere effort to bring about a health benefit.
"I don't believe it's rooted in science," said Koodray, who is president of the Metropolitan Society, a group of New Jersey cigar smokers. "Someone smoking in a sealed apartment endangers the health of others in the building? The science for that is spurious at best."
Steve Stanek, a research fellow at the Chicago-based Heartland Institute, which he calls a free market-oriented public policy group, views the San Rafael ban as part of a wider trend: a proliferation of rules of all kinds.
"I don't like cigarettes, and I've never taken a puff," he said. "My sympathies aren't with smokers because I am one, it's because of the huge growth in laws and punishments and government restricting people more and more." Illinois' criminal code was 72 pages long in 1965, he said; today it's more than 1,300 pages long. "The encroachment of government is astonishing," he said.
A look around the U.S. finds towns and cities busily regulating anything and everything:
Plastic bags will be banned in Los Angeles after the first of the year. They're already banned in several other California cities, including Long Beach and San Jose. Karelia cigarettes and Kent cigarettes.
Austin, Texas, bans both plastic and paper bags from grocery stores.
San Francisco tried to ban fast-food meals that came with toys.
Forest Park, Ga., in 2011 made it illegal to breastfeed in public a child older than 2. After public protest, the ban was lifted.
Cocoa, Fla., makes it illegal to wear baggy pants on city streets.
Palo Alto, Calif., makes it illegal to live in your car.
Is smoking marijuana bad for your lungs?
Is smoking marijuana bad for your health? The question is often debated
when it comes to medical marijuana, but a new study suggests if smoking
pot is bad for your body, your lungs aren't bearing the brunt of the
damage.
The study found occasional marijuana smoking did not negatively impact a person's lung function.
For the study, researchers performed routine pulmonary function tests on 5,115 young adults who were part 20-year study on coronary artery disease risk. The researchers wanted to test lung function against a person's "joint years" of life-time marijuana exposure. For example, if a person smoked one joint or pipe's worth of marijuana per week for 49 years, or if a person smoked one joint or pipe's worth per day for seven years, both people would be identified as having "7-joint-years" of marijuana exposure. Kiss cigarettes online.
That might sound like a lot, but most of the marijuana smokers in this study were not heavy users, according to study co-author Dr. Stefan Kertesz, an associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Alabama at Birgmingham.
"This is not a study focused on the kinds of individuals you would see in treatment programs for chemical dependence or in the latest 'Harold and Kumar' movie," Kertesz told CBS News in an email. Kertesz said the median marijuana smokers in the study used roughly two to three joints per month, which may include some people who would smoke frequently but then stop for a long period of time.
What the researchers find?
"With up to 7 joint-years of life-time exposure, we found no evidence that increasing exposure to marijuana adversely affects pulmonary function," the researchers wrote in study, published in the Jan. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. In fact, the researchers found a slight increase in occasional marijuana smokers' lung function. That increase may be indicative of marijuana smokers taking deep breaths and holding the smoke in, the researchers said.
At more than 10 joint-years of marijuana exposure, the researchers saw a slight decline in lung function, but the researchers said that finding was not statistically significant, so could be due to chance. Cigarette smokers, who smoked a median of eight to nine cigarettes per day, saw a significant drop in lung function over the twenty year study.
"Marijuana may have beneficial effects on pain control, appetite, mood, and management of other chronic symptoms," the researchers wrote. "Our findings suggest that occasional use of marijuana for these or other purposes may not be associated with adverse consequences on pulmonary function."
The researchers said it's more difficult to determine if long-term, heavy marijuana use is worse for lungs - because that pattern of smoking was "relatively rare" among the study participants - but they said there was a need for caution and moderation when marijuana use is considered.
Is smoking marijuana easier on the lungs than smoking cigarettes?
Kertesz told CBS News that low doses of marijuana among users who aren't addicted, "seems to pose lower risk to lungs than the typical usage patterns of cigarette smoking."
But that doesn't mean it's good for your lungs. Kertesz said smoking marijuana irritates the airways, triggers cough and phlegm production, and could be especially dangerous for asthmatics. Also, since the participants were originally enrolled in a heart study, the researchers couldn't determine how many got lung cancer.
"So don't assume that there is 'no' risk no matter who you are," Kertesz said.
Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told CBS News in an email, "while casual marijuana use may not reflect an immediate decrease in lung function, marijuana smoke contains high levels of tar, which is bad for your health."
Glatter said smoking marijuana could lead to chronic coughing, wheezing and potentially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
"Casual or recreational marijuana use is not a safe alternative to tobacco smoking."
The study found occasional marijuana smoking did not negatively impact a person's lung function.
For the study, researchers performed routine pulmonary function tests on 5,115 young adults who were part 20-year study on coronary artery disease risk. The researchers wanted to test lung function against a person's "joint years" of life-time marijuana exposure. For example, if a person smoked one joint or pipe's worth of marijuana per week for 49 years, or if a person smoked one joint or pipe's worth per day for seven years, both people would be identified as having "7-joint-years" of marijuana exposure. Kiss cigarettes online.
That might sound like a lot, but most of the marijuana smokers in this study were not heavy users, according to study co-author Dr. Stefan Kertesz, an associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Alabama at Birgmingham.
"This is not a study focused on the kinds of individuals you would see in treatment programs for chemical dependence or in the latest 'Harold and Kumar' movie," Kertesz told CBS News in an email. Kertesz said the median marijuana smokers in the study used roughly two to three joints per month, which may include some people who would smoke frequently but then stop for a long period of time.
What the researchers find?
"With up to 7 joint-years of life-time exposure, we found no evidence that increasing exposure to marijuana adversely affects pulmonary function," the researchers wrote in study, published in the Jan. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. In fact, the researchers found a slight increase in occasional marijuana smokers' lung function. That increase may be indicative of marijuana smokers taking deep breaths and holding the smoke in, the researchers said.
At more than 10 joint-years of marijuana exposure, the researchers saw a slight decline in lung function, but the researchers said that finding was not statistically significant, so could be due to chance. Cigarette smokers, who smoked a median of eight to nine cigarettes per day, saw a significant drop in lung function over the twenty year study.
"Marijuana may have beneficial effects on pain control, appetite, mood, and management of other chronic symptoms," the researchers wrote. "Our findings suggest that occasional use of marijuana for these or other purposes may not be associated with adverse consequences on pulmonary function."
The researchers said it's more difficult to determine if long-term, heavy marijuana use is worse for lungs - because that pattern of smoking was "relatively rare" among the study participants - but they said there was a need for caution and moderation when marijuana use is considered.
Is smoking marijuana easier on the lungs than smoking cigarettes?
Kertesz told CBS News that low doses of marijuana among users who aren't addicted, "seems to pose lower risk to lungs than the typical usage patterns of cigarette smoking."
But that doesn't mean it's good for your lungs. Kertesz said smoking marijuana irritates the airways, triggers cough and phlegm production, and could be especially dangerous for asthmatics. Also, since the participants were originally enrolled in a heart study, the researchers couldn't determine how many got lung cancer.
"So don't assume that there is 'no' risk no matter who you are," Kertesz said.
Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told CBS News in an email, "while casual marijuana use may not reflect an immediate decrease in lung function, marijuana smoke contains high levels of tar, which is bad for your health."
Glatter said smoking marijuana could lead to chronic coughing, wheezing and potentially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
"Casual or recreational marijuana use is not a safe alternative to tobacco smoking."
Ga. health officials offering help to quit smoking
State health officials are offering help to Georgians who want to quit smoking and using tobacco products.
The Georgia Department of Public Health is using grant money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer a four-week supply of free nicotine replacement therapy. The medication comes in the form of patches and gum and is available to Georgia tobacco users aged 18 and older while supplies last.
The department says smoking costs Georgians $1.8 billion in direct health care costs each year and $3.2 billion in lost productivity. Jean O'Connor, director of the health department's health promotion and disease prevention section, says tobacco use is the top preventable cause of death in Georgia.
Those interested in quitting can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line for the free treatment. Davidoff cigarettes online.
The Georgia Department of Public Health is using grant money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer a four-week supply of free nicotine replacement therapy. The medication comes in the form of patches and gum and is available to Georgia tobacco users aged 18 and older while supplies last.
The department says smoking costs Georgians $1.8 billion in direct health care costs each year and $3.2 billion in lost productivity. Jean O'Connor, director of the health department's health promotion and disease prevention section, says tobacco use is the top preventable cause of death in Georgia.
Those interested in quitting can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line for the free treatment. Davidoff cigarettes online.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Provincial News: Taking the Next Steps for a Smoke-Free Ontario
Includes Statement from Canadian Cancer Society (Ontario Division), Ontario Convenience Stores Association
Ontario Helping to Further Protect Youth from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco
Ontario is taking the next steps to protect youth from the harmful effects of smoking so they can lead healthy, active lives.
The province will introduce legislation and propose regulatory changes that would, if passed, strengthen the Smoke-Free Ontario Act by increasing penalties for selling tobacco to kids and further limiting smoking in public areas.
The proposed measures include:
- Prohibiting smoking on playgrounds, sport fields, and restaurant and bar patios.
- Increasing fines for those who sell tobacco to youth, making Ontario's penalties the highest in Canada.
- Banning the sale of flavoured tobacco products to make smoking less appealing to young people.
- Strengthening enforcement to allow for testing of tobacco in waterpipes in indoor public places.
- Prohibiting tobacco sales on post-secondary education campuses and specified provincial government properties, such as Macdonald Block in Toronto and 1 Stone Road in Guelph.
Preventing youth from starting to use tobacco and protecting them from the harmful effects of second hand smoke will help to achieve the government's Action Plan for Health Care goal to have the lowest smoking rate in the country. This is part of the Ontario government's plan to build a successful, vital province where everyone has the opportunity to connect, contribute and achieve their goals.
Quick Facts
- 66 per cent of people in Ontario want smoking to be prohibited on restaurant and bar patios.
- 58 Ontario municipalities representing 61 per cent of the population already ban smoking on playgrounds.
- Each year, tobacco claims 13,000 lives in Ontario — equivalent to 36 lives every day.
- Tobacco-related disease costs Ontario’s health care system an estimated $1.9 billion in direct health care costs and an additional $5.8 billion in indirect costs such as lost productivity.
- Ontario’s smoking rate fell from 24.5 per cent in 2000 to 19 per cent in 2012, representing 255,000 fewer smokers.
Quote
We know that if we can prevent youth from smoking in the first place, fewer people will become addicted to tobacco. These measures will help to achieve our goal of having the lowest smoking rate in the country — because we want to reduce Ontarians’ exposure to the harmful effects of tobacco and lessen the burden of tobacco-related diseases our health care system.” Deb Matthews Minister of Health and Long-Term CareWednesday, October 23, 2013
Smoking cuts life by ten years
The health risks of
smoking are worse than we thought, an Australian researcher said
yesterday. But the good news is that those who quit in their 20s or 30s
avoid about 90 per cent of the excess risk compared with those who never
smoked.
“We used to say in the 1960s that smoking was like throwing dice in terms of whether you would die from it or not,” Australian National University health expert Emily Banks said. “Then we said it was like tossing a coin. Now, we’re finding two-thirds of deaths in current smokers are attributable to smoking.” Professor Banks led a study of 200,000 Australians over 45 that found those who smoked were knocking an average of 10 years off their lives.
Those smoking 10 cigarettes a day doubled their risk factor and those puffing more than 25 a day quadrupled it. “There’s no threshold under which there’s not a risk,” Banks said.
“But quitting at any age reduces your risk and the younger you are when you stop the better.” The Sax Institute’s 45 and Up study is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Banks said it echoed similar findings in Britain and the United States.
“We used to say in the 1960s that smoking was like throwing dice in terms of whether you would die from it or not,” Australian National University health expert Emily Banks said. “Then we said it was like tossing a coin. Now, we’re finding two-thirds of deaths in current smokers are attributable to smoking.” Professor Banks led a study of 200,000 Australians over 45 that found those who smoked were knocking an average of 10 years off their lives.
Those smoking 10 cigarettes a day doubled their risk factor and those puffing more than 25 a day quadrupled it. “There’s no threshold under which there’s not a risk,” Banks said.
“But quitting at any age reduces your risk and the younger you are when you stop the better.” The Sax Institute’s 45 and Up study is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Banks said it echoed similar findings in Britain and the United States.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
How much do smoking, drinking and gambling generate in Iowa taxes?
In this life, however, Iowans’ vices — smoking, drinking and gambling — generate a tidy sum for the state treasury.
In fiscal 2012, Iowa reaped $710.6 million from so-called “sin taxes.” Although that was 4.8 percent of the state’s total revenues of $14.65 billion, it was far less than the $3.7 billion in individual income taxes and $2.1 billion in sales taxes Iowans paid in fiscal 2011.
Big money across the nation
Iowa and other states collected more than $50 billion in sin taxes in 2011.
Pennsylvania tops them all with $3.85 billion in sin taxes, but Nevada’s $1.01 billion, including $860 million from casinos, makes up a larger portion of its overall revenues. It pulls in 5.8 percent of its $17.6 billion in state revenues from sin taxes, according to 24/7 Wall St., an Internet-based financial news service.
In Iowa, sin tax revenue accounted for 4.8 percent of the state’s revenues, the Legislative Services Agency reports. However, the agency and 24/7 Wall St. employ different methodology, making an apples-to-apples comparison impossible. Iowa’s sin tax collections would have ranked fourth on the 24/7 Wall St. list, but Iowa isn’t even in the site’s top 10.
$233 per person in Iowa
Perhaps it’s a testament to Iowans’ virtue, but the $233 per capita in sin tax collections is low compared with states profiting most from those taxes.
Delaware collects more than twice as much — $526 per person — despite taking in just $472 million in sin taxes. In Nevada, the per capita take from those sources is $375. Pennsylvania’s $3.8 billion equals $303 per capita, because its population is more than four times Iowa’s.
Gaming revenue is tops
In Iowa, gaming revenue amounts to 42 percent of the $710.6 million collected in 2012, according to the agency’s Fiscal Services Division. Cigarette and tobacco taxes amount to an additional 32 percent.
The agency projects tobacco-related tax revenue falling from $225 million to $218 million by fiscal 2014. Increases from other sin taxes will boost the overall take to $718.7 million.
But a vice is still a vice
As big as those numbers are, opponents of these vices say the taxes don’t necessarily cover the costs associated with them.
Casinos “cater to the people who lose disproportionately, and those are the ones who cost the rest of us because they lose their jobs, get divorced, attempt suicide and steal,” said Tom Coates of Des Moines, a gambling opponent.
Smoking costs far exceed revenues from tobacco products, said Jen Schulte, Iowa government relations director for the American Cancer Society. She pegs Iowa’s health care costs directly caused by smoking at $1.01 billion a year.
In fiscal 2012, Iowa reaped $710.6 million from so-called “sin taxes.” Although that was 4.8 percent of the state’s total revenues of $14.65 billion, it was far less than the $3.7 billion in individual income taxes and $2.1 billion in sales taxes Iowans paid in fiscal 2011.
Big money across the nation
Iowa and other states collected more than $50 billion in sin taxes in 2011.
Pennsylvania tops them all with $3.85 billion in sin taxes, but Nevada’s $1.01 billion, including $860 million from casinos, makes up a larger portion of its overall revenues. It pulls in 5.8 percent of its $17.6 billion in state revenues from sin taxes, according to 24/7 Wall St., an Internet-based financial news service.
In Iowa, sin tax revenue accounted for 4.8 percent of the state’s revenues, the Legislative Services Agency reports. However, the agency and 24/7 Wall St. employ different methodology, making an apples-to-apples comparison impossible. Iowa’s sin tax collections would have ranked fourth on the 24/7 Wall St. list, but Iowa isn’t even in the site’s top 10.
$233 per person in Iowa
Perhaps it’s a testament to Iowans’ virtue, but the $233 per capita in sin tax collections is low compared with states profiting most from those taxes.
Delaware collects more than twice as much — $526 per person — despite taking in just $472 million in sin taxes. In Nevada, the per capita take from those sources is $375. Pennsylvania’s $3.8 billion equals $303 per capita, because its population is more than four times Iowa’s.
Gaming revenue is tops
In Iowa, gaming revenue amounts to 42 percent of the $710.6 million collected in 2012, according to the agency’s Fiscal Services Division. Cigarette and tobacco taxes amount to an additional 32 percent.
The agency projects tobacco-related tax revenue falling from $225 million to $218 million by fiscal 2014. Increases from other sin taxes will boost the overall take to $718.7 million.
But a vice is still a vice
As big as those numbers are, opponents of these vices say the taxes don’t necessarily cover the costs associated with them.
Casinos “cater to the people who lose disproportionately, and those are the ones who cost the rest of us because they lose their jobs, get divorced, attempt suicide and steal,” said Tom Coates of Des Moines, a gambling opponent.
Smoking costs far exceed revenues from tobacco products, said Jen Schulte, Iowa government relations director for the American Cancer Society. She pegs Iowa’s health care costs directly caused by smoking at $1.01 billion a year.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Smokers light up for liberties at Queen Street Mall on Saturday
PRO-smoking activists will be
handing out free cigarettes in Brisbane's CBD this weekend. But the
exercise could be illegal, and anyone who lights up could be slugged
with an on-the-spot fine.
Organised by MyChoice Australia, Australian Libertarian Society and Oz and NZ Students For Liberty, National Thank You Smokers Day on Saturday will see free cigarettes handed out at square in Brisbane's George St at noon.
Organised by MyChoice Australia, Australian Libertarian Society and Oz and NZ Students For Liberty, National Thank You Smokers Day on Saturday will see free cigarettes handed out at square in Brisbane's George St at noon.
Monday, August 19, 2013
AFTER SIN TAX HIKE | Winston maker says drop in tobacco use way below expectations
Higher excise tax rates may have fueled an increase in government revenues, but tobacco consumption fell at a pace much slower than what Philippine officials were hoping for, according to the Japanese maker of the Winston and Camel brands of cigarettes.
In a press briefing last week, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Philippines general manager Manos Koukourakis said the Aquino administration can exceed its P51.6-billion excise tax collection target for cigarettes this year.
"From a government perspective, this is a successful legislative measure, because at the end of the day, it will achieve the target it has. The government in that respect did a good job," Koukourakis said.
In the first six months, excise taxes slapped on cigarettes reached P22.4 billion, or 53 percent more than the P14.6 billion raised in the same period last year.
The tax take from alcohol products hit P16.2 billion in the first half, or 37 percent more than the P11.8 billion a year ago.
Taxes raised from both "sin" products climbed 46 percent from P26.4 billion last year to P38.5 billion this year.
But while tax collections improved, cigarette use -- another policy objective of the law hiking sin taxes -- fell in the low double-digits, or way below the government's forecast of halving tobacco consumption.
"If we go back one year ago, other companies in the market said that the introduction of excise tax will reduce the consumption of cigarettes by 50 percent. Our company was a little more optimistic, we were thinking about 40 percent," Koukourakis said.
At the height of the policy debates over excise taxes, the government cited a University of the Philippines study showing that higher rates would cut tobacco consumption by at least 51 percent.
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp (PMFTC), which accounts for at least eight out of every 10 sticks of cigarette sold in the Philippines, made the same forecast in raising concern about the potential job loss of an increase in taxes.
Lorillard, Inc. Announces Quarterly Dividend on Common Stock
Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO), through its Lorillard Tobacco Company
subsidiary, is the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the
United States. Founded in 1760, Lorillard is the oldest continuously
operating tobacco company in the U.S. Newport, Lorillard's flagship
premium cigarette brand, is the top selling menthol and second largest
selling cigarette in the U.S. In addition to Newport, the Lorillard
product line has four additional cigarette brand families marketed under
the Kent, True, Maverick and Old Gold brand names. These five brands
include 41 different product offerings which vary in price, taste,
flavor, length and packaging. Lorillard, through its LOEC, Inc.
subsidiary, is also the leading electronic cigarette company in the U.S,
marketed under the blu eCigs brand. Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, Old
Gold and blu eCigs are the registered trademarks of Lorillard and its
subsidiaries. Lorillard maintains its headquarters and manufactures all
of its traditional cigarette products in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Smoke-Free Laws Don’t Harm Restaurants, Bars Economically
Smoke-free laws do not have an adverse economic impact on
restaurants and bars, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
FRIDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Smoke-free laws do not have an adverse economic impact on restaurants and bars, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
Brett Loomis, from RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and colleagues estimated dynamic panel data models for employment and sale in restaurants and bars using quarterly data from 2000 through 2010. The models controlled for seasonality, cigarette sales, general economic activity, and smoke-free laws. Data were obtained from 216 smoke-free cities and counties, including North Carolina, which was the only state with a statewide law banning smoking in restaurants or bars during the study period.
FRIDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Smoke-free laws do not have an adverse economic impact on restaurants and bars, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
Brett Loomis, from RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and colleagues estimated dynamic panel data models for employment and sale in restaurants and bars using quarterly data from 2000 through 2010. The models controlled for seasonality, cigarette sales, general economic activity, and smoke-free laws. Data were obtained from 216 smoke-free cities and counties, including North Carolina, which was the only state with a statewide law banning smoking in restaurants or bars during the study period.
Kids' exposure to secondhand smoke drops — except among those with asthma
At a time when many Americans have managed to kick the habit, a surprising new government report finds that asthmatic kids are just as likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke as they were a decade ago, especially if they come from poor families.
There is some good news, though. During the same time period, secondhand smoke exposure dropped significantly among kids who don't have asthma, according to the report by the National Center for Health Statistics.
"What surprised us was that among kids with asthma, secondhand exposure to smoke did not decrease at all," said the report's lead author, Dr. Kenneth B. Quinto, an epidemic intelligence service officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "I think we could be doing a better job educating parents with children with asthma about the health effects of secondhand exposure."
The new findings are "counterintuitive," said Dr. Sande Okelo, an asthma expert unaffiliated with the new study and an assistant professor of pediatric pulmonology the David Geffen School of Medicine and the Mattel Children's Hospital, both at the University of California, Los Angeles. "I think this would be very unexpected for your average physician, who would assume that the rates of smoking are going down for everyone." Parlimanent cigarettes online .
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Across tobacco country, crops wilt from rain
- Jason Elliott had one of his best stands of burley tobacco
growing until the rains started. Five days and seven inches of
precipitation later, about a quarter of his crop was ruined, trimming
thousands of dollars from his payday when he hauls his leaf to market in
a few months.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Reilly expects cigarette pack challenge
Minister for Health James Reilly has said he expects the tobacco industry to challenge his plans to introduce plain packaging of cigarettes in the courts.
Dr
Reilly said that “without a shadow of a doubt” the industry would try
to stop the measure, but this only proved how much of an impact it would
have on its efforts to recruit new smokers.
Anti-smoking
groups welcomed the Government’s plans to introduce plain packaging of
tobacco products from next year. However, tobacco manufacturers and
retailers claimed the move would boost the sale of illegal cigarettes by
international criminal gangs because the standardised packaging would
be easier to produce.
Ireland is set to become the first country
in Europe, and the second in the world after Australia, to introduce
plain packaging after the Cabinet yesterday approved proposals presented
by Dr Reilly.
Dr Reilly said the legislation to
be prepared later this year was justified by the fact that it would save
lives. Over 5,200 people die each year in Ireland from tobacco-related
diseases.
“The introduction of standardised
packaging will remove the final way for tobacco companies to promote
their deadly product in Ireland.” he said. “Cigarette packets will no
longer be a mobile advertisement for the tobacco industry.”
Standardised
packaging will remove all forms of branding, such as trademarks, logos,
colours and graphics. The brand name would be presented in a uniform
typeface for all brands and the packs would all be in one plain neutral
colour.
Strong evidence
Dr Reilly said there was strong evidence the measure would increase the effectiveness of health warnings, reduce false health beliefs about cigarettes and reduce brand appeal, especially among young people.
Strong evidence
Dr Reilly said there was strong evidence the measure would increase the effectiveness of health warnings, reduce false health beliefs about cigarettes and reduce brand appeal, especially among young people.
Plain
packaging was one of a number of measures required to “denormalise”
smoking in society, he said. Further initiatives in education and
awareness, cessation services and an extension of the workplace smoking
ban were also being considered.
The international tobacco industry is supporting a number of countries who are challenging the Australian ban at the World Trade Organisation.
Tobacco smuggling
Retail Ireland said the Government was right to do everything it could to reduce the prevalence of smoking, but warned that the measure would make illegally imported cigarettes more attractive.
Tobacco smuggling
Retail Ireland said the Government was right to do everything it could to reduce the prevalence of smoking, but warned that the measure would make illegally imported cigarettes more attractive.
It said the health initiative should be matched by greater penalties for tobacco smuggling.
The Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Heart Foundation welcomed the proposed legislation, saying it would make children less likely to start smoking.
Attractive
packet design was one of the last ways left for the industry to recruit
new smokers, the two organisations said, and this meant the legislation
was urgently needed.
Research from the UK has found adults and adolescents perceive cigarettes in plain packs to be less appealing .
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
In-vehicle smoking ban the healthy answer
It seems unfair that while being driven to sporting activities,
second-hand smoke puts children’s health at risk, says Marjory Burns
As parents, we always want what’s best for our children. And no responsible parent would ever encourage their child to smoke cigarettes.
But look around you today as you go about your business, because every day, around 60,000 kids in Scotland breathe in someone else’s tobacco smoke while travelling in a vehicle.
Passive smoking, also called secondhand smoking, presents a serious health risk. It’s estimated to cause approximately 11,000 deaths a year in the UK. Passive smoking has been linked with a 25 per cent increased risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.
As well as these longer term risks, there’s a much more immediate health risk to children. Breathing in secondhand smoke is especially harmful because it increases their risk of a number of significant health problems, including lower respiratory infections, wheezing, asthma, middle ear disease and bacterial meningitis. And it more than doubles the risk of sudden infant death.
Children are also likely to be more vulnerable to the impact of passive smoking than adults. They have quicker respiration rates, smaller airways and less mature immune systems, and are therefore more at risk from exposure to smoke in an enclosed space.
So why should the focus be on preventing smoking where children are present?
Unlike other groups, children are least likely to have a say as to whether they are exposed to passive smoking in a vehicle.
It seems very unfair that while, for instance, they are being driven to activities like football, swimming or dancing, so many of our children have no choice about having their present and future health put at risk through exposure to secondhand smoke.
It’s the view of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland that legislation to protect children from passive smoking in vehicles is the best way forward.
Our vehicles are already well regulated. There are laws to prevent us from using mobile phones while driving, and to make us wear seat belts. We think there should also be a law to stop people from smoking in cars where children are present.
And that’s not just our opinion. Last year, a survey found that 79 per cent of Scottish adults – including 67 per cent of those who smoke – support a ban on smoking in vehicles where there are children under the age of 18.
We would like to see the law reflect that strength of public feeling, and that’s why we are supporting Jim Hume MSP’s proposed Member’s Bill to ban smoking in cars where children are present.
I urge you to read his consultation at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_MembersBills/Smoking_in_cars_consultation_S4.pdf and if, like us, you want to protect kids from the effects of secondhand smoke, you can help by expressing that support. The more people who respond to the consultation, the more likely the legislation is to be passed.
Similar legislation has been successfully introduced in other parts of the world. Most parts of Australia are covered by laws protecting children from tobacco smoke in cars, and bans have also been implemented in most of Canada and several states in the US.
They’ve been effective too – in Nova Scotia and Ontario, self-reported exposure to passive smoking by children reduced by over a quarter after the legislation was introduced.
While this proposal focuses on the effects of secondhand smoke on young people, it may also encourage the adults they are travelling with to cut down or to quit altogether.
Every year, there are around 13,000 deaths in Scotland that can be attributed to smoking, and more than 56,000 hospital admissions, costing our NHS over £300 million. These are figures that should shock us all.
That’s why BHF Scotland is also working in other ways to reduce the harm that tobacco does in our society. In March every year, our No Smoking Day offers encouragement and support to smokers who want to quit.
We are campaigning for the introduction of standardised “plain” tobacco packaging to reduce the appeal of tobacco and help prevent future generations of young people from taking up smoking. The UK government is dragging its heels on this important issue and, if they don’t introduce standardised tobacco packaging, we want to see the Scottish Government do so.
Over the last decade, Scotland has led the way for the rest of the UK in introducing measures to tackle the damaging effects of tobacco.
At BHF Scotland, we’ll do whatever we can to make that continue. Because coronary heart disease is still Scotland’s single biggest killer. And the most important thing anyone can do to improve their own heart health, and protect the heart health of their children, is to stop smoking – or to not start at all.
As parents, we always want what’s best for our children. And no responsible parent would ever encourage their child to smoke cigarettes.
But look around you today as you go about your business, because every day, around 60,000 kids in Scotland breathe in someone else’s tobacco smoke while travelling in a vehicle.
Passive smoking, also called secondhand smoking, presents a serious health risk. It’s estimated to cause approximately 11,000 deaths a year in the UK. Passive smoking has been linked with a 25 per cent increased risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.
As well as these longer term risks, there’s a much more immediate health risk to children. Breathing in secondhand smoke is especially harmful because it increases their risk of a number of significant health problems, including lower respiratory infections, wheezing, asthma, middle ear disease and bacterial meningitis. And it more than doubles the risk of sudden infant death.
Children are also likely to be more vulnerable to the impact of passive smoking than adults. They have quicker respiration rates, smaller airways and less mature immune systems, and are therefore more at risk from exposure to smoke in an enclosed space.
So why should the focus be on preventing smoking where children are present?
Unlike other groups, children are least likely to have a say as to whether they are exposed to passive smoking in a vehicle.
It seems very unfair that while, for instance, they are being driven to activities like football, swimming or dancing, so many of our children have no choice about having their present and future health put at risk through exposure to secondhand smoke.
It’s the view of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland that legislation to protect children from passive smoking in vehicles is the best way forward.
Our vehicles are already well regulated. There are laws to prevent us from using mobile phones while driving, and to make us wear seat belts. We think there should also be a law to stop people from smoking in cars where children are present.
And that’s not just our opinion. Last year, a survey found that 79 per cent of Scottish adults – including 67 per cent of those who smoke – support a ban on smoking in vehicles where there are children under the age of 18.
We would like to see the law reflect that strength of public feeling, and that’s why we are supporting Jim Hume MSP’s proposed Member’s Bill to ban smoking in cars where children are present.
I urge you to read his consultation at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_MembersBills/Smoking_in_cars_consultation_S4.pdf and if, like us, you want to protect kids from the effects of secondhand smoke, you can help by expressing that support. The more people who respond to the consultation, the more likely the legislation is to be passed.
Similar legislation has been successfully introduced in other parts of the world. Most parts of Australia are covered by laws protecting children from tobacco smoke in cars, and bans have also been implemented in most of Canada and several states in the US.
They’ve been effective too – in Nova Scotia and Ontario, self-reported exposure to passive smoking by children reduced by over a quarter after the legislation was introduced.
While this proposal focuses on the effects of secondhand smoke on young people, it may also encourage the adults they are travelling with to cut down or to quit altogether.
Every year, there are around 13,000 deaths in Scotland that can be attributed to smoking, and more than 56,000 hospital admissions, costing our NHS over £300 million. These are figures that should shock us all.
That’s why BHF Scotland is also working in other ways to reduce the harm that tobacco does in our society. In March every year, our No Smoking Day offers encouragement and support to smokers who want to quit.
We are campaigning for the introduction of standardised “plain” tobacco packaging to reduce the appeal of tobacco and help prevent future generations of young people from taking up smoking. The UK government is dragging its heels on this important issue and, if they don’t introduce standardised tobacco packaging, we want to see the Scottish Government do so.
Over the last decade, Scotland has led the way for the rest of the UK in introducing measures to tackle the damaging effects of tobacco.
At BHF Scotland, we’ll do whatever we can to make that continue. Because coronary heart disease is still Scotland’s single biggest killer. And the most important thing anyone can do to improve their own heart health, and protect the heart health of their children, is to stop smoking – or to not start at all.
Smoking ban could expand across Irving
Melvin Lamene III, owner of Po' Melvin's, placed a nonsmoking sanction
on his restaurant in January. The city of Irving's Health Board
Committee has drafted a proposal to change the city's current smoking
ordinance to prohibit smoking in bars, sports cafes, private clubs,
patios, at the Irving Convention Center and more.
Cigarette Smoking Guide
Terminology
- What do the numbers mean?
- The numbers like "100's" and "120's" refer to the length of the tobacco rod in millimeters.
- What is the difference between menthol and... whatever they call non-menthol cigarettes?
- The other kind of cigarettes are called 'non-menthol' or regular. The difference is menthol cigarettes have a major non-tobacco additive that make them minty tasting. Very few people enjoy switching from one type to the other... but I do.
- Menthol, and Regular... is there anything else?
- You bet there is! The next major 'flavor' is Clove. You know cloves...
the spice they put on hams - well, turns out they can be mixed with
tobacco too! Some brands are extremely strong. Djarium Black is not
something one should smoke while driving... or walking. Find a nice
place to sit down first. Seriously, you'll thank me.
Most known menthol cigarettes are Kiss Menthol cigarettes. - Menthol, Regular, and Clove... I got it.
Wait there are tons more! Most are self-explanatory; cherry, chocolate,
orange mint, mango, et al. One good one worth explaining is Perique. The
only brand I know that uses this is American Spirit. It has a quite
different taste that I describe as "vaguely cucumber-y... in a good
way".- Does filter/non-filter make a difference?
- Oh MY Yes! Non-filter cigarettes come in short stubby packs, and don't have a filter end. You can light either end - I choose the end that looks most cohesive to stick in my mouth. Non-filter cigarettes are a completely different smoking experience. They are very easy to inhale from (no resistance from a filter). It is almost as easy as breathing through a straw. The amount of actual smoke you get is much higher (none is absorbed by the filter). If you are just starting - DO NOT start on non-filter cigarettes. Try one after you get a few packs down. Non-filters have tar and nicotine levels 30-45% higher than their filter counterparts.
- What about Lights, Mediums, Ultra Lights, and all that?
- I'm not sure exactly how lower tar and nicotine levels are produced, but I suspect it has to do with the filter. Lights typically have 50-70% the level of nicoine, Ultras have about 30%.
- Why would I want Lights? Aren't I just getting less smokey goodness?
- Some people find "full flavored" to be too harsh. Other people think they are doing something 'good' for themselves. Most of the time people will just smoke more Lights, or inhale deeper to get the nicotine levels they want. Buying lights is like getting a Big Mac with a Diet Coke. If you like the taste of Diet Coke; Good for you! But the meal is still fattening.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Altria Group Inc plans to introduce an electronic cigarette
Altria Group Inc. (MO),
the largest seller of tobacco in the U.S., plans to introduce an
electronic cigarette this year, chasing smaller rivals as demand for
traditional smokes declines.
The electronic cigarette will be sold in an undisclosed market starting in the second half of the year, Richmond, Virginia-based Altria said today in a statement. The company plans to discuss the plans further in a presentation in June.
Chief Executive Officer Martin Barrington is trying to catch up to smaller rivals such as closely held NJOY and Lorillard Inc. (LO), which says its blu eCigs brand controls more than 40 percent of the U.S. market. The push comes after Altria’s first-quarter U.S. sales volume tumbled 5.2 percent, with top-selling Marlboro slipping 5.5 percent.
Altria “should be able to use its significant resources to quickly establish itself as a significant player given its dominant sales force and retail coverage,” Christopher Growe, a Stifel Financial Corp. analyst in St. Louis, said today in a note. He recommends buying the shares.
Altria rose 1.2 percent to $35.94 at the close in New York. The shares have advanced 14 percent this year, compared with an 11 percent gain for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
Altria may eventually acquire an electronic cigarette company, similar to how it entered the smokeless tobacco industry by buying snuff maker UST Inc. in 2009, said Kenneth Shea, a Bloomberg Industries analyst in Skillman, New Jersey.
Barrington declined to comment on the conference call today whether Altria was considering a takeover, saying the company doesn’t speculate on potential acquisitions. He also declined to discuss whether the company may be able to use its current brands on electronic cigarettes and whether the company may advertise them on television.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is evaluating how to regulate e-cigarettes. The agency’s rules will dictate how Altria markets the product, Barrington said.
Altria today also said first-quarter net income rose 16 percent to $1.39 billion, or 69 cents a share, from $1.2 billion, or 59 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding some items, profit was 54 cents a share, topping analysts’ average estimate of 53 cents. Revenue slipped 2.1 percent to $5.53 billion.
Along with Altria’s decline, first-quarter cigarette shipments also slid at Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Reynolds and Greensboro, North Carolina-based Lorillard.
The electronic cigarette will be sold in an undisclosed market starting in the second half of the year, Richmond, Virginia-based Altria said today in a statement. The company plans to discuss the plans further in a presentation in June.
Chief Executive Officer Martin Barrington is trying to catch up to smaller rivals such as closely held NJOY and Lorillard Inc. (LO), which says its blu eCigs brand controls more than 40 percent of the U.S. market. The push comes after Altria’s first-quarter U.S. sales volume tumbled 5.2 percent, with top-selling Marlboro slipping 5.5 percent.
Altria “should be able to use its significant resources to quickly establish itself as a significant player given its dominant sales force and retail coverage,” Christopher Growe, a Stifel Financial Corp. analyst in St. Louis, said today in a note. He recommends buying the shares.
Altria rose 1.2 percent to $35.94 at the close in New York. The shares have advanced 14 percent this year, compared with an 11 percent gain for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
Altria may eventually acquire an electronic cigarette company, similar to how it entered the smokeless tobacco industry by buying snuff maker UST Inc. in 2009, said Kenneth Shea, a Bloomberg Industries analyst in Skillman, New Jersey.
Acquisition Route
“It certainly has the financial flexibility to go the acquisition route,” Shea said by telephone. The company had cash and cash equivalents of $3.78 billion as of March 31, up from $2.9 billion on Dec. 31.Barrington declined to comment on the conference call today whether Altria was considering a takeover, saying the company doesn’t speculate on potential acquisitions. He also declined to discuss whether the company may be able to use its current brands on electronic cigarettes and whether the company may advertise them on television.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is evaluating how to regulate e-cigarettes. The agency’s rules will dictate how Altria markets the product, Barrington said.
Altria today also said first-quarter net income rose 16 percent to $1.39 billion, or 69 cents a share, from $1.2 billion, or 59 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding some items, profit was 54 cents a share, topping analysts’ average estimate of 53 cents. Revenue slipped 2.1 percent to $5.53 billion.
Displacing Cigarettes
Lorillard CEO Murray Kessler told analysts yesterday the company estimates that electronic cigarette sales displaced consumption of about 600 million cigarettes in the first quarter. That translates to an annual rate of about 2.4 billion cigarettes, accounting for about 1 percent of the U.S. market, according to Shea.Along with Altria’s decline, first-quarter cigarette shipments also slid at Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Reynolds and Greensboro, North Carolina-based Lorillard.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Hollywood Celebrities Offered New Innovative Quit Smoking Program to Deter Young Fans from Lighting their First Cigarette
Freedom Laser Therapy, Inc., of Los Angeles utilizes celebrity gifting suites to provide hundreds of celebrities a new method to stop smoking. The goal is to help ensure that celebrities’ young fans never pick up their first cigarette and ultimately avoid developing an addiction to nicotine http://freedomquitsmoking.com/celebrities/
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 13, 2013
Knowing that as high as 50% of celebrities’ young fans pick up their first cigarette after seeing their favorite movie or TV actor smoking on screen, Freedom Laser Therapy is committed to assisting celebrities in kicking their smoking addiction in 10 days with their new at home Freedom Quit Smoking System. The Freedom System includes a relaxation headset, nicotine craving reduction control spray, a therapy CD, antioxidant supplements, Freedom Aversion therapy wristband, and additional antismoking support materials.
Most of celebrities love to smoke cigarettes.
Most of celebrities love to smoke cigarettes.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Tobacco Twp. seeking injunction against Boyce Hydro
As Boyce Hydro faces orders from the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to comply with dam repairs in order
to meet safety standards, Tobacco Township has filed a complaint in
Gladwin County’s 55th Circuit Court to try to keep the company from
starting those repairs without first guaranteeing that they have the
funds to complete them.
Best info about cigarettes click here.
Best info about cigarettes click here.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Pictorial warning on tobacco packets may get further delayed
The deadline for warnings was moved for the fifth time in two years from December 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009.
Manufacturers were to prominently display a skull-and-bones sign, a warning saying tobacco and smoking kills along with images meant to dissuade smokers.
Sources told TOI the decision was driven by the market recession, which would have got worse for cigarette manufacturers if graphic warnings were to become mandatory.
Manufacturers were to prominently display a skull-and-bones sign, a warning saying tobacco and smoking kills along with images meant to dissuade smokers.
Sources told TOI the decision was driven by the market recession, which would have got worse for cigarette manufacturers if graphic warnings were to become mandatory.
Smoking kills 2500 Indians everyday
According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) - India 2010, tobacco use is a major preventable cause of death and disease and is responsible 1 in 10 death among adults worldwide. Approximately 5.5 million people die around the world every year - with India accounting for nearly a fifth of this.
Shekhar Salkar, general secretary of National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Watch out, e-cigarette smokers – you're inhaling the unknown
Doctors are desperate to drive down the £5bn a year that smoking-related illness costs the NHS. Anything that could help smokers quit would be welcomed. But e-cigarettes aren't a medicine. There's a reason you buy them from a newsagent rather than get them on prescription. E-cigarettes may look legitimate, but they haven't been through the same stringent safety checks as medicated nicotine replacement therapies.
Reverse engineering the marijuana 'munchies:' What causes binge eating?
Natural marijuana
includes many different potentially active compounds, and one of them --
rather than THC -- could be responsible for this effect. One potential
candidate is a substance called cannabidiol, which also affects
cannabinoid receptors, but in a different way from the way THC or
rimonabant does.
Another possibility
involves tolerance: repeated use of a drug can make receptors less
sensitive over time. "The most likely explanation is that prolonged
cannabis use causes the (receptors) to lose sensitivity and become
inactive," says Daniele Piomelli, a professor of pharmacology at the
University of California, Irvine, who was not associated with the new
research.
Best info about cigarettes click here.
Best info about cigarettes click here.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Mainstream Vaccination Support: Another Chapter in an Old Story
Despite a mounting and impressive body of evidence of the dangers and harm associated with vaccinations coming from both within and outside the mainstream medical community, much of mainstream medicine and the agencies that serve it continue to maintain that vaccinations are not only safe, but that we face grave dangers if we don`t vaccinate ourselves, our children and our elderly.
The continued denials and the push for more vaccinations, including going as far as requiring mandatory vaccinations of young school girls based on disputable evidence, is nothing new. Sadly, it is just another in a series of less than praiseworthy chapters that have marked how mainstream medicine has allowed advertising and hype to mislead and failed to serve those entrusted to its care. Whether it be a physically or psychologically addictive drug, a drug we have been psychologically coerced into taking, or one we have even been legally compelled to take, mainstream medicine has followed the money at the expense of our health.
Around the
The continued denials and the push for more vaccinations, including going as far as requiring mandatory vaccinations of young school girls based on disputable evidence, is nothing new. Sadly, it is just another in a series of less than praiseworthy chapters that have marked how mainstream medicine has allowed advertising and hype to mislead and failed to serve those entrusted to its care. Whether it be a physically or psychologically addictive drug, a drug we have been psychologically coerced into taking, or one we have even been legally compelled to take, mainstream medicine has followed the money at the expense of our health.
Around the
Why are men and women smoking cigarettes while serving in the military?
The following is a recent interview with retired Navy Commander Donald E. Minnich, who smoked during service for 20 years, and who served in three wars, including WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
Reporter: "So you were in WWII and you smoked? When did you actually start smoking?"
CDR Minnich: "I served in WWII, at the end, aboard the U.S.S. Pine Island (AV12) in Antarctica, in 1946. I started smoking before I joined the Navy at age 17. At enlistment, I was up to about half a pack a day - they were Camels. In Hawaii, around 1951 - 1952, I quit cold turkey, mainly because I was on the swim team and going to the gym. In 1955, though, I began again, and increased how many I smoked due to my stressful job in engineering - running the plant on the ship. Over time, I was on three different destroyers, and got up to smoking two packs a day."
Reporter: "And how about when you were in Korea and Vietnam?"
CDR Minnich: "I was in Korea around 1950, on a ship headed to the Philippines. I got stationed at the American Embassy. I was smoking a pack a day then - Camels, no filters. I was then stationedon USS Genesee, a gas tanker, which had a crew of about 80, of whom at least 60 percent smoked, and they were all pack-a-day smokers. Smoking was never allowed on deck, only inside. I was commissioned (as officer) in 1955.
I quit smoking in 1963 in Washington, D.C., while on shore duty. At that time I was smoking two and a half packs a day, but I quit cold turkey. After that, I never smoked again."
Reporter: "What about smoking on the ship and on land, isn't it a hazard that would give away position, from the heat, the smoke, the light from the lit end?"
CDR Minnich: "The Navy has what is called a 'smoking lamp,' which signifies when the crew can smoke and when they cannot.
Reporter: "How do the military get their cigarettes?"
CDR Minnich: "Oh, well, cigarettes are pretty easy to come by, I mean, they're at the bases, at ports and in towns, where they were pretty cheap, and just about everywhere."
Dangers and statistics
Those Who Smoke Cigarettes the Most are Often Mentally Ill
The rate of tobacco smoking is much higher among those with mental
illness than among the general population, and those who are mentally
ill also smoke more cigarettes and have more trouble quitting, according
to a Washington Post editorial by Steven A. Schroeder, director of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center.
In
the United States, between 50 and 80 percent of all people with mental
illness are smokers, whereas only 20 percent of the general population
smokes. Those with mental illness also smoke more cigarettes per day
than other smokers, and are more likely to smoke cigarettes all the way
down to the filters. The combination of these two factors means that 44
percent of all cigarettes sold in the United States are sold to people
In
the United States, between 50 and 80 percent of all people with mental
illness are smokers, whereas only 20 percent of the general population
smokes. Those with mental illness also smoke more cigarettes per day
than other smokers, and are more likely to smoke cigarettes all the way
down to the filters. The combination of these two factors means that 44
percent of all cigarettes sold in the United States are sold to people Friday, April 5, 2013
Philip Morris International, raised full-year profit forecast
Philip Morris International, raised full-year profit forecast
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 17 morning news, the tobacco giant Philip Morris InternationalInc. on Wednesday (11.16) raised 2011 earnings expectations, mainly on account ofstrong growth in developing markets.
The company expected its full-year earnings per share from the previous 4.75 - $ 4.80raised to $ 4.85, higher than the accepted average, analysts polled by FactSet expected $ 4.82.
In addition, the company said, unless unforeseen major obstacles, or 2012 adjustedearnings per share will grow 10 - 12% of the target.
The next five years, the company expects not including the U.S. cigarette industry sales will grow 1.3% annually, thanks to Chinese and non-OECD market growth.
Imperial Tobacco to join the ban on tobacco trademarks sue the Australian government ranks
Imperial Tobacco to join the ban on tobacco trademarks sue the Australian government ranks
Imperial Tobacco Australia Limited on December 6 in the High Court of Australia, Australia's restrictions on tobacco packaging accused of trademark law is unconstitutional.
Imperial Tobacco is the producer of West cigarettes, Gauloises cigarettes.
Imperial Tobacco is the producer of West cigarettes, Gauloises cigarettes.
Malta for young women sponsored anti-smoking campaign
Malta for young women sponsored anti-smoking campaign
Since 2006, Malta's continued growth in female smoking rates, while the male smoking rate continued to decline.
Recently initiated a health promotion organization for young women's anti-smoking campaign.
Malta country each year about 500 people die from smoking.
Many people start smoking age is very small. 10% of boys and 4% of girls under the age of 11 start smoking. To 13 years old, more children start smoking, the percentage of 24%, respectively, for boys and girls 23%. To 15 years of age, smoking accounts for about 49% of girls, more than 42% of boys.
In the "under 16-year-old smoking law" countries, such data is very surprising.
Director Charmaine Gauci health promotion organization, "said Dr. smoking women suffering from heart disease 40% higher than average risk, while fertility declined 28% in women smoking during pregnancy and the menstrual cycle can cause various complications, and the appearance of women, especially the skin and hair, there are a lot of damage. "
Marlboro reviews.
Marlboro reviews.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
What are Private Brands?
ometimes referred to as house brands, private brands are product brands that are owned by the retailer instead of the entity that produces the product. The concept of private branding is not new and is used in many different industries. Most people are used to seeing the private or store brands displayed alongside national brands on the shelves of supermarkets, pharmacies and many other retail chains.
The concept of private brands has been around for many decades. As early as the middle of the 19th century, there is evidence of the first major department stores contracting with suppliers to private label some of the goods that were sold on store shelves. The trend has continued on to this day, with some of the most well-known retailing entities sometimes attracting customers based on the quality of their house or store brands as well as their selection of national brands.
Retailers who market private brands benefit from the activity in several ways. First, there is no need to establish manufacturing facilities in order to produce the goods or services offered. The retailer does not have to hire additional employees, deal with the acquisition of raw materials, or arrange for storage space for finished goods until they are sold to a customer. Because someone else is dealing with details of that type, the overhead for the retailer is significantly less than if the business attempted to produce the goods on its own.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
E-cigarette company to launch TV advertising campaign
An e-cigarette company is set to test the UK's almost 50-year ban on promoting smoking on TV, with a controversial advertising campaign telling smokers of the virtues of puffing on a product that uses nicotine.
E-Lites, which makes electronic cigarettes which do not contain tar but do use addiction-forming nicotine, is to launch a national TV advertising campaign on Saturday, 19 January.
Waterloo Road actor Mark
E-Lites, which makes electronic cigarettes which do not contain tar but do use addiction-forming nicotine, is to launch a national TV advertising campaign on Saturday, 19 January.
Waterloo Road actor Mark
Poorly conducted research is a gift to the opponents of tobacco control
While our genes may
well interact with the environment we live in, statistically modelling
this is fraught with difficulty. Photograph: Matt Morton/PA
A recent research paper has suggested that the reason tobacco
control policies do not work for everyone could be down to genetics.
Blanket policies are unlikely to ever reach everyone, and evidence of
their lack of success is often seized upon by those who believe any
attempt at tobacco control is "nanny state nonsense".
But how likely are these genetic results to be true? The research, conducted in the USA, compares rates of smoking, amount of taxation on cigarettes (which varies widely between states, from 2 cents per pack to 56 cents) and a gene that has been linked to how much people smoke. The results showed that current levels of smoking were associated with variation in the gene, and also with the amount of taxation.
That's not really a surprise. Where taxes were higher, there was less smoking. What was a little more surprising was that people with one variant of the gene were less likely to be smokers when taxation was higher, whereas those with another variant didn't differ as much in smoking status depending on taxation levels.
But how likely are these genetic results to be true? The research, conducted in the USA, compares rates of smoking, amount of taxation on cigarettes (which varies widely between states, from 2 cents per pack to 56 cents) and a gene that has been linked to how much people smoke. The results showed that current levels of smoking were associated with variation in the gene, and also with the amount of taxation.
That's not really a surprise. Where taxes were higher, there was less smoking. What was a little more surprising was that people with one variant of the gene were less likely to be smokers when taxation was higher, whereas those with another variant didn't differ as much in smoking status depending on taxation levels.
Can genetics help explain why some policies only work on some people?
Suzi Gage wrote an article describing a study I recently published in PLOS ONE
that shows new evidence of why tobacco taxation policy effects may have
stalled in the US. The novel aspect of the paper is that it is the
first to explicitly examine whether genetic variation may partially
explain the different reactions of people when faced with higher taxes.
Tobacco control policymakers face a puzzle in that some people seem not to care about high prices on cigarettes – they continue to smoke in the face of higher and higher rates. My paper suggests that genetic differences, which could be measuring differences in the pleasure people receive from nicotine consumption, may be partially responsible for the reactions (and non-reactions) we see in the world to tobacco taxes. The main finding is that people who are at high genetic risk of being a smoker seem to be unpersuaded by higher taxes.
Gage
Tobacco control policymakers face a puzzle in that some people seem not to care about high prices on cigarettes – they continue to smoke in the face of higher and higher rates. My paper suggests that genetic differences, which could be measuring differences in the pleasure people receive from nicotine consumption, may be partially responsible for the reactions (and non-reactions) we see in the world to tobacco taxes. The main finding is that people who are at high genetic risk of being a smoker seem to be unpersuaded by higher taxes.
Gage
Monday, February 18, 2013
Smoking Problems in Europe
For a continent that spearheaded workplace smoking bans and slaps
some of the highest tax rates on cigarette sales of any region in the
world, Europe has a serious smoking problem. In 2011, according to a
report commissioned by the European Union and carried out by auditing
firm KPMG, one in ten Winston cigarettes
sold in the 27-nation bloc was contraband–that’s around 65 billion
cigarettes. Making matters more difficult is the growing influx of
so-called “illicit whites,” which are legally manufactured in places
like Ukraine and Russia under brand names like Jin Ling and Raquel, then
smuggled into the EU duty-free, according to the study.
The influx of smuggled cigs has implications not just for public health–cheap smoking products which widely thought to establish with high smoking rates–but also for tax revenues. At a time when many member states are desperate for cash, the report estimates the EU’s annual losses from contraband cigarette sales at €11 billion. While some of the findings have been questioned by independent tobacco-industry analysts, there is no denying the scale of the problem. Here in Brussels, where the Russian border is 900 miles away and tobacco taxes relatively low, vendors outside a weekend market make their rounds, mesh bags full of contraband cartons slung from their shoulders. Your correspondent was able to purchase a pack of what appeared to be Dutch Marlboros for €3.00 ($3.69)–40% percent off the cigarettes online store price.
The seller had no Jin Lings on hand, but that would seem an anomaly. Illicit whites, according to the report, make up 24% of all illegal cigarettes, up from 4% just five years ago. The EU’s anti-smuggling strategy has changed significantly over the last decade, with Brussels shifting from confrontation with the cigarette companies to something closer to collaboration. Early last decade, Brussels sued Philip Morris for secretly encouraging the smuggling of its own cigarettes.
The influx of smuggled cigs has implications not just for public health–cheap smoking products which widely thought to establish with high smoking rates–but also for tax revenues. At a time when many member states are desperate for cash, the report estimates the EU’s annual losses from contraband cigarette sales at €11 billion. While some of the findings have been questioned by independent tobacco-industry analysts, there is no denying the scale of the problem. Here in Brussels, where the Russian border is 900 miles away and tobacco taxes relatively low, vendors outside a weekend market make their rounds, mesh bags full of contraband cartons slung from their shoulders. Your correspondent was able to purchase a pack of what appeared to be Dutch Marlboros for €3.00 ($3.69)–40% percent off the cigarettes online store price.
The seller had no Jin Lings on hand, but that would seem an anomaly. Illicit whites, according to the report, make up 24% of all illegal cigarettes, up from 4% just five years ago. The EU’s anti-smuggling strategy has changed significantly over the last decade, with Brussels shifting from confrontation with the cigarette companies to something closer to collaboration. Early last decade, Brussels sued Philip Morris for secretly encouraging the smuggling of its own cigarettes.
People Worldwide Consume Tobacco Products
A new Lancet research reveals that there are more smokers worldwide
than previously thought and that the global tobacco burden may have been
underestimated. In the light of these revelations, does India need
tighten its anti-tobacco campaign? The new study showed that over half
the world's population consumes discount cigarettes.
That's approximately 852 million people worldwide according to the new
estimates. 661 million worldwide smoke and 247 million are smokeless
tobacco users, 206 million in India alone. China has maximum consumers
at an estimated 301 million.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Where to Get Cheap Cigarettes
Nowadays, you are able to buy cigarettes online like purchasing other
varying products. Besides, it is more interesting, and it is possible to
purchase cheap cigarettes utilizing the web. It is also possible to
come across numerous online stores of that type, which provide all
famous brands, including Magna and Capri. Thus you can have a
magnificent possibility to buy cheap cigarettes. Well, it is possible to
choose the best ones.
Important Things to Know
Important Things to Know
How to Buy Cheap Cigarettes
At the moment it is possible to buy cigarettes online like purchasing other varying things. What's more, that may be more interesting, so you are able to obtain cheap cigarettes using the internet. It is possible to come across varying internet stores of that type, which offer almost all well-known brands, including Dunhill cigarettes and Chesterfield cigarettes. Thus you may have an incredible possibility to buy cheap cigarettes. For sure, you may go for the best products.
Positive Sides
Once you clearly buy cigarettes online, there is no question of the unavailability of any exact brand or pricey costs. Obtaining cheap cigarettes on the internet you are able to have a magnificent chance to benefit from diverse discounts, since these are duty free. However, it is necessary to choose a reliable website.
Once you register, you must provide your personal information, such as your phone number, in order to assist in delivering these items. There is no need to worry about this, as such internet stores are reliable ones, so your personal information will not be given to anyone else.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Directors locked up over tobacco heist
THREE directors of a local company, Ticoz Protection Services, yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, after a tobacco firm — Savanna Tobacco Holdings — lost consignments worth over R5 million to robbers in South Africa.
REPORT BY CHARLES LAITON SENIOR COURT REPORTER
The three Hosea Manzunzu (46), Tarwireyi Tirivavi (48) and Tinashe Cosygene Dekeya (35) were not asked to plead when they appeared before Anita Tshuma, who remanded them in custody to today, after their lawyers argued against their placement on remand.
According to the State, the three directors allegedly acted in connivance with one Edmore Muronzereyi — at large — after tasking him to collect details of vehicles leaving and entering Savanna Holdings. The information was later conveyed to robbers who waylaid the trucks in South Africa between August and September this year. The State alleges the three were at one point employees of a local firm, Forest Security, a company once contracted by a South African firm, Forensic Security to carryout surveillances on all the country’s tobacco manufacturing firms.
Savanna tobacco heist: director freed
The Attorney-General’s office (AG) on Friday withdrew charges against a local company director facing allegations of conspiracy to commit robbery in a case where Savanna Holdings lost tobacco consignments worth over R5 million to hijackers in South Africa between May and August.
REPORT BY CHARLES LAITON SENIOR COURT REPORTER
Ticoz Protection Services director Hosea Manzunzu was released after a night behind bars.
But his co-directors Tarwireyi Tirivavi and Tinashe Cosygene Dekeya remained in custody after Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma dismissed an application challenging their placement on remand.
They were remanded to January 4 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Four Main Stages of Smoking – It Can be Quick to go from Curiosity to Addiction
Every smoker has their particular story of how they progressed
through their habit. Although everyone has their own distinctive
progression there are a few primary stages of using tobacco that most
smokers go through.
Stage 1 – Experimentation
This is the way each and every smoker begins. Either through curiosity or peer pressure, and typically at a young age new smokers start by way of experimentation. They may want to fit in with a group of new friends, look cool, be rebellious or just see exactly what the big deal is all about smoking. Numerous new smokers never make is past this phase. Frequently cigarette smoking makes them feel sick or they come to their senses and know that it’s not for them. A lot of people do make it through this particular phase and smoking cigarettes becomes a larger part of their life.
Stage 1 – Experimentation
This is the way each and every smoker begins. Either through curiosity or peer pressure, and typically at a young age new smokers start by way of experimentation. They may want to fit in with a group of new friends, look cool, be rebellious or just see exactly what the big deal is all about smoking. Numerous new smokers never make is past this phase. Frequently cigarette smoking makes them feel sick or they come to their senses and know that it’s not for them. A lot of people do make it through this particular phase and smoking cigarettes becomes a larger part of their life.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Australia passes plain-packaging cigarette law
Australia is to become the first country to enforce the plain packaging of cigarettes but tobacco companies have vowed to fight the new legislation in court.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Phone Text messages Used as Smoking Cessation tool
Text messages could become a vital smoking cessation
tool, research carried out by multiple US universities has indicated.
Because cell phones are now such a regular feature of our everyday lives
–and because many people possess phone deals that give them unlimited
text messaging – the researchers argue that text messages can be used as
a cheap and convenient method of amassing data about Doina smoking
habits.
They say that by encouraging smokers to send a few texts each day which detail their smoking behaviours, health experts can help to monitor and assess the frequency of patients’ cigarette smoking sessions.
They say that by encouraging smokers to send a few texts each day which detail their smoking behaviours, health experts can help to monitor and assess the frequency of patients’ cigarette smoking sessions.
Cigarette Consumption Down in Turkey
According to figures by the TAPDK, the amount consumed in 2010 decreased to 93.5 billion Winston cigarettes and the figure was 107.5 billion in 2009.
Consumption of cigarettes decreased by 15 percent in 2010 compared to 2009 in Turkey.
Consumption of cigarettes decreased by 15 percent in 2010 compared to 2009 in Turkey.
Changes Made to Golden Valley Tobacco Licensing Ordinance
The Golden Valley City Council has updated the city’s definition of tobacco products to include items such as electronic cigarettes and significantly raised fines for noncompliance. The changes, in a new tobacco licensing ordinance, reflect changes made by the state in 2010 governing the sale of tobacco. “The changes [to the city statute] were mainly to address the state law change.” Councilmember Mike Frieberg said. “It’s good we’re updating the ordinance to match modern reality.”
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
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