Japanese Cigarette Maker Examined by EU

A Japanese cigarette manufacturer is being probed by European Union anti-fraud investigators amid accusations that it smuggled cigarettes to Syria despite sanctions upon that country, EU officials confirmed on Tuesday. "We have an investigation going on. These allegations concern a number of items, among them smuggling," Johan Wullt, a spokesman for the anti-fraud office OLAF, told dpa. He declined to give any more details, including information on how far the investigation into Japan Tobacco Inc (JTI) has progressed. A spokeswoman for the EU‘s executive, the European Commission, noted that the independent OLAF "doesn‘t investigate sanction breaches as such," but would focus on smuggling allegations, "including smuggling that would involve the breaching of sanctions."

Smoke-Free Carolina Beach

Although it's not time to put out the cigarettes just yet, Carolina Beach is one step closer to becoming the state's first smoke-free beach. The Carolina Beach Town Council voted 4-1 Tuesday evening to pass an ordinance to ban smoking on the beach with an effective date to come from the state legislature. Mayor Ray Rothrock voted against the move, saying he wanted to focus instead on beefing up a litter ordinance rather than an outright ban. Councilman Lonnie Lashley made the motion and included the provision about the effective date in response to legal advice that suggests the beach does not fall under the state's definition of public grounds. The beach is not enclosed and therefore cannot be subject to local enforcement of such a law without enabling legislation from the General Assembly.

Smokers Liquidate Smoking Habit

An initiative to stop people smoking is said to be working. Stop Smoking Wales has said 16,000 smokers were given an appointment to attend a the six- week behavioural support programme in the past year. Of those, 8,000 went on to six-week programmes in their area to help them quit. The figures are included in the free NHS service's annual report. It said a rise in calls was also seen after the installation of a telephone system in August, 2011. There were 28,000 calls, twice the number of received in 2008/09. The report also said how nearly 700 health and community workers had been trained in a short course to help smokers, and an e-learning module had been launched for this training which also helped them offer further advice in aiding smokers who wished to stop. According to the report, help has also been given in hospitals after they joined with Stop Smoking Wales. Hospitals have been advising of the risks of smoking and the effects it has post-operation. Midwives have also been continuing their work with patients who are pregnant, a program which was started in 2009/10. Dr Hugo Van Woerden, director of health and healthcare improvement for Public Health Wales, said: "This report demonstrates the progress made in specific priority areas in maternity services with pregnant women who smoke and in pre-operative patients who smoke and who are waiting for surgery.

Tax Increase Don’t Cause Contraband Cigarette

Tax rises have not led to increased smuggling of tobacco, according to Customs’ statistics. Earlier this week documents from the New Zealand Customs Service were made available, showing that increasing tobacco taxes have not led to a rise in the black market trade of cigarettes. According to the Customs Service, no significant seizures of cigarettes have been made in New Zealand in the three years ending 2010, indicating that the rising tobacco taxes have not lead to illegal imports of cigarettes. The Service claimed that the illicit trade of tobacco products in New Zealand largely revolves around individuals bringing small amounts of cigarettes into New Zealand when they arrive back into the country after traveling.

Cigarettes Taxes and Smoking Rates

In a surprise move last night, Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz signed an amendment to the excise and purchase tax order, which immediately raises taxes on cigarettes and beer. A 10% tax is also being imposed on stocks of cigarettes already held by businesses. The new taxes will earn the government extra annual revenues of between NIS 700 million and NIS 1 billion. Under the terms of the order, tax rates on cigarettes will rise from 260.6% to 278.6%. The expected influence of the tax will be to add NIS 2.4-2.9 per pack of cigarettes.

Pennsylvania Smoke-Free Parks

Pennsylvania is considering a ban on cigarette smoking at state parks. The plan is still on the drawing board. But officials say it’s a possibility after complaints from park goers about smoking and cigarette butts littering the landscape. After weeks of warm weather, the beach at Ricketts Glen State Park in Luzerne County has been a popular place and the remains of smoking park-goers are easy to find. There are cigarette butts on the beach. There are butts in the picnic areas. There are butts in many parts of the park. “They clean it and you can still see some around and it’s just not like, it doesn’t fit the environment, you know,” said Nicholas Kinney of Forty Fort. A state spokesperson said complaints about all the butts are the main reason a smoking ban is under consideration. Second hand smoke is a concern too.

Cigarette Sales Prohibited in Schools

Retail sale of cigarettes or “yosi by tingi” should not be allowed in schools, said an official of the Catholic Church. Father Conegundo Garganta, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Youth (CBCP-ECY), said the ban on cigarette sale, especially its retail sale, should have been implemented a long time ago in schools for it exposes and encourages the youth to smoke. “This should have been done long ago. This should have been included in banning around schools practices and vices that exposes the youth to vulnerability,” Garganta said. Garganta said since cigarette sticks only cost around R2.50 each, any student can very well afford to buy it.