Smoking Warnings on Cigs Packs, Canada News

Warning labels covering 75% of cigarette packs in Canada are now the fourth largest in the world, according to an international report released Wednesday by the Canadian Cancer Society. The report, which ranked 198 countries and jurisdictions on the size of cigarette warning labels, was unveiled at a Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Seoul, South Korea. "Increasing the size increases the effectiveness of the warning. That's been demonstrated by countless research studies," said policy analyst Rob Cunningham. Canada was the first country to require picture warnings on 50% cigarette packages in 2001. But in 2010, the Canadian Cancer Society ranked Canada fifteenth for its warning labels prior to new rules unveiled by the government in 2011.

Altria Waste Smokers Money

Stock buybacks are generally considered a bullish signal on Wall Street. They return capital to shareholders, while declaring management's belief that its own cheap shares are its best return on investment. As long as profits remain consistent, share repurchases can even increase earnings per share, by dividing the same amount of earnings among a smaller pool of shares outstanding. But don't forget -- a company isn't obligated to repurchase shares just because it announced its intention to do so. So don't use the announcement as a reason to buy by itself, rather use it as a launching pad for additional research. Tobacco giant Altria (NYS: MO) saw profits tumble 44% as it recorded a $0.28-per-share charge from extinguishing high-cost borrowings and substituting in lower-cost debt. Backing out those charges, however, saw earnings match expectations of $0.58 a share, but that hasn't helped its stock, which has fallen 12% from the 52-week highs it hit back in August.

Tobacco Use and Sugar

Is sugar the new tobacco? That’s a question with a growing buzz around the nation, especially after the City of New York’s bold move to ban large, sugary beverages in restaurants, cafes and movie theatres. By now it’s no secret. It’s a known medical fact that sugar is packed not only with nutritionally “empty” calories but it’s a veritable appetite stimulate. Some even argue that sugar is an addictive drug and should be regulated just like alcohol or tobacco. A study released by the American Health Trust this September found Michigan to be the fifth fattest state in the union.