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.

Tobacco Advertising Stricter, Australian Consumers

Australian consumers are still subjected to tobacco advertising despite strict legislation, through pro-smoking smartphone apps with global reach, according to a study from the University of Sydney. Sydney University has claimed the easy availability of pro-smoking apps with global reach is in violation of Australia's ban on tobacco advertising. "The regulation of these apps is lagging behind the legislation in Australia and many other countries which ban tobacco advertising including through the internet and virtual stores," said Nasser Dhim, lead author of the study and a PhD candidate from Sydney University's School of Public Health. "This is despite the fact that the Apple and Android app stores have the technological infrastructure to block the sale of apps in accordance with local laws. As we show in our study Apple has already used this technology to ban access to certain content on its app store, in both China and Saudi Arabia."

No Secondhand Smoke in San Rafael, Tobacco-Free Policy

In San Rafael, California it now illegal to smoke cigarettes in multi family homes including duplexes and condominiums. Reuters reported that the 57,000 populated town of San Rafael in Northern California has created the ban, voting unanimously and hope to set an example. Mayor Gary Phillips said before they voted to Reuters, "We are happy to blaze a trail. We're most happy to be in the forefront of the issue because we think it will greatly benefit our residents and those visiting San Rafael, and we think it will set the tone for other cities as well." Some, such as Stanford University history of science professor, Robert Proctor believe that the ban will spread to other cities. He said to Reuters, "We're on the downslope of a big curve. Smoking peaked in 1981 with 630 billion cigarettes sold in the United States. Now it's down to 350 billion. And that number will keep on going down until smoking is a distant memory."

Cigarettes Clients Age Limit Increased

Walpole’s Board of Health may consider upping the allowable age to purchase tobacco and cigarettes from 18 to 21 years old after hearing an area doctor’s plea Tuesday night. Dr. Lester Hartman, a physician at Westwood Mansfield Pediatrics, told the board he’s asking more than a dozen area towns to raise the age to curb teen tobacco use. “If we want to prevent addiction in children, this is what we need to do,” Hartman said. In October of 2010, Walpole was one of the first towns to ban the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products in pharmacies. Selectmen, police officers and school leaders are also focusing on youth substance abuse as of late, helping the coalition on drug and alcohol abuse take more initiative in the community. “As a town and board we’ve been very active in that area,” chairman Bill Morris said. Morris already expressed support for upping the age to 21. “I absolutely agree with you, and I don’t know very many adults who just decide to take up smoking,” Morris said. “It’s an intriguing concept.”

Smoke-Free City, Himachal Chewing Tobacco Banned

Gutka, Kheni and other tobacco products vanished from the shops in Himachal Pradesh as the ban on these goods came into force in the state today. A complete ban had been imposed on sale, manufacture, storage and distribution of tobacco products like Gutka, Kheni and Pan Masala in the state from Gandhi Jayanti, an official spokesman said. “A large number of customers are asking for Gutka whose sale has been banned now,” said a shop owner on the Mall Road here. The state government had taken the decision to ban Gutka and other tobacco products on July 13 this year.

Illegal Cigarettes Found in Hull

More than 60,000 illicit cigarettes bound for the UK have been seized by border officials at Port of Hull. Officers from Border Force found the haul concealed in a specially adapted lorry that arrived on a ferry from Rotterdam. The cigarettes were discovered hidden inside hollow metal beams underneath the trailer's load of wet wipe tissues. The lorry, which was travelling to Flint, Wales, was registered in Poland and had a Polish driver. The cigarettes, which totalled 63,680, were seized and will now be destroyed. Following investigation, no further action will be taken against the driver.

Tobacco Tax Raise State Revenue, Yunnan Authorities

The application by Yunnan authorities to sell 400,000 more cartons of cigarettes in order to raise tax revenue to spend on earthquake relief makes me feel very uncomfortable. At present, it's common to see local governments short of money. In the first seven months of this year, the national fiscal revenue increased 11.6 percent year-on-year. However, the growth rate dropped by 18.9 percentage points and the fiscal situation of local governments is not optimistic, with a deficit gap of 1.5807 trillion yuan ($249.6 billion). In cases of sudden disaster, local governments are very likely to be stretched in dispatching relief and financial resources. Therefore, it is reasonable for the Yunnan government to raise relief funds by using every means available after the earthquake. Nevertheless, we can't help suspect the real motives behind applying for an increased quota to sell more cigarettes are quite different.

Cigarettes Tax Hike Passes, Iowa Tobacco Retailers

Tobacco retailers on the Iowa side of the Missouri River could see a big boost in business as Omaha leaders consider a new cigarette tax. The proposal would add 35-cents per pack to the cost of cigarettes sold in Omaha, which Omaha Tobacco Outlet owner Bob Wagner fears will send his store’s profits into the ashtray. “Any tax is horrible,” Wagner says. “My customers are so price-conscious, if they can get a carton from a competitor of mine who is three miles down the road, I’m going to be hard-pressed.” Omaha leaders are considering the cigarette tax hike as a way to help pay for the construction of a new cancer treatment and research center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Maryland Proposes Tax on Tobacco Products

Tobacco, cigarettes are one of the major causes of today’s higher mortality rates, with several hundreds of youngsters falling into the habit of smoking each year. However, in order to tackle the conditions, governments have taken up several steps, be it banning smoking outdoors or in public areas or near schools or playgrounds, or the introduction of plain packaging. This new proposal suggested by Maryland government of imposing taxes on cigarettes, will surely bring about a significant change. Taxing can discourage the use of cigarettes, tobacco. The initiative will be beneficiary in three ways, health benefits, economically and also individual benefits.

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.

Tobacco Companies are Ceducing Women

Women and girls are lured into the habit by ‘superslim’ branding. The Irish Cancer Society held a conference in Dublin yesterday and told how one in three Irish women are believed to be smokers. They said females are key targets in an industry that needs to recruit new smokers to replace those killed by fags. Tobacco companies have developed brands to appeal specifically to ladies. Superslim cigarettes have been a key product — and packaging using light, feminine colors and names seen to be less harmful and more attractive. Kathleen O’Meara of the ICS said: “Big tobacco firms are misleading women with products which link smoking to femininity and sophistication. “We’re warning women and young girls that the tobacco industry is manipulating them into an addiction that kills one in two smokers. “We are now facing a lung cancer crisis.” More women are now dying in Ireland from lung cancer than from breast cancer. The disease killed 702 women in 2010 compared to 634 from breast cancer.

Social Smoking Very Popular, E-Cigs

Social Smoking wants to give smokers a choice with electronic cigarettes. They offer smokers a choice from cancer causing tobacco products. They are hoping to get smokers back into their social lives while allowing them to continue enjoying their smoking choice. Social Smoking is an electronic cigarette company out of Charlotte, NC. They want to help smokers kick their tobacco habit and get back into their social lives. The owners, being social smokers themselves, were concerned with not being able to continue their smoking lifestyle and hanging out with friends so they tried electronic cigarettes and were hooked.