Peninsula lawmaker's bill would crack down on retailers who sell cigarettes to kids

A retailer that sells cigarettes to kids has to get caught in the act eight times in two years before it could lose its tobacco sales license, and even then revocation is unlikely.
But a Peninsula lawmaker introduced legislation Friday intended to close what he described as a loophole big enough to "drive a tobacco truck through." Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, said AB 1301 would allow for a merchant to have his license suspended after thee violations in two years. Getting caught selling to kids five times in five years would make a store eligible for permit revocation.
The assemblyman's law would also get rid of a provision in the current law that requires a certain number of retailers be caught in a particular year before any licenses can be taken away. The magic number of store owners, as assessed by a yearly state department of health survey, is 13 percent. That threshold hasn't been hit since 2006, according to state records.
Hill, while speaking to about 45 elementary school kids at the Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club center in San Mateo, said the current law makes it almost impossible to crack down on retailers who sell to young people.
"I'm sensitive to the fact that the state has a lot of big issues going," he said, while flanked by a dozen San Mateo County law enforcement officials. "But when you look at the youth that are here today, you can't help but feel compelled to act."

E-cigarettes use increases among South Dakotans

Late one morning, Rob Steele strolled through the Valley Sports Bar with a cigarette tucked behind his ear.

Stopping at a table, he pulls out the cigarette, takes one or two puffs before sliding it back into place. There is no smoke, no smell and no ashes. No one in the bar even seems to notice.

Steele has joined the growing number of South Dakota smokers who have turned to electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes in order to abide by the new smoking ban.

"It's a good substitute, but it's not quite the same," said Steele, kitchen manager at Valley Sports Bar in Rapid Valley.

E-cigarettes are essentially small, battery-operated heating elements combined with a nicotine cartridge and an atomizer. When the person draws on the e-cigarette, the atomizer converts the nicotine in the cartridge into vapor. The nicotine-laced vapor is then inhaled into the lungs. When the person exhales, only odorless vapor is expelled.

The cigarettes are advertised as a way to get a nicotine fix without the smoke, smell and mess. Steele said the brand Valley Sports Bar sells, Green Smart Living, costs $10 a box for five nicotine cartridges. Each cartridge is the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes or 300 puffs, according to the Green Smart website.

Most e-cigarettes are designed to look like an actual cigarette, complete with a LED light that lights up whenever the smoker inhales. Some, however, are designed to look like pens or other objects.

E-cigarettes have been on the market for several years but have really taken off as more states have gone smoke-free. Last year, South Dakota did just that, outlawing smoking in all public places.

Since then, local bar owners have seen more people utilizing the smokeless product.

Pat Larsen, manager of Valley Sports Bar, said he has sold quite a few of the e-cigarettes and sees a fair number of people using them in his bar.

"We've had good response to them," he said.

Larsen has also noticed employees from such businesses as Rapid City Regional Hospital purchasing the e-cigarettes in order to comply with no-smoking policies at the work place.

Tracy Island of Deadwood Gulch Resort is surprised she hasn't sold more of the e-cigarettes but sees patrons on occasion using them.

Eric Brekke, sales coordinator at Deadwood Gulch, is a smoker and has begun to regularly use e-cigarettes while at work or in public places. Although he isn't trying to quit, he thinks the e-cigarettes are a great alternative.

"It will get me 8 to 10 hours stuck in an airport without wanting to hurt anybody," he said with a laugh.

Supporters of the e-cigarettes argue that they contain fewer chemicals than a tobacco cigarette, especially carcinogens. Tobacco cigarettes contain 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which are known carcinogens, according to Dr. Allen Nord, a Rapid City physician and an outspoken proponent of the smoking ban.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported in 2009 that tests showed that e-cigarettes do more than deliver nicotine to consumers. The FDA alleges they also deliver plenty of chemicals, including an ingredient used in antifreeze.

In September 2010, the FDA also announced it had taken action against five e-cigarette companies for poor manufacturing practices and unsubstantiated claims. The agency argued that the e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction and more studies are needed to prove safety.

Nord said e-cigarettes may be safer than tobacco cigarettes due to the decrease of many of the carcinogens, but they won't help with nicotine addiction issues.

"Nicotine is so outrageously addictive. It's not a bad habit, it's a drug addiction," he said.

Nicotine affects the human brain in the same way methamphetamine does, Nord said.

China's 300 million smokers face smoking ban in indoor public places

It can't be easy to persuade 300 million people to stop smoking. But China, the biggest producer and consumer of tobacco products, plans to take a step toward that goal May 1 with a ban on smoking in indoor public places.

The act would prohibit smoking inside places such as movie theaters, shopping malls, libraries and other places, though not workplaces. Anti-smoking signs in these areas also would be on display. This Reuters story, though, says China has been here before:

"In 2008, Beijing formally pledged to restrict smoking in most public venues in the city, including government offices and public transport, but most of these venues remain choked with smoke and non-smoking signs are routinely ignored."

Every day, tobacco-related illnesses kill about 3,000 of the 53% of men and 2% of women who smoke in China. Some say change is slow in coming, and education about health hazards isn't widespread.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that a 2010 survey of households says less than a quarter of adults believe that smoking caused strokes, heart attacks and lung cancer; and a quarter believe exposure to smoke caused those illnesses in children.

And this snippet from a China Daily story talks about seeing officials and party members lighting up outside recent meetings.

"At the Beijing Conference Center, some of the [Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference] members would take a walk to a nearby sitting area -- where a no-smoking sign hung on the wall -- to smoke. They'd soon be encircled by a group of journalists, who had to ignore the fumes while taking the opportunity to ask some questions."

Six lies about cannabis smoking

I saw an article on your site called Six lies about cannabis smoking by Mixey Blob

I know you say on your site that “The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Modernghana.com"; however, his “article” is unsupported across almost everything he's asserted, as it is simply wrong in 4 of his 6 “lies”. Given that we have spent over $US 2 Trillion dollars worldwide on effectively ruining lives, due to ignorant racist agendas at the core of Marijuana Prohibition, it makes his assertions both ignorant and poorly researched.

While I do not use marijuana recreationally, I have researched the subject extensively for about a year as part of a study-- reading many books, as well as DEA, FDA, US Government and various other studies (Harvard Medical, UCLA Med and many others). The reality is that Mixey Blob should have done some research on the subject before making such assertions. With the exception of the following 2 items, he is completely wrong. Also, the support criteria he uses are not valid, and shows that he didn't do any actual further research behind his article.

Unfortunately, instead of doing any actual research, he (or she, as the name is not clear as to sex, although it is derived from the concept of a plagiaristic mixing of content), instead has parroted myths taken substantially verbatim from NIDA and related sources.

I hope you have not paid for this piece, as he has posted it all over the web verbatim, where he has been shot down by a wide range of people, including medical researchers, LEAP law enforcement and DEA agents and a wide range of others.

5. About cannabis being addictive. Partially correct, as it is in fact addictive. However, the actual addiction potential inherent to Marijuana is not physiological in any significant way. It is actually less addictive than caffeine, chocolate and most foods. Also, almost all people in rehab for marijuana are there because they are given the option of going to jail or treatment. Given that the US alone spends over $US 32 billion each year federally, 22 Billion at the state level, and over 14 Billion each year on their overseas marijuana fights and other programs, as well as the fact that treatment centers make over $US 11 Billion on legally-mandated marijuana treatment, one has to be careful on taking any information from those who have such vested interests. At the very least, one should actually read a diverse set of studies, books and other information from well-respected sources, before coming to conclusions like his.

3. About Cannabis as a sexual enhancer/inhibitor.
“Cannabis can enhance sexual arousal in many people – to begin with. But research has proven that frequent smoking of cannabis will reduce the ability to maintain erection and enjoy sexual intercourse.”

This is another one that is at least partially correct and partially-supported. Obviously, bio and brain chemistry vary from person to person, and as such, play a role in whether it helps or hinders sexual response over time. However, as far as causing impotence, that assertion is based on a ONDEA myth, which has been debunked by a wide range of medical studies by well-respected medical research centers in the US and elsewhere. It was asserted by the ONDEA that about 1 out of 4 men become impotent due to long term marijuana smoking. However, this didn't take into account that 25% (1 in 4) of men suffer from impotence due to all sources. Based on this, researchers have found that Marijuana use did not interfere with sexual function in men to any statistically significant extent. Less study has been done with women, but the big longitudinal studies did not pick up on any statistically significant impotence factors or causality among men and women collectively.

East Bridgewater police bust teen for smoking pot near kids’ soccer practice

Police said an off-duty officer spotted an 18-year-old smoking marijuana in a dugout at the John L. Silva Sports Complex as children played nearby.
“There were kids at the playground and practicing soccer and baseball, right in the middle of the day,” East Bridgewater police Detective Michael Jenkins said.

Malcom Andrade, 18, of East Bridgewater, is charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute and committing a drug violation in a public park, Jenkins said.
Jenkins and Officer Joel Silva arrested Andrade about noon Saturday at the park, off Hobart Street.

School resource officer Mark Harvey, who was attending his son’s soccer practice, noticed the suspect smoking marijuana in the dugout area and called police, Jenkins said.
Police found more than an ounce of marijuana, a digital scale, and baggies in the backpack Andrade was carrying, Jenkins said.

Police have stepped up patrols at the sports complex, which includes basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball fields and an indoor hockey rink. Drug activity has been a problem there, Jenkins said.
“We’ve had numerous reports over the last few years of vandalism and kids smoking marijuana in that area,” he said. “We’re increasing enforcement in that area.”

Cigarette smoking increases by 10 per cent among Pakistani women

This was stated by Dr. Javaid A. Khan, a senior chest physician and researcher in his presentation during the 12th Biennial Convention of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) held in Hyderabad over the weekend.

“Tobacco is responsible for 100,000 deaths annually in Pakistan. The number of female smokers in their teens and twenties has increased rapidly. These women smokers are also going to face the same health issues due to tobacco usage as those being suffered by male smokers. Pakistanis in general consume Rs. 450 billion worth of tobacco annually and this trend needs to be curbed,” said Dr. Khan, a consultant chest physician, currently associated with the Aga Khan University Hospital.

In his key-note address on ‘Tobacco Control – Key to Disease Prevention’, he said, “The usage of tobacco in the form of Shisha or Hookah is gaining popularity among youngsters in urban areas of the country. However, it must be noted that smoking Shisha for an hour is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes in the same time. Since Shisha also contains nicotine and tar, it can lead to lung cancer and heart attacks. Its unfortunate that many people consider Shisha a non-hazardous leisurely activity.”

The chest physician referred to a WHO study that showed that parents who had 15 per cent acceptability for smoking cigarettes reflected over 70 per cent acceptability for Shisha smoking.

Dr. Khan deplored that in countries like Pakistan a single cigarette pack was cheaper than a loaf of bread and consequently smoking was getting popular among youth due to its easy availability and affordability.

“Appropriate and efficient measures to prohibit smoking and tobacco chewing will not only prevent deaths but also curtail heavy expenditure incurred on diseases caused due to consumption of tobacco and its bi-products,” he said.

He further added that Tarceva, a medicine used for the treatment of lung cancer, costs patients more that US$ 4000 per month, and is unaffordable for majority of Pakistani.

Meanwhile, a PIMA press release issued here on Monday stated that the two day 12th Biennial Convention of the Association concluded on Sunday evening at Hyderabad. The event was attended by renowned consultants, including Pediatricians, Cardiologists, Nutritionists, Oncologists, Gynecologists, Hematologists and other medical professionals. A large number of postgraduate students and pharmacists from all over Sindh also attended the moot.

Man taken to hospital after smoking potpourri

A 20-year-old man was rushed to Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis Saturday after smoking a cigarette he'd rolled filled with potpourri.
Wichita police were called to the man's residence in the 1000 block of South Millwood shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday. The man had gone shopping and purchased the potpourri at a business near Harry and Seneca, a friend told police. Upon arriving home, the man hand-rolled the potpourri into a cigarette and within five minutes was violently vomiting.
"The package on the product clearly stated this product is not safe for human consumption," said Sgt. Steve Yarberry, spokesman for the Wichita Police Department.
The man was rushed to the hospital.

Australia targets Aborigines in anti-smoking drive

Australia on Monday launched its first national health TV advertising campaign aimed at Aboriginal people, hoping to halve the 50 percent of indigenous people who smoke by 2018.
The government has already banned all shops from displaying cigarette packets and said the Aus$4 million campaign ($4.1 million US) would target the fact that 20 percent of Aborigines die from smoking related diseases.
"The statistics are alarming, but the message is simple: break the chain and give up a habit that will kill you," Health Minister Nicola Roxon said in launching the advertisements.
Smoking is the number one cause of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart problems among Aborigines, who have a much shorter life span than other Australians.
"Smoking kills. It's that simple," Indigenous Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon said.
"Our government is committed to halving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking rates by 2018."
The television commercials, which feature a young woman reflecting on her experience of having lost family to smoking-related disease, are the first indigenous-specific ads as part of a national health campaign.
"I was smoking for years too," the woman admits in the ad. "But I quit.
"'Cos I don't want our kids growing up thinking disease and dying like that is normal."
Australian Aborigines die up to 11.5 years earlier than their non-indigenous counterparts and are twice as likely to die as infants.

FDA panel weighs menthol cigarette ban

In crafting the 2009 tobacco law, Congress called for a ban on candy, fruit, spices and other flavorings in cigarettes because of their potential allure for young smokers. Menthol flavoring was not banned because declaring nearly one-third of the cigarette market illegal was thought to be too disruptive and politically unpalatable.

Menthol cigarettes also have a racial dimension: They are preferred by 80 percent of black smokers, and spokesmen for several black civic groups have stepped forward to assert that a ban would unfairly target black consumers.

A ban also is opposed by convenience store operators, who rely on menthol cigarettes for approximately 4 percent of their sales, according to the National Association of Convenience Stores.
The tobacco companies are expected to pull out all the stops to block or delay FDA action.

A ban on menthol could foreshadow an effort to restrict cigarettes' content of nicotine — the addictive component of tobacco — "and that's what the industry is really afraid of," according to Robert Proctor, a professor of the history of science at Stanford University, who has testified as an expert witness in litigation against tobacco firms.

The validity of the FDA panel's conclusions already has been challenged in a suit filed by tobacco companies Lorillard Inc. and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. It charges that three members of the advisory panel have conflicts of interest that taint the fairness of their deliberations.

Lorillard, Reynolds and Altria Group's Philip Morris USA all say that banning menthol would yield no public health benefit and create a black market that would fuel organized crime.

Lorillard gets about 90 percent of its revenue from a single menthol brand, Newport. Philip Morris and R.J .Reynolds have significant, but much smaller, stakes in menthol brands. Lorillard's shares ended Friday at $87.11, up 10.6 percent.

Anti-smoking groups aren't necessarily clamoring for a ban, either.

Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, said the FDA should impose changes in marketing or formulation to curb youth smoking and make it easier for African Americans to quit smoking.

But he added: "That may be a ban, or it may be something different."

Giving up cigarettes doesn't have to mean you'll pack on extra pounds

If you smoke, you probably already know that you should quit. And if a close friend or family member is the one who lights up, chances are you’ve already talked with them about quitting.
We can cite the list of reasons: Cigarette smoking is the single leading cause of preventable disease and preventable death, not to mention that it accelerates aging – both inside and out. Plus, it’s an expensive habit, averaging over $1,500 a year for a pack-a-day smoker.

There are more resources than ever available to help a person quit, yet an estimated 45 million – about 20.6 percent of U.S. adults — still smoke.
Fear of gaining weight is one potentially strong barrier. And for good reason. Researchers say that people who quit smoking can gain an average of 4 to 10 pounds – some as much as 30 pounds or more – with much of the weight put on within the first six months after quitting. Other studies, however, found that most people gain less than 7 pounds after kicking the habit.

But giving up cigarettes doesn’t mean that you’re destined for weight gain.
Understanding why extra pounds are associated with quitting smoking – and implementing a few key strategies – can help you prevent the extra pounds in the first place.

There are the obvious reasons:
Without cigarettes, many turn to food to satisfy the urge of having something to do with their mouths and hands. And if smoking was a way to deal with stress or boredom, to reward yourself, or just to pass the time, it’s easy to use food for these same reasons. Plus, your senses of smell and taste can improve in as little as 48 hours, so foods may actually taste better than they did when you were smoking.
Then there are the not-so-obvious causes of weight gain, like why carbohydrate cravings are so common among ex-smokers. One reason is that nicotine increases serotonin, a chemical in the body that helps provide a calming, “feel-good” sensation. So when a person stops smoking, they often crave carbs – sweet as well as savory – which also raise serotonin levels.

Nicotine also temporarily increases the number of calories burned, though it’s not clear exactly how much. One study showed a single cigarette to increase energy expenditure by about 3 percent within 30 minutes; another showed a 3.3 percent rise for three hours after smoking four cigarettes. Smoking regularly — about a pack a day — increased calories burned by about 215 calories according to one study, and by 10 percent to 16 percent in others.

Tobacco Coalition: 27-cent hike on cigarettes isn’t enough

Statewide Health Coalition Says Legislature Needs to go Higher than a 27-Cent Increase in the Tobacco Tax: A 10 Percent Price Increase is Needed to Reduce Smoking
MONTPELIER, VT – A coalition of public health organizations today said it’s good that the cigarette tax is now on the table before the Legislature, but the 27-cent increase proposed by the House isn’t enough because it will not reduce smoking in Vermont.

Members of the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont, including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids urged the Legislature to increase the tax by $1.00 to maximize the positive impact on public health. Established research has shown that a 10% increase in the total pack price would be the minimum needed to have any impact on reducing smoking rates and lowering health care costs in Vermont.

Given that the average pack price in Vermont is currently $6.50, the proposed 27-cent increase would not be expected to produce any benefit for public health. While Vermont used to be a leader in protecting kids from tobacco initiation, we now have fallen behind most of our neighbors and have not passed a significant increase in the cigarette excise tax since 2006.

Coalition Coordinator Tina Zuk said studies have repeatedly shown that a significant increase in the price of tobacco is the best way to prevent youth from smoking, but the increase must be high in order to serve as a deterrent to youth. “Over 6,000 kids currently smoke in Vermont , the youth smoking rate has flat-lined for the last five years and the smoking rate for high school seniors and young adults is over 20%. If we want to stop kids from smoking a twenty seven cent increase in the tax won’t do it. The data shows that a 10% increase in the price of tobacco reduces adult smoking by 3-5% and youth smoking by 7%.”

Demonstration shows dangers of discarding cigarettes

Fire officials issued a red flag fire warning on Wednesday, meaning conditions are ripe for brush and forest fires.

March is typically the beginning of fire season where weather conditions can make outdoor burning dangerous.

But forestry officials say one of the biggest problems during this season, is improperly discarded cigarettes.

"Until things get green again, these fires can jump from a roadside and just keep going," said NC Forestry Ranger Farrell Banks. Banks is referring to the practice of disposing of lit cigarette butts out a car window or carelessly thrown on the ground.

Banks says 15 percent of the 380 brush fires reported last year were due to carelessly discarded cigarettes. We set a burning cigarette on the ground to demonstrate how quickly they can ignite the surrounding brush.

After several minutes of smoldering, the cigarette ignited leaves and brush and quickly spread before Banks scraped it out with a shovel.

The demonstration shows clearly what officials try desperately to get across to people. Tossing tiny butts can cause big problems.

Vt. House passes $24 million in new taxes on health care, cigarettes

They're not cigarettes, but they're are close enough to catch the attention of Clark County Public Health.
E-cigarettes often look like normal cigarettes, but rather than burning tobacco, smokers puff on vaporized nicotine solutions. They're battery-powered and have a red LED at the end that mimics the burning tip of the real thing.
Health department leaders briefed the Clark County commissioners, who also act as the county's Board of Health, on the issue and proposed adopting an ordinance that would ban sale of the devices to people younger than 18.
The devices are often marketed as a way to quit smoking and are generally accepted to be much safer than real cigarettes – and without the secondhand smoke. But critics say “safer” doesn't necessarily mean “safe.”
“These products don't contain tobacco, so they aren't regulated as tobacco products are,” said Theresa Cross of Clark County Public Health. “In fact, they aren't regulated at all.”
The cartridges inserted into the cigarettes usually still contain nicotine, and there's no requirement that the packaging say how much.
The cartridges are also sold in flavored variants – which would be illegal if they were cigarettes – and in many jurisdictions, including Clark County, anyone can buy them.
“The only thing you don't have is a cartoon camel,” Commissioner Steve Stuart said. “It definitely leads itself to drawing kids in. And once they get into those, then now they have the habit.”
Cross bought an e-cigarette kit at at kiosk at the Westfield Vancouver mall. She said they're also sold at convenience stores in the county, along with the cartridges and flavoring.
It's also legal to use them anywhere, including public places where smoking cigarettes is banned by state law.
Earlier this year, King County banned e-cigarettes in all public areas, just like the state ban on cigarette smoking. County health officials there said it was a way to protect young people from nicotine addiction.
But the Clark County commissioners don't seem interested in a blanket ban on e-smoking in public places.
“The only ordinance I'm interested in is parity with other tobacco products,” Stuart said. “We do not need to tell businesses or adults what they can or can't do.”
Spokane County has banned sale of the devices to minors, closer to what Clark County will likely consider. The county also fines minors for possession of e-cigarettes.
Two of the three commissioners said they would consider such an ordinance, but Commissioner Tom Mielke – who smoked for most of his life and said he's all for helping people stop smoking – said he's not comfortable making on a ruling on e-cigarettes when it's unclear what their health effects might be.
“I'm not sure if it's the Board of County Commissioners to take the place of the FDA,” he said. “I have concerns over accepting this without knowing anything about it.”
The commissioners will hold a workshop to consider its options, and the county would also hold a public hearing on any ordinance.

Higher taxes on gasoline, tobacco expected

Premier David Alward's Tory government hasn't let much slip about tomorrow's provincial budget, but gasoline and tobacco are among the most likely targets for tax increases.

The premier and Finance Minister Blaine Higgs have promised not to raise the 13 per cent Harmonized Sales Tax, but there have been no such pledges about the gas tax and the tobacco tax - both significantly lower than in neighbouring Maritime provinces.

Kevin McCann, New Brunswick general manager for Wilson Fuel Co. Ltd., said he has been warning for the past six months that the gas tax was in the crosshairs of the new Tory government.

"They haven't had much discussion on it, and Alward has been pretty quiet about what's going to happen in the budget, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize they have to increase revenues and reduce expenses," McCann said.

"They've said they're not touching the HST. So the provincial gas tax could get them $40 million or $50 million pretty quick."

McCann said he thinks the increase will be in the four-cent range, possibly going to about 15.5 cents per litre from the current rate of 10.7 cents per litre.

Given that the gas tax in Nova Scotia is 16.5 cents, McCann said a four-cent increase in New Brunswick "would still keep us a penny or so lower than Nova Scotia."

McCann said an increase of any amount will have an impact on the provincial economy.

"There's no question a high pump price alters behaviour," he said. "People definitely start behaving differently with their vehicles. They stop going for Sunday drives, they cut down driving the second vehicle, if they have one, and they pick up groceries on the way home from work. There's no question there is as relationship, so as the price goes up, usage goes down."

And although the province isn't raising the HST, a higher provincial gas tax becomes part of a compounded price upon which the sales tax is charged - so higher pump prices will mean more HST revenue for provincial coffers.

"It's a tax on a tax," said McCann about the HST. "It's a double whammy."

For the first time, Alward warned New Brunswickers late last week to expect some pain in the budget as the Tory government begins its attack on a soaring deficit, now estimated at about $820 million, and a rapidly rising net debt, now more than $9 billion.

"We will have a strong start this year and we'll be coming forward with a long-term strategy," he said. "The plan will balance the need to reduce our spending and also (increase) revenues."

Don Desserud, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John and a veteran observer of provincial affairs, said he's not expecting a terribly painful budget from the recently elected Tories.

"I'm not anticipating a slash-and-burn budget," he said. "I don't know that this budget will deliver what they need. I'd be willing to bet the public will say, 'It's OK,' but the people who looking for economic stimulus or spending cuts - the people who are saying the government is bloated and they have to cut back on spending - they will not be happy and they will say this doesn't go nearly far enough and it's quite timid."

New Hampshire and Other States Move to Cut Tobacco Taxes to Increase Sales

There has long been an ironic relationship between states and tobacco. While insisting that they are raising taxes on tobacco to combat smoking, states have long been addicted to the revenue. Now, some states lowering taxes to encourage more smoking to generate more revenue to deal with budget shortfalls.


New Hampshire is the latest such state. Facing lower taxes in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, the legislators want to get in on the profits from smoking. A bill would cut the rate 10 cents to $1.68 per pack.

Tobacco sale register set for launch

TOBACCO retailers in the Lothians will be able to sign up for Scotland's national tobacco register from April 1, it has been announced.
Under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010, as part of a wider revamp of tobacco sales law, retailers must register to sell cigarettes. Registration is free and retailers have until October 1 to do so.

The Act introduces new offences of proxy purchase and underage purchase, which both come into force on April 1. It will make it an offence for someone to buy cigarettes for under-18s.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison said: "For the first time, this legislation sets out for retailers the documents acceptable as proof of age to be used where there is doubt that a customer trying to buy tobacco is over 18. Making it more difficult for children to obtain cigarettes will help to discourage them from smoking."

Join UHS in the Fight Against Tobacco Use

On Wednesday, March 23, the Team Act Cessation Center, located at the UHS Stay Healthy Center in Oakdale Mall, Johnson City, will have a special, tobacco-cessation information table set up to provide materials and resources to those interested in quitting tobacco. In addition, the first 100 people who stop by the booth during the hours of 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. will receive a free, quit tobacco survival kit. Those interested in quitting may also be referred to the New York State Smokers Quitline, which can provide free starter kits with nicotine patches to eligible smokers. The activities are being held to commemorate Kick Butts Day, a day of activism during which children and teens across the nation rally against the tobacco industry.

“While Kick Butts Day is typically recognized as an initiative to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, it’s also a great time to encourage all tobacco users to try to quit — regardless of their age,” says Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Coordinator of the Team Act Cessation Center Wendi Hamm, RN. “One of the most effective ways to prevent our children from using tobacco is to help the adults in their life quit. Tobacco dependence is a chronic disease and people afflicted with it need to know that help is available for them,” she adds.

Statewide, every year:
· 25,500 people die from smoking
· 2,500 people die from secondhand smoke
· 570,000 people are afflicted with a serious disease caused by smoking
· 2,400 New Yorkers under age 18 become new, daily smokers

Kick Butts Day, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, is working to change these statistics.

LARGEST GATHERING OF E-CIGARETTE CONSUMERS TO

On Friday and Saturday, March 25th and 26th, people who quit smoking with the help of e-cigarettes will meet at "Philly Vapefest" at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport in Pennsylvania. users, who refer to themselves as "vapers," are coming from all over the world to attend.
Hosting the event is the National Vapers Club, a consumer-based, volunteer organization that has local chapters throughout the country. The group was formed to educate smokers, the public, legislators, and public health organizations about e-cigarettes.

"The response to 'Philly Vapefest' has been overwhelming," said Spike Babaian, of National Vapers Club. "Vapers believe, as do many health experts, that e-cigarettes are saving their lives and they want to come together to celebrate that. With the number of vapers growing exponentially, I believe the event will be a great success."

Bill Godshall of Smokefree Pennsylvania said, "You would never see a bunch of people who quit smoking using a nicotine patch getting together to express their enthusiasm and excitement about the patch. People are amazed at how easy this device makes it to transition from smoking to vaping."

Philly Vapefest is sponsored by more than a dozen e-cigarette vendors who will demonstrate and sell products at the event. There will be prizes throughout the day.

Mike Mullins of DigitalCiggz, an e-cigarette vendor in California, said, "I'm really excited to be able to attend this event. I look forward to mingling with our customers, who feel our products have made a tremendous difference in their lives."

Public health professionals will speak about e-cigarettes at Vapefest.

Carl V. Phillips MPP PhD, Director of TobaccoHarmReduction.org, says, "I think there's absolutely no doubt that it is a safer alternative to regular cigarettes. Our estimate is that it is probably in the order of 99 percent less harmful than smoking."

"Electronic cigarettes show tremendous promise in the fight against tobacco-related morbidity and mortality," said Dr. Michael Seigel of Boston University's School of Public Health.

Philly Vapefest is the third national gathering of e-cigarette users in the United States and occurs twice annually. Details can be found at Proceeds from the event are used to further e-cigarette research and activism.

New York Considers Hiking Cigarette Tax…Again

Despite the economic climate and anti-tax wave rolling across the country, New York is once again proposing tax hikes on tobacco. Senate Bill S. 2981 would add an additional $1.65 tax to the already staggering $4.35 the state levies in taxes on a pack of cigarettes—a move likely to upset smokers in the Empire State and potentially deliver little additional revenue to the state’s coffers.

Since raising its tobacco tax last year, New York has seen cigarette sales plummet, as of November 2010, by a whopping 27 percent. Meanwhile, both Pennsylvania and Vermont have seen their cigarette sales rise as New Yorkers looking for a bargain have crossed the border to load up on smokes, thus depriving the state of revenue some had hoped would help it close its yawning budget gap.

Some observers believe that this time, if another hike is put through, the state could actually lose money. Several Northeastern states– New Jersey, New Hampshire and Rhode Island– have been exploring the idea of reducing the tax they levy on each pack of cigarettes to spur economic recovery and enhance revenues. A recent study conducted in New Hampshire demonstrated that a 10 cent cut could result in additional tax money flowing to the state’s treasury.

With study after study showing that tobacco tax increases act like tax cuts (i.e., as the tax goes up, the revenue derived from it falls), New York would do well to consider following suit. But don’t bank on it happening anytime soon.

Support for plain cigarette packets in Guernsey

The UK government is currently considering removing the branding from cigarette packets.

It follows a decision to ban tobacco displays in shops, something the States of Guernsey agreed to in July.

Dr Stephen Bridgman said plain packaging would make cigarettes less appealing to children.

He said: "The evidence suggests it would be something to protect children.

"I think we need to remember that in the Bailiwick of Guernsey smoking still remains the most important cause of preventable ill health and death.

"So I think anything that helps restrict children picking it up has got to be good thing in the long run."

Company Supports E-Cigarette Awareness Promotion in Times Square

Earlier this week an e-cigarette awareness group known as National Vapers Club furnished an ad in Times Square with the purpose of raising awareness about electronic cigarettes. New York City lawmakers put a bill through legislation that would ban cigarettes from being used in public parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas including world famous Times Square. Since that time, a debate has arisen on smoker’s rights. This piece of legislation has opened Times Square vendors and visitors to the prospect of using electronic cigarettes which are still legal in these places. The ad furnished by National Vapers Club suggests to visitors the option of using e-cigarettes.

The ad is rehashing debate between those who support and oppose electronic cigarettes: E-cigarette companies and advocacy groups on one side and New York legislators and the Food and Drug Administration on the other. E-cigarettes are hand-held electronic devises that produce liquid vapor instead of smoke.

One of the companies supporting the ads, South Beach Smoke, released a statement this morning claiming, “The National Vapers Club has made a bold statement for e-cigarette fans everywhere, and we fully support their awareness campaign”. There is no word yet on whether the National Vapers Club plans on extending their campaign or furnishing more ads in public places, but their website claims the group already has,
“….actively helped prevent bans on indoor use and sale purchase of e-cigarettes in 7 states and 2 countries….has helped many local vapers clubs get set up and have their first meetings…. put out numerous press releases to mass media lists”

South Beach Smoke, one of the e-cigarette companies supporting the National Vaper Club commented on the club by stating, “This club is made up on e-cigarette enthusiasts who want to get the word out about these fantastic products. They are doing a fantastic job and all of us here at South Beach Smoke support them 100%”.
South Beach Smoke is an electronic cigarette company based out of Miami Beach, Florida. Formed in 2010, the company has quickly become one of the premier electronic cigarette companies in the country.

Underground factory making counterfeit cigarettes raided in Fujian

A FACTORY making counterfeit cigarettes, hidden deep underground in southeast China's Fujian Province, was raided by the authorities, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.

The factory was more than 6 meters beneath the ground in Yunxiao County. It had a storehouse of 20 square meters and a complete production line covering the whole cigarette manufacturing process.

The raid last month was led by the Ministry of Public Security and tobacco authorities. Fake brands discovered included Hongtashan and Double Happiness.

Making fake cigarettes is a lucrative business. Production machinery costs 250,000 yuan (US$38,050) and can churn out 20,000 cartons of fake cigarettes a day. Producers can recover the initial investment in just six weeks, Xinhua reported.

By the time the joint investigation team from the ministry and Fujian Tobacco Monopoly Bureau reached the factory in the recent raid, workers there had already fled.

The production of fake cigarettes in Yunxiao County began in 1993 and grew rapidly. There were complete and professional manufacturing lines in almost every village.

In 1997, when the illegal industry was at its peak, a total of 2.5 million cartons of counterfeit cigarettes were produced in the county every year, among which 80 percent were Yunnan brands. The local tobacco industry was badly hit by the influx of fake cigarettes on to the market, Xinhua reported.

Following a concerted crackdown on the industry from around 1999, the business went underground to avoid raids.

Typically, the entrance to an underground workshop is hidden beneath a gas stove or toilet. Villagers have built houses with walls and floors that can be removed, revealing a path to the factory.

The local government no longer considers such houses to be residential buildings. Once they are discovered, the buildings will be torn down.

Store loses $1,285 worth of cigarettes to theft

Someone used a large rock to break the front glass of Clemmer’s Country Store on Monday and steal 300 packs of cigarettes valued at $1,258, according to a Gastonia police report.

The incident took place at 11:54 p.m. Monday at the store located at 109 E. Hudson Blvd., according to the report. The thief took an assorted number of Marlboro and Newport cigarette packs.

The incident also caused $400 damage to the store’s front door.

TEENAGER CHAMPIONS FIGHT FOR PLAIN CIGARETTE PACKS

Anti-smoking campaigner Ayiesha Emms, 16, is fronting Smokefree North West’s campaign to remove tobacco displays and introduce plain packaging on cigarettes.

The proposals also form part of the government’s new tobacco plan, which was announced this week to coincide with No Smoking Day on Wednesday.

It is hoped that the measures would help existing smokers kick the habit and stop younger people taking it up.

Ayiesha has added her voice to the campaign as part of her work with Smoke and Mirrors, Smokefree North West young person’s action group made up of 14 to 18-year-olds from across the region.

The health and social care student at Furness College attended a protest campaigning for plain packaging on cigarettes, and addressed an international tobacco control conference last year.

She said: “I agree with the plain packaging for the sole purpose of there not being any attention drawn to the display and this hopefully making young people less inclined to allow themselves to be exploited by shiny packets or limited edition pink cigarettes.”

Professor John Ashton, director of public health for NHS Cumbria, said: “It’s a positive step to see that the government is taking the issue of smoking seriously, and acting to try and reduce the influence that the tobacco industry has on young people.

“Every year around 900 people in Cumbria die from a smoking-related illness and we know that the majority of smokers start in adolescence.

“The tobacco industry then works harder to recruit new smokers to replace those it looses, so tackling this issue is one of our biggest public health issues.”

Andrea Crossfield, director of Smokefree North West said: “The government has proved its commitment to putting children’s health before tobacco industry profits and should be congratulated for doing so.

“We look forward to the UK being the first country in Europe to put tobacco in plain packs, setting the standard for others to follow and for paving the way for making smoking history for all our children in the North West.”

Cigarette tax scandal blown out of proportion

When the opposition Pheu Thai Party takes the government to task for its mishandling of the Bt68-billion cigarette tax issue this week, the public will likely hear charges of the government's tweaking of the legal process to end disputes with US tobacco giant Philip Morris. The no-confidence debate starts today and runs until Friday.

The cigarette tax story started in 2006 when Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was told to examine an allegation that Philip Morris had under-declared the value of its products imported into Thailand. According to King Power, the Thai duty-free retail operator, the price of its Philip Morris cigarettes was about Bt27 per pack, but another importer, a unit of Philip Morris, declared similar products at a price of only about Bt7 per pack. In other words, there was a value discrepancy of around Bt20 per pack, prompting the Thai authorities to accuse the US firm of massively under-declaring the value of its products to evade taxes.

But there was an explanation that the price of around Bt27 per pack was based on supplies from Malaysia, while the latter price of about Bt7 was based on supplies from the Philippines. One was a retail price and the other was wholesale. Yet, Thai authorities came up with the figure of Bt68 billion by multiplying Bt20 by the number of cigarette packs imported into the country by Philip Morris at the time.

While the case was still pending, Philip Morris placed a guarantee of around Bt2 billion with Thai customs authorities in order to get its products released from warehouses for domestic sale. This sum has already been returned to Philip Morris, according to a Thai official.

However, the case is still not closed and might be further complicated by this week's censure debate. On the one hand, the DSI earlier attempted to charge the US firm with falsely stating the value of its imports, thus causing damage to Thailand. On the other, Thailand recently lost a case against the Philippines at the World Trade Organisation regarding the valuation of cigarette imports for tax purposes. Thailand is meanwhile lodging an appeal with the WTO.

In the Thai taxation court, Philip Morris also filed a lawsuit against the Thai Excise Department, which is responsible for collecting excise taxes on cigarettes and other special products. The court acquitted the Excise Department, but Philip Morris has since lodged an appeal, which is pending.

The DSI has not decided whether it will pursue further legal action against Philip Morris by itself, after public prosecutors in January this year said they had dropped the charges against the US tobacco firm.

Given this, the opposition has accused Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Kiat Sithi-amorn, the president of the Office of Thai Trade Representatives, of interfering with the legal process via public prosecutors to aid the US firm.

Besides the alleged government interference issue, the opposition will also have to convince the public during the censure debate in Parliament that the Bt68-billion in damages allegedly caused by import undervaluation is really the big issue. At face value it may look like the government has lost a huge amount in tax revenue, but the tax calculation method may still be open to question.

More importantly, the credibility of both Prime Minister Abhisit and chief Thai trade representative Kiat - who allegedly has played a leading behind-the-scenes role in ending some of the disputes between Thailand and the US tobacco giant in return for some unspecified favours - is at stake.

In addition, Philip Morris has threatened to file counter-suits against Thai authorities for causing damage to its reputation.

Thousands of illegal cigarettes seized

Over 30kgs of tobacco, 11,600 counterfeit cigarettes, counterfeit packaging and duty stamps were discovered at a flat on the Antrim Road on Tuesday afternoon.

The haul of illicit hand rolling tobacco and cigarettes is worth almost £7,000 in unpaid duty.

It is believed the tobacco and cigarettes originated in China, however, investigations are continuing.

Michael Connolly, HMRC's Assistant Director of Specialist Investigations, said: "Cheap tobacco may seem like a bargain at the time, but this tobacco was packaged in less than ideal conditions".

"Tobacco factories like this are packaging low quality tobacco and I'd urge people to be wary - if you're offered tobacco at a price that seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Raise cigarette tax $1 to fund road plan

In a pinch, swapping one sin tax for another — on cigarettes instead of video poker and booze — strikes us as a good idea.

A recent state appellate court decision has thrown a monkey wrench into Illinois’ $31 billion capital construction program.

The court tossed out the revenue package for the construction program, ruling that it violated a provision in the Illinois Constitution that appropriations bills deal with only one subject.

The Illinois Supreme Court may yet reverse that ruling, but in the meantime vital road and bridge projects are in jeopardy — unless the state can find another way to pay for them.

Senate President John Cullerton has proposed a sensible way to keep funding flowing until the legal challenge is resolved. He would increase the state’s cigarette tax by $1, to $1.98 per pack.

The estimated $300 million a year in new funds generated would offset the lost revenue from video poker and higher liquor taxes that were struck down by the appellate court.

As we’ve said before, we’re no fans of video poker. Our worry is that the expansion of video gambling would only funnel new revenues to the mob. So any attempt to make the state less reliant on it sounds like a winner to us.

Increasing the cigarette tax, if it discourages smoking, also has a public health benefit.

As it stands now, Illinois’ cigarette tax is lower than that of 31 other states, according to a 2010 report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Raising the tax by $1 might lead some Illinois residents to buy their smokes in Iowa, Indiana or Missouri, where they can get a better deal. But the tax would still be lower than that of Wisconsin, Michigan and several other states.

Sin taxes can be hard to justify. If people don’t want to give up smoking, drinking or some other vices, that’s their business. But we would argue that the social cost of cigarettes makes it one “sin” too great to ignore.

The proposal to increase the cigarette tax might come up for a vote in the Senate as early as today. Lawmakers shouldn’t hesitate to pass it.

Kundapura: Robbery of Cigarettes worth 22 lakhs from shop

Even before people could forget the recent huge robbery, another robbery in the middle of Kundapur city taken place on 14th March night from a shop robbing cigarettes woth rupees 22 lakhs. Near the new bus stand, robbers broke into a shop K. Padmanabha Kamath and robbed about 53 boxes containing cigarettes. The value of these cigarettes has been estimated as rupees 22 lakhs.

Though there were grocery items other than cigarettes at Padmanabha Kamath shop and also there were 80 boxes of cigarettes in storage, only 56 cigarette boxes were being robbed, which has caused curiosity. Robbers seem to have come in vehicle and robbed the shop.

The shop is only few meters away from the Kundapura Police Station and even till late night people move around in this place. But still the robbery has taken place by breaking the shutter lock. The robbers have taken the broken locks along with them, which is surprising.

Upon receiving the news of the robbery, Kundapura Sub Division A.S.P. Ramnivas Sepath, Circle Inspector Madan Gavkar, Kundaapur Crime S. I. Thimmappa Shetty came to the spot and made enquiries.

Also, police dog team and finger prints experts have come to the spot and have begun the inspection. As per the complaint given by the shop owner K. Ramachandra Kamath, the case has been registered at Kundapura Police Station and the investigation by the police is in the process.

Florida's Prisoners To Be Denied Cigarettes

As our own Michael Cohen reported here, Florida's prisons shall soon be smoke-and-tobacco free! (Check out his column for the deets.) Todd Wright, writing for NBC Miami, admirably captured what must be every semi-sane person's reaction to this news, writing:

Violence inside state prisons might go up a notch after the state announced it plans to ban smoking for inmates ... Without cigarettes, what will inmates use to trade with each other or pay as a fee for protection or other services? All of a sudden, commissary cookies are going to become a hot commodity.

As will black market snuff, natch.

You can understand why the Department of Corrections Secretary, Edwin Buss, a Rick Scott appointee late of Indiana, would think this is a swell idea. You can also understand why some might think it's anything butt.

PRO: Getting rid of tabacky will cut down on inmate illness. Since prisoners, unlike non-criminals, get government-run healthcare, this is good news for tax payers and weak-lunged inmates.

CON: Inmates will live and eat government provided-meals, on average, 13 - 15 years longer than their nicotine-gobbling fellow prisoners in other states. This is bad news for tax payers and suicidal inmates.

PRO: Once our inmates have washed the nicotine out of their systems -- a process which takes two to three weeks of white-knuckled craziness and misanthropy -- their brain chemistry will normalize, and they'll be mellower than those of us whose sanity depends upon semi-hourly puffs.

CON: But man oh man! What about in the interim? There were five smokers in my family's home in Wilton Manors. When we all tried to quit at once, back in 2001, the atmosphere in that house would have struck fear into the heart of the hardest con. I have vague recollections of my dear sweet Mum, dressed in a nightgown, waving a meat cleaver around the kitchen and singing Blondie's "One Way Or Another." She might have just been cooking. I don't know. The memory of the whole doomed experiment is hazy. I remember that we decided to start smoking again after we watched Danny DeVito's War of The Roses on cable and felt creeped out, like he was making a movie about us.

Warning over fires caused by cigarettes

Firefighters are reminding smokers that careless disposal of cigarettes is the single biggest killer in house fires across the country.

Habits such as smoking while drinking alcohol in the home, or lighting up in bed, are responsible for a third of all accidental house fires resulting in deaths in England, according to the latest government figures.

The warning comes during the run-up to No Smoking Day, which takes place today (Wednesday 9 March 2011).

National figures show that in 2009-10, 2,232 house fires were caused by smokers' materials, leading to 76 deaths and 586 injuries. In the area served by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, there were 23 fires and one injury.

Community safety manager Terry Ridgley said: "Although our figures are low, the risk is high.

"If you are planning to give up on 9 March, we wish you every success. For smokers who are not ready to kick the habit, we urge you to follow some simple safety advice to help prevent a fire at home."

Shop sold cigarettes to 16-year-old boy

A CONVENIENCE store owner has been fined after a staff member was caught selling cigarettes to an under age boy.

At Bolton Magistrates Court, Andrew Morris, prosecuting on behalf of Bolton Council, told how Trading Standards officials recruited a 16- year-old boy to make test purchases of cigarettes at premises on Bolton.

On August 11 last year, he walked into the S and S Mini Market, in Deane Road, Bolton, and was sold a packet of 10 cigarettes by sales assistant Miroslava Barosova.

The court heard that Barosova, aged 23, had only begun working at the store two days earlier and had not received any proper training about asking for identification before selling cigarettes and there were no signs up in the premises about the issue.

Barosova, of Cestrian Street, Great Lever, and shop owner Handren Mustafa, aged 42, of Holme Street, Great Lever, pleaded guilty to selling tobacco to a person aged under 18.

Mustafa was fined £300 and must pay £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge and Barosova was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and must pay £100 costs.

New cigarette machines roll past taxes

The Hollywood Liquor Store in Northeast Portland installed Oregon’s first RYO Filling Station machine on Tuesday, an automated cigarette-rolling device that enables the store to offer cigarettes at half the normal price.

Customers buy sacks of loose pipe tobacco and cigarette tubes with filters. They place the tubes inside the $30,000-plus RYO Filling Station, about the size of a squat vending machine, then drop tobacco into a chute at the top.

The machine blows the tobacco into the tubes, then rolled cigarettes tumble out the bottom about once every two seconds, or a full carton in eight minutes.

The state-licensed liquor store has an introductory price of $29.95 for the roll-your-own cigarettes, but expects to sell them eventually for $34.95 a carton.

“This is going to take off,” says store owner Dan Miner. “The equivalent cigarette I’m selling for $6.25 a pack, or $62.50” for a carton.

A pack-a-day smoker could save $83 a month.

Miner hopes to buy several more machines and then open six to eight discount cigarette stores in Portland within six months. The machines also are spreading quickly in other states.

But the exciting news for smokers is not so welcome for those concerned about peoples’ health and government services.

Cigarettes made via the RYO Filling Stations are so cheap because pipe tobacco is taxed at a much lower rate than regular cigarettes. Critics and federal regulators say the proprietors are taking advantage of a loophole in federal law, and the issue is now in court.

Profits from seized cigarettes up in smoke

They were found in a shipping container from Hong Kong earmarked to contain bubble wrap and lunch boxes.

Under the Customs Act the penalty for smuggling and evading duty is five times the amount of tax evaded and a possible 10-year jail sentence.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor says the seizure of that many counterfeit cigarettes represents an attempt to evade government revenue of almost $1.2 million.

"While cigarettes and tobacco are not illegal items in Australia, it is against the law to fail to declare what is being brought into Australia, and duty evasion is also illegal," Mr O'Connor said.

"Counterfeit products can also be subject to civil action from the registered trademark owners."

Last month, Customs officers at the Brisbane Container Examination Facility were suspicious of a shipping container from Hong Kong marked by the importer as holding bubble wrap and lunch boxes.

Officers conducted an initial container X-ray, and when that raised their suspicions, the goods were unpacked and a physical examination uncovered the cigarettes.

Over the past four years Customs and Border Protection has seized 977 tonnes of tobacco and 286 million cigarettes in sea cargo, preventing potential revenue evasion of about $397 million.