Tobacco.org

• Push to restrict tobacco sales to drugstores 

Now San Francisco entrepreneur Stuart Skorman, founder of the now defunct holistic-oriented drugstore chain Elephant Pharmacy, wants to make pharmacies the only places that sell tobacco products.

Skorman, who on Thursday launched a nonprofit organization called HealthyPharmacies.org to promote his idea, believes that restricting cigarette sales to pharmacies would not only control the distribution and visibility of the product, but also give pharmacists the opportunity to counsel customers about quitting.

The idea would also prevent kids from going down to the corner store to buy cigarettes from a clerk who may not check identification, he said.

"Keeping tobacco away from 12-year-olds saves lives and billions of dollars from the health care system," he said.

Skorman advocates testing the concept in some cities and then comparing the impact on smoking with those that have banned the sale of tobacco products in drugstores. He said he's in discussions with city officials interested in the idea, but declined to name the cities.

"If limiting distribution and limiting the visibility of this dangerous product reduces smoking in communities, we believe pharmacists would be more than happy to be part of the program," he said.

The problem? Most pharmacists and health experts interviewed for this story found the idea downright unhealthy.

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If limiting distribution and limiting the visibility of this dangerous product reduces smoking in communities, we believe pharmacists would be more than happy to be part of the program
San Francisco entrepreneur Stuart Skorman, who wants to make pharmacies the only places that sell tobacco products.

Quitting smoking cuts health costs 

Offering resources to help employees quit smoking can improve wellness, increase corporate moral and reduce health-care costs to employers.

Employees who smoke will cost businesses in direct health-care costs including more visits to health-care facilities, more hospital admissions and higher average insurance premiums. The indirect health-care costs amount to a loss in productivity in increased absenteeism.

Some things to think about during Lung Cancer Awareness and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness month.

Fact: Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death.

Fact: Tobacco-related diseases kill 438,000 Americans annually. . . .

n Louisiana Tobacco Quitline at (800) QUIT NOW.

n Quit With Us, La at www.QuitWithUsLA.org.

The LSU Tobacco Control Initiative also offers programs at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma, 873-2499; Assumption Community Hospital, 369-3600; and Terrebonne General Medical Center, 876-7577.

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• 'Smoking' for trouble 

LIMBANG: 'Kemt' and 'Pally' are names that trigger an anxiety attack among parents here.

They are cigarette-shaped sweets that are packaged like cigarettes. At first glance, the sweet boxes look like real cigarette boxes. Parents are worried that such sales gimmick may eventually tempt children to start smoking.

Ibrahim Tapa, 38, said the products, known as 'Smoke Candy' here, were believed to be imported from China and were sold at 50 sen per box.

Unethical and illegal

This kind of gimmick by traders goes against the government's anti-smoking policy, where millions of ringgit is spent to discourage people from picking up the smoking habit and is making a mockery of the government's effort to create a healthy society."

A Borneo Post survey here showed that several traders were selling 'Smoke Candy' openly.

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Leading U.K. Restaurant Chains Post Impressive Sales and Units Gains, Reports Technomic  

Despite the global economic downturn, the leading 100 U.K. restaurant chains grew sales by 3.4 percent in 2008 to nearly £11 billion, and posted strong unit gains, expanding by 7.6 percent to approximately 15,000 locations.

The limited-service segment, accounting for 60 percent of sales for the leading 100 chains, led the group, up 4.7 percent to more than £6.5 billion, while the full-service segment, representing 40 percent of sales, grew by 1.6 percent to over £4 billion. . . .

The implementation of the indoor smoking ban in pubs generated new food customers who had previously avoided smoke. Mitchells & Butlers plc attributed its robust food sales to these new patrons.

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• San Francisco, Berkeley Missed Public Health Opportunity by Moving Tobacco 

San Francisco and Berkeley missed an opportunity to help smokers quit when the cities moved all tobacco sales out of pharmacies, according to a new Bay Area health initiative. Instead of having smokers buy cigarettes in convenience stores and at other retailers, smokers should buy cigarettes only at pharmacy counters, says Stuart Skorman, founder of Elephant Pharmacy.

Launching HealthyPharmacies.org, Skorman is focused on making pharmacies centers of health and wellness at the community level. "They can't just sell medicines to people who are sick. They must educate consumers and give them tools to lead healthier lives."

Keeping cigarettes behind the pharmacy counter would do just that, Skorman says. When a smoker asks for a pack of cigarettes, pharmacy staff would have the opening to offer nicotine replacement, such as the patch or gum, or point smokers in the direction of counseling and other tools. The approach wouldn't require a prescription for tobacco but would offer smokers tools to help them quit.

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NRT Smoking Cessation Aids in the US - Chantix Sales Declined by 30% in the US in 2008  

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dbf721/nrt_smoking_cessat) has announced the addition of the "NRT Smoking Cessation Aids in the US" report to their offering.

NRT smoking cessation value declined for the second year in a row in 2008, although the drop was less dramatic than that of 2007. Declines in 2007 were driven by the huge popularity of Chantix, an Rx remedy launched by Pfizer in 2006, and the growing strength of private label smoking cessation products, most notably private label NRT lozenges, which were approved in 2006. Private label products continued to hamper value growth in 2008, as consumers looking to quit smoking opted for cheaper alternatives. However, the impact of Chantix on the OTC NRT sector was negligible, as Chantix sales actually declined by 30% in the US in 2008.

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Newton takes public comment on extinguishing pharmacy tobacco sales  

Residents can butt in at an aldermen meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 4 about a proposal to ban tobacco from being sold at CVS and other city pharmacies.

"We wanted to give a chance for the public to weigh in on an important issue," said Alderman Ted Hess-Mahan, one of the proposal's sponsors.

The public comment will be at 7:45 p.m. at City Hall on Wednesday. The Programs and Services Committee will host it in Room 222.

The ban would be similar to ones in Boston, Uxbridge and Needham

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National Federation of Retail Newsagents Backs Newsagent Member in Tobacco Lawsuit 

Donegal newsagent and NFRN member Maurice Timony will tomorrow morning lodge a High Court challenge to contest the Irish Governments ban on tobacco display. He is backed by the world's largest cigarette company Philip Morris in the joint lawsuit which seeks to overturn the ban on the display of tobacco products at retail stores in Ireland.

While the NFRN supports the Governments intentions on public health, a display ban is simply bad policy. Firstly, it is ineffective in stopping children smoking and helping adults quit. Secondly, without a coherent approach it will lead to further significant growth in illegal smuggled and counterfeit tobacco products - as already experienced in Ireland - to the detriment of both public health and retailers' livelihoods. Similarly, the NFRN`s newsagent members in the UK are not being listened to - NFRN members do not wish to resort to legal action but we may have no other options left open to us.

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香港所有报摊禁上香烟广告 [Of Hong Kong ban on all cigarette advertisements newsstand] 

由11月1日起，香港所有持牌小贩包括报摊，禁止展示任何形式烟草广告。

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Metabolix Completes Field Trial of Bioplastic-Producing Tobacco Crop  

Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), a bioscience company focused on developing sustainable solutions for plastics, chemicals and energy, announced today that it has completed a field trial of tobacco, genetically engineered to express polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biobased polymers. Metabolix obtained the necessary permits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to perform an open air field trial in March of 2009 and field trial experiments were completed in early October. The trial was performed on 0.8 acres of land and provided valuable data and information relating to polymer production, with the best plants producing 3-5% PHA. This furthers development of Metabolix crop technologies for the co-production of biobased plastics in non-food bioenergy crops.

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• Ethical Corporation: Nestle, British American Tobacco, Shell and AWE to join 100+ other multinationals to discuss their CR and sustainability reporting and communications in London in November  

The CR Reporting and Communications Summit (http://www.ethicalcorp.com/reporting) is the largest gathering in Europe on this topic. For two days in late November, many of the world's biggest companies will gather in London to debate and discuss the future of corporate responsibility reporting.

The Marriott hotel in Swiss Cottage will play host to 18 individual workshops, where over 30 of Europe's leading companies will present their own CR/sustainability reporting and communications strategies.

Julia King, Vice-President of CR at GlaxosmithKline will demonstrate how the pharmaceutical giant embeds sustainability reporting throughout the company's many offices in the second plenary session of the first day.

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CHILDERS: Gavel to Gavel: Up in smoke  

It is easy to get caught up in the anti-smoking movement and assume that smokers in the workplace have no protection. However, that assumption would be a mistake, especially in Oklahoma.

Interestingly, in Oklahoma those who choose to use tobacco products do have certain rights conferred upon them by the Oklahoma Legislature. Specifically, 40 O.S. §500 states that “It shall be unlawful for an employer to: (1) discharge any individual, or otherwise disadvantage any individual, with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because the individual is a nonsmoker or smokes or uses tobacco products during non-working hours; or (2) require as a condition of employment that any employee or applicant for employment abstain from smoking or using tobacco products during nonworking hours.”

This statutory language means that while Oklahoma employers can establish anti-smoking rules, they cannot hold it against employees who choose to use tobacco during nonwork hours or on noncompany property. So, refusing to hire an applicant because he or she smokes is prohibited. Likewise, taking an adverse action against an existing employee because it is learned he or she smokes is prohibited.

Where it really gets tricky is with anti-smoking campaigns by employers that encourage and incentivize employees to quit smoking. . . .

Bottom line, the anti-smoking movement is here to stay and efforts by Oklahoma employers to void their workplaces of tobacco use are largely supported. However, you would do well to remember that smoking employees in Oklahoma are not without any rights

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Patio smoking ban under attack 

A proposal that would ban smoking on the outdoor patios of bars and restaurants is under fire from Saskatchewan's hospitality industry.

The Saskatchewan government is looking at updating its no-smoking law, and one of the changes would be a ban on patio smoking. While Saskatoon already has such a ban, Regina and other cities don't.

Health Minister Don McMorris told CBC News a proposal for a provincewide ban may be coming soon.

Tom Mullin, president of the Hotels Association of Saskatchewan, calls the plan unfair. The industry is still reeling from anti-smoking legislation brought in several years ago, which banned smoking in bars, he said.

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Smoking on patios may be banned 

The provincial government is contemplating a smoking ban on restaurant and bar patios and in vehicles carrying minors.

New anti-tobacco legislation, expected to be introduced later this fall, would also set new limits on how close people smoking can be to public buildings and curtail tobacco sales in pharmacies.

The Saskatchewan Party government promised new anti-tobacco measures in the throne speech that started the legislative session last week.

"Allowing pharmacies, especially the big-box store pharmacies, to be selling tobacco products, it's a little counterintuitive to be passing out (smoking) cessation . . . medicine, for example, as well as selling tobacco at the same time," Health Minister Don McMorris said Monday. He noted some provinces have banned stores with pharmacies from selling cigarettes or have required groceries and big-box retailers to keep tobacco products separated from the pharmacy in an area with a distinct entrance.

McMorris said details of the province's legislation still need to be worked out but Saskatchewan must take steps to deal with smoking rates that are among the highest in Canada.

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• Province plans smoking ban 

Cars, patios and pharmacies are all in the Saskatchewan Party government sights as they plan "quite encompassing" new anti-tobacco legislation expected to be introduced later this fall, Health Minister Don McMorris said Monday.

The government promised new anti-tobacco measures in the throne speech starting the legislative session last week.

Among the measures being contemplated are banning smoking on restaurant and bar patios and in vehicles carrying minors, setting new limits on how close people smoking can be to public buildings and curtailing tobacco sales in pharmacies.

"Allowing pharmacies, especially the big box store pharmacies, to be selling tobacco products, it's a little counterintuitive to be passing out (smoking) cessation ... medicine, for example, as well as selling tobacco at the same time," McMorris told reporters at the legislature.

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