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Tobacco donations blasted 

Alberta's Liberal Opposition is criticizing the governing Progressive Conservatives for taking political donations from a tobacco firm.

The Liberals point to public documents that show the Alberta PC party received three donations last year worth a total of $5,125 from the National Smokeless Tobacco Co.

But PC party spokesman Jim Campbell says he sees nothing wrong with taking such donations, which in this case were tickets to leaders' dinners in Calgary and Edmonton.

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Liberals Accuse Stelmach Tories Of Taking Donations From Big Tobacco 

Alberta's Liberal Opposition is criticizing the governing Progressive Conservatives for taking political donations from a tobacco firm.

The Liberals point to public documents that show the Alberta PC Party received three donations last year worth a total of $5,125 from the National Smokeless Tobacco Co.

Party spokesman Jim Campbell says he sees nothing wrong with taking donations from `a legal company selling a legal product.' . . .

Liberal health critic Dave Taylor says it simply doesn't look right when a government that's taking steps to reduce smoking is also taking political donations from a tobacco firm.

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Longhorn National Sweepstakes Winner Announced 

Kentucky resident Brian Henry takes the top prize in the Longhorn National "Win a New Bass Boat" Sweepstakes. Henry, who lives in Boaz, Kentucky, is the proud owner of a new Triton TR 21X2 Bass Boat, courtesy of Longhorn Moist Snuff in partnership with BASS. His grand prize, valued at over $60,000, also includes an exclusive fishing trip for two with Professional Angler Jeff Kriet. "Fishing is a passion for many of our consumers," according to Charlie Kivett, Brand Manager for Longhorn Moist Snuff. "Our relationship with BASS, the worldwide authority on bass fishing, allows us to connect with our consumers' lifestyle."

Longhorn is continuing its partnership with BASS in 2008 by launching the "Win the Whole Rig" National Consumer Sweepstakes.

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Community groups hurting under smoking ban 

Bingo revenue has been slashed by as much as 30% since gambling joints were forced to adhere to the city's smoking ban in the new year, one Calgary community association says.

Lil Rose, who is in charge of financial resources at the Acadia Community Association, said attendance for the games they host at the city's bingo halls has dropped significantly since Jan 1.

"Of course, the money's down too," said Rose.

"I would say it's mostly because of the non-smoking." The cash raised through bingos funds the association's utility and maintenance costs, she said.

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• Tobacco dollars still in politics, but few go to Clinton, McCain or Obama 

Among candidates still standing or running...

... Sen. Hillary Clinton has taken the most -- $46,300 from executives and employees of tobacco companies.

Sen. John McCain, himself a cancer survivor, has taken $27,400.

Sen. Barack Obama, who famously has tried to quit smoking with off-and-on success, has taken $22,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

These remaining candidates have not been particularly kind to the tobacco industry, according to Stanton Glantz, an anti-tobacco advocate, researcher and medical school professor at University of California, San Francisco.

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Plastic industry's influence questioned after FDA ruling 

Despite more than 100 published studies by government scientists and university laboratories that have raised health concerns about a chemical compound that is central to the multibillion-dollar plastics industry, the Food and Drug Administration has deemed it safe largely because of two studies, both paid for by an industry trade group.

The agency says it has relied on research backed by the American Plastics Council because it had input on its design, monitored its progress and reviewed the raw data. . . .

Congressional Democrats have begun investigating any industry influence in regulating BPA.

"Tobacco figured this out, and essentially it's the same model," said David Michaels, who was a federal regulator in the Clinton administration. "If you fight the science, you're able to postpone regulation and victim compensation, as well. As in this case, eventually the science becomes overwhelming. But if you can get five or 10 years of avoiding pollution control or production of chemicals, you've greatly increased your product."

Mitchell Cheeseman, the deputy director of the FDA's office of food-additive safety, said that the agency is not biased toward industry.

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BAT, CEPS Fight Counterfeiting  

The British American Tobacco (BAT) company and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) are engaged in a two-day anti-counterfeiting workshop at the La Palm Royal Hotel.

The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in the area of fighting counterfeiting and trading in such products with particular reference to cigarettes.

In his overview of the workshop, Don Ayao Dussey, BAT's Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Manager, West and Central Africa, described the event as another milestone in the fight against illicit trade in Ghana. . . .

"It is in recognition of the tremendous contribution of CEPS and other security agencies to reducing the illicit trade that we donated 12 jungle motorbikes to help CEPS in their efforts to have better control of our borders and the product flow," he said.

BAT, he said, was committed to setting high standards of good corporate citizenship by helping to improve the capacity of their partners in the process of eliminating illicit trading activities. . . .

Some 12 countries mostly in Africa and the Middle East accounted for most of the financial losses of BAT in terms of illegal trade in tobacco products.

Nigeria with a very big market, he pointed out, accounted for $48 million, followed by South Africa with $44 million.

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• Tobacco firm assigns K400m for Malawi schools 

An international tobacco firm, Philip Morris, has set aside K400 million (US$3 million) for the construction of 100 school blocks across the country in the next five years, starting this year, to help improve Malawi's education standards.

The US based tobacco company, which also buys Malawi's leaf, has already channeled K7 million to Total Land Care, a local NGO which would be executing the project in conjunction with district assemblies and education official among others.

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Smoking Bans Clear Out Bingo Halls 

Charity bingo games are being hurt by bans on indoor smoking, with attendance dropping as patrons turn to casinos where they can still light up while playing, the New York Times reported April 24.

Charity gambling revenues fell 13 percent after Minnesota adopted a statewide indoor-smoking ban, with the smoking prohibition blamed for half of the decline. Bingo players who once flocked to the American Legion post in Fergus Falls, Minn., now go to casinos or cross the border to North Dakota, where veterans' groups are exempt from the state's smoking ban.

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• Indonesian sports addicted to tobacco sponsors 

Indonesian sports associations are trying to wean themselves off sponsorships from tobacco companies, as the government looks to follow the example of other Asian nations who have banned the practice.

"I agree that ideally, tobacco companies should not sponsor any sporting events. But we can't ban their sponsorship now because we don't have other potential sources of funds," State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Adhyaksa Dault told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He said current restrictions for tobacco advertising on broadcasting hours and for junior sports events may be extended to a directive ban in the next five years.

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• Our news 

Our Research and Development facility undertakes a variety of research projects using a broad range of scientific disciplines. We publish results from our research in a variety of external, peer-reviewed scientific / academic publications.

Accepted

Our most recent papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals are:

Title: Risk assessment paradigms with tobacco smoke constituents Authors: Meredith, C., Cunningham, F., Massey, E. D. Journal: Toxicology . . .

Title: The characterisation and evaluation of activate carbon in a cigarette filter Authors: Branton, P., Mola, M., Hallum, M. Journal: Adsorption . . .

Title: Electron paramagnetic resonance of the free radicals in the gas- and particulate phases of cigarette smoke using spin-trapping Authors: Ghosh, M., Ionita, P., McAughey, J., Cunningham, F. Journal: Arkivoc - Journal of Organic Chemistry . . .

Conference contributions: Pyrolysis 2008 Date: 28/04/2008A number of our scientists will be attending the 18th International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis (PYR08) 18-23rd May 2008, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain.

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• Sculpture of racing legend Peter Brock to display cigarette brand  

A MEMORIAL to motor racing legend Peter Brock due to be unveiled in Bathurst later this year will be emblazoned with cigarette advertising.

The life-sized sculpture, to be unveiled at Bathurst's Mount Panorama in October, depicts Brock standing on the roof of one of his favourite Holden racing cars.

Bathurst city council defended the sculpture on ABC radio's The World Today, saying it was important to faithfully recreate the car's design, with original cigarette advertising.

Bathurst Deputy Mayor Ian North said the car and its cigarette advertising were part of Brock's legacy.

"History is history," Mr North told ABC radio. "We're honouring the man and what he achieved.

"That vehicle was a very significant vehicle in what Peter Brock achieved."

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History is history. We're honouring the man and what he achieved.
Bathurst Deputy Mayor Ian North, on the life-sized sculpture, to be unveiled at Bathurst's Mount Panorama in October, which depicts Australian motor racing legend Peter Brock standing on the roof of his car--complete with original Marlboro cigarette advertising. One achievement--the propagation of cigarette advertising long, long after his death.

• Where Did All the Bingo Players Go?  

Banning smoking at charity bingo games may have health benefits, but it is proving harmful to earnings.

In Minnesota, which adopted a statewide ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces in October, revenue from all charity gambling dropped nearly 13 percent in the last quarter of 2007, compared to the same quarter the year before, according to state officials. More than half of the drop — the equivalent of about $100 million annually — was attributed to the new law, they said.

Charlie Lindstrom, who runs the bingo nights at an American Legion post in Fergus Falls, Minn., said some of his former customers now drove to casinos on Indian reservations, where they can puff away, or across the border to Fargo, N.D., where veterans’ organizations are exempt from that state’s smoking ban. . . .

Mr. Lindstrom is not alone. Managers of charity bingo games in California, New Jersey, New York and Washington State also say their states’ smoking bans have forced cutbacks in their budgets and in their support for various causes.

Few believe they can cultivate new nonsmoking players. They say smoking goes with bingo like peanut butter with jelly.

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• Greeley Stampede loses major sponsor  

As many expected, a city-wide ban on free sampling of tobacco has led U.S. Smokeless Tobacco to withdraw its placement of a $200,000 scoreboard at the Greeley Stampede.

A major sponsor of the annual Stampede, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco decided this week not to provide the scoreboard this year as they have in the past.

Stampede officials will now need to rent a $25,000 scoreboard for the two-week event and hope sponsors step forward to defray the cost.

"We've made some offers to different companies," said Greeley Stampede CEO Lynn Settje. "At this point we've not gotten any nibbles."

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco spokesman Andrew Lee said Greeley's vote in December to stop free sampling of tobacco in the city played a role in the company's decision.

"The scoreboard is in great demand at events across the country and the folks who run that program have a difficult choice to make as to when and where it will be used," Lee said. "Where we have the ability to responsibly distribute our samples is one factor they have to consider."

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• Tobacco company negotiating sponsorship role after pulling scoreboard 

As Greeley Stampede officials search for a new scoreboard sponsor for this year's Stampede, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco officials insisted Wednesday they will remain a partial sponsor of the events.

UST has strong sponsorship ties to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which holds several rodeo events at the Stampede, so their presence at the Stampede will still probably be visible, said Mark Reinert, chairman of the Greeley Stampede Board of Directors.

Reinert said the Stampede committee is trying to find new sponsors to help raise the $25,000 to rent a scoreboard for the 12-day festivities, but that a lot of businesses in the area have already been tapped.

"We've been pursuing renting (a scoreboard) for a long time,"

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